Common Sense, Reality Prevail Over Pandering - Davis Exposed In Elk Grove Soccer Fields Hearing - Video

October 2, 2015 | See highlights of soccer facility hearing during the Sept. 23 Elk Grove City Council meeting in video posted below ...


October 2, 2015 |

See highlights of soccer facility hearing during the Sept. 23 Elk Grove City Council meeting in video posted below

During last week's Elk Grove City Council meeting, Mayor Gary Davis introduced one of his pet projects - the large scale soccer facility with glee. 

"I don't know if anybody is excited about that," Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis said 

The audience, which was packed with dozens of local soccer enthusiast and some well-spoken critics, let out a mild cheer with a few whistles. As the matter unfolded, Davis' cheerleading for an expensive soccer facility gradually evolved into pleas that even his closest ally on the city council would not support him on.

One speaker in particular highlighted perhaps the core reason Davis is so laser focused on building soccer facilities along with a senior center, Veterans hall, and aquatic center. That speaker was Andrew Donnery, president of the Elk Grove Youth Soccer League

In his comments, Donnery noted that EGYSL has 6,500 registrants, which equates into 13,000 parents, 26,000 grandparents for a total of about 40,000 voters. While Donnery's math is fuzzy - not all kids have both parents living in Elk Grove much less all their grandparents, his point was clear - approve this or face the wrath of the voters.

Donnery's comments point out what many local political observers have long said - Davis has been been pandering to the soccer kids and their parents, senior citizens and veterans by promising the goodies they want. Anything for a vote, anything for love.  

Fortunately, Vice Mayor Pat Hume called out Donnery characterizing his comments as a veiled threat and said he would rather be voted out for being fiscally responsible than kowtowing to their demands to retain his office.

Beyond the unabashed pandering and electoral threats, the discussion also pointed out the flaw in Davis' grand plans - how will they be paid for?

After his four colleagues said they would not build any facility that would operate at a loss, Davis offered an alternative. Why not explore a sales tax increase to pay for all the over-budget proposal?

For Davis, the financial realities and the actions taken by his fellow council members are a political setback. He committed a cardinal sin in any sales job - he has over-promised and under-delivered on this, the aquatics center, the veterans hall, job development, the animal shelter and the list keeps growing. 

We will have to wait to see if any candidate takes Davis' unfulfilled promises and attempt to bludgeon him with these mutliple failures in next year's mayoral election. More importantly, will voters even care? Perhaps this is what Davis is hoping for.

In the mean time, as one EGN reader has pointed out, Lincoln-Roseville-Rocklin is "kicking our ass...again" with their athletic complex while Elk Grove's is stuck in purgatory. 





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20 comments

Crying Poor Mouth said...

Hmmm, Hume can’t afford mansions and Maseratis? Sure you can Mr. Consanguinity!

Anonymous said...

How many percent of the soccer players are minorities?

How many percent of the residents are minorities?

The soccer stadium is an example of "white privilege" at its finest.

Warren Buffet said...

Sounds like Davis wants to be carried on the shoulders of someone, anyone, and hear them sing their praise "for he's a jolly good fellow"...Problem is, this isn't a Sac State Poli Sci 101 class, nor is it an internship in how to become a leader. No, this is the big leagues being supported by our tax dollars! It's high time our money be spent on making Elk Grove the best darn suburb of the Sacramento Valley. You do that by turning your focus inwards, listening to the people, building amenities that translate to higher property values for all, and get off this sports mecca kick!

Connie said...

Because of our history, both personally and politically, dating back to 2005, I would be one of the first to call Pat Hume out. However, in this case, Pat Hume is to be applauded for stepping up and leading the discussion in the right direction. His pragmatism paid off in a big way because the others couldn’t counter one argument he made. They had no choice but to agree.

How would the article have read if the Council approved the $1.8 million to move forward with Plan B for $57 million dollars? And even worse, what would the comments have been?

As far as mansions and Maseratis, here is a little secret about Pat Hume, he is very frugal! And now he has brought that philosophy to the Elk Grove City Council and just at the right time.

I have to wonder how city staff got the impression that Plan B would fly. How much did those plans cost? Now staff has $500K to bring back plans that are realistic because Hume said no to the 1.8 million.

Proud to be led said...

I for one am willing to see a sales tax increase because I believe in the Mayor's plan. In order to put Elk Grove on the map, you must be willing to put your money where your mouth is. Davis is a business man himself and would not ask us to pay for something that would lose money, after all he owns three coffee businesses that are all apparently making a profit. He knows how to put our city at the forefront of greatness and we should trust our leader!

Anonymous said...

