Chaires Opens Office, Kicks Elk Grove City Council Campaign Into High Gear

August 18, 2014 |

Elk Grove Planning Commissioner Nancy Chaires kicked-off her formal campaign for the Elk Grove City Council with an office opening ceremony on Saturday morning.

Chaires is seeking to fill the District 4 seat that is currently held by Bob Trigg. In January, 2013 Trigg was appointed to the District 4 position when Gary Davis was elected mayor of Elk Grove and vacated the seat.

Although there are four candidates who have qualified for the November ballot, it is believed the top two contenders are Chaires and fellow Democrat, Elk Grove Unified School District Trustee Steve Ly. Also appearing on the ballot are Daniel Jimenez and Nayyar Sarfaraz. 

In comments to the audience, without mentioning their names, Chaires took aim at Ly and his biggest supporter, Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis.

"In Elk Grove, when we elected people we expect them to fulfill their commitment," Chaires said. "We don't use our children, our community, as a steppingstone for political office, we are about service first."  

"If you trust me with your vote, with your support, I will fulfill my commitment," she added. 

Ly, who was elected to the EGUSD board in 2012 and is halfway through his first term, has been criticized by former supporters. One of Ly's former campaign volunteers, who now supports Chaires, said she felt betrayed by his decision to seek the District 4 seat.  

Davis, who supported Chaires when she sought the appointment that Trigg received, was targeted for his scheme to transform Elk Grove into a tourist destination as a means of correcting the city's well-documented jobs-to-homes imbalance. Chaires said she would work on realistic approaches to solve the problem.

"I want to bring a more focused approach than is happening now," Chaires said. "You won't hear me talking about turning Elk Grove into a tourist mecca. I'm going to be real." 

The event was attended by about a hundred supporters, elected officials and volunteers who later conducted a precinct walk on behalf of Chaires. Among elected officials in attendance were California Assembly Member Dr. Richard Pan, Elk Grove Vice Mayor Jim Cooper, Cosumnes Community Services District Director Rod Brewer, and Elk Grove Unified School District Trustees Bobbie Singh-Allen and Tony Perez.  

Also attending were Chaires' fellow planning commissioners George Murphey and Kevin Spease, both of whom were appointed by Davis. Murphey was appointed while Davis was a council member and Spease, who was sworn-in this January, was the mayor's first new planning commission appointment.

More of Chaires comments can be viewed in the video posted below.