Does Elk Grove Economic Development Efforts Deserve Credit for Apple's Expansion?

December 8, 2015 |

Success has many fathers, but failures are orphans

Over the last few weeks, information has dribbled out on Apple's expansion of their Elk Grove campus. This is a shot in the arm for job seekers in the Sacramento region, but how much of it came from the efforts of Elk Grove's economic development efforts?

First, almost all of the information about the expansion has been reported by the Sacramento Business Journal, not from press releases from The City of Elk Grove. In their most recent story by reporter Mark Anderson, it was noted Apple "declined to comment on the project."

Anderson's only quote from Elk Grove Economic Development Director Darrell Doan indicated the only information he had was culled from their permit applications. “As indicated from the work, Apple is undertaking a major expansion in Elk Grove,” Doan told the Business Journal.

The one time Elk Grove had an actual major announcement of a new employer, city council members were all over it like a bad suit. Recall how Mayor Gary Davis jumped on the relocation of the Prison Health Authority, which in no small part was induced by taxpayer sponsored multi-million dollar incentives.

This time around there has been no grand announcements from Davis, the city's public information office or Doan. Of course this hasn't stopped Davis from taking to social media and implying his involvement, as evidenced by his comments on Facebook, was somehow key to Apple's decision.

Apple is a notoriously secretive company that even segregates employee groups working on a single project in the dark. Located in Elk Grove since 1992, no one is even entirely certain what the function of the campus is. 

It is unlikely Apple consulted with the Mayor, Doan, any Elk Grove officials, much less Barry Broom in making their determination on expansion. Really, what do the operators of the world's largest capitalized company need from Elk Grove other than to pull its permits? Other than tax incentives, which they apparently did not seek, there is nothing they need from the city.  

We all welcome the great news about getting new, high-quality jobs being created by Apple in Elk Grove that are not fast food or retail, but do not let yourself be fooled by self-serving city councilmen who will try taking credit for something they had no hand in creating. Remember, success has many fathers.

And by the way Mayor Davis and Council Member Ly - your job creation clock is still ticking away.






Post a Comment Default Comments

11 comments

Anonymous said...

Apple has a history of hiring minorities over qualified workers. This is ybe reason why i will never buy an apple product. They sold out.

SteveB6509 said...

I'll give the development team and city administration credit. Apple prefers to work confidentially and if we had a city administration that let all the secrets out as soon as Apple started discussing this with them, they (Apple) might not have expanded here. Thus, the ability for Doan and other city employees to act in a mature business-like manner with confidentiality may have helped move this forward.

Ice Rink said...

Campaign season will soon be swinging into high gear. In past years, our votes have been courted with free pot holders, potted plants, glossy flyers showing the perfect family huddled together like the Brady Bunch, and power poses that throw off the illusion of leadership.

This time around how much you wanna bet at least one candidate will be giving