Sacto BizJournals also did an article a few days after the council meeting saying "Project developers from SC Elk Grove have some other suggestions for scaling the project back a bit as well". Does that mean we now have some expertise assisting us in the developing and financing of this project....like perhaps
Andrew Donnerly, president of the Elk Grove Youth Soccer League. Seems like there is a lot of fuzzy math going on...estimates vs actual costs.


http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2015/09/25/elk-grove-considers-scaling-back-plans-for-sports.html

One of the Real Majority said...

To Mr. Donnerly....
Thank you for smugly pointing out that one-third of the city's population is associated with soccer.
Please recognize...
165,000 (100% of the population) use our roads.
165,000 (100% of the population) are served by the EG Police Department.
165,000 (100% of the population) need drainage.
165,000 (100% of the population) needs their trash removed.
So, the next time you'd like to smugly flout the political clout of soccer... Remember, you're in line behind the pot holes, the police, the drains, and the garbage. (Doesn't sound very sexy does it?)
You'd do better to queue up at Cosumnes Community Services District (CCSD). As Councilman Detrick deftly pointed out, this project is, at it's core, Recreation.
With love,
One of 165,000 EG Taxpayers

Anonymous said...

I believe Mr. Donnery (no "l") is owed an apology for misspelling his name.
The next time you are here visiting from your HOME IN SAN JOSE, please stop by Grace Coffee Roasters for a "hot cup of mud" as a token of our sincere regret - courtesy of the 100%.

Elk Grove News said...

Thank you for pointing out the misspell. The spelling of Mr. Donnery's name has been corrected.

Anonymous said...

It should also be pointed out that EGYSL like the EGUSD extends beyond the city limits of Elk Grove. They include Vineyard, Rancho Murieta, Vintage Park, south Sac, etc. Perhaps those areas should pony up as well.

Anonymous said...

Is Hume being a fiscal conservative or just trying to minimize the Mello Roos fees for his developer buddies?

Anonymous said...

Why should us old people pay for the self entitled kids to get their "world class" soccer complex and aquatic center?

Anonymous said...

As someone who at one time had a couple of children playing soccer in EG I find it interesting there seems to be a lot of trouble brewing here in the last year or so...might be what this CEO should focus on now and leave the developing to people in the know. JMHO

NoCalSoccer....Trouble in Elk Grove?

http://nocalsoccer.com/index.php?threads/trouble-in-elk-grove.330/

I also see nothing in this CEO's Bio about "Project developers" expertise within FC ElkGrove.

http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1117698342756-61/Andrew+Donnery+bio.pdf

Anonymous said...

Anon. 21:55 You just named two...there are many more projects waiting for space on the upcoming City Councils Agenda. Could this be why I'm hearing all this racket coming from the west of city hall, the Jewel of EG? Some unhappy people I'm hearing. You don't want to stir the older people up...they've been there, done that and know how to deal with the younger upstarts with the hairbrained schemes.

Proud to be led said...

Oh yea of little faith--Mayor Davis will bring the community together! Remember Alexander Haig stepping up when Reagan was shot? Natural leaders just kind of rise to the top.

Anonymous said...

What kind of natural leader post a toilet rebate on FB to save water when he approves thousands of new homes to be built in a 4th year of drought? What kind of crap leader is that?

Anonymous said...

A sales tax increase for a soccer facility.

NO WAY! Why should I pay more for what I buy just so the suburban kids can get their world class soccer facility?

Elk Grove is circling the drain when it comes to fiscal prudence and common sense.

Anonymous said...

Give some credit to Pat Hume, normally not my favorite person but he seemed to be irritated at the soccer president who implied he was going to play politics with votes for dollars. Pat sniffed it out and took him to task. Davis is a fool if he thinks the citizens will tax themselves for a soccer venue..or a aquatics park or any such stupid idea. the recession is not over for some of us...some have just gotten back to a job; most of us haven't recovered financially. I'm not voting to raise my taxes...If the soccer folks want a world class field, they better start a fundraising event. Pay to play. The city should not have to run a deficit for any amenity. It's not the city's job to provide a soccer palace. The main roll of government is safety, roads, police and fire. Get out of the parks business. Leave parks to the experts..and you guys are no experts. Why do you think CSD wants nothing to do with this topic...they know it's a losing proposition from the word go. Hume and even Detrick must be waking up to the small of burnt coffee. It's about time a few of them got their balls back. Time to remove Davis and Ly; both are dangerous to our future stability and financial well being.

Anonymous said...

Watched all the self entitled rug rat soccer players come out in force for the council meeting.

Elk Grove, the city that knows how......


how to become the dumping ground for hair brained projects and thousands of cheap houses on postage stamp sized lots accompanied by over 3,000 units of high density low income housing.

Anonymous said...

I have never understood why every project we estimate, study, plan, etc. is never within our budget and takes months longer and more dollars to get to something in the ballpark. Do we have nothing but incompetents at city hall or too many wheels and not enough spokes? Every project we start ends up with nothing but problems...sometimes even lawsuits. I'm thinkin' someone at city hall is a hugh problem.

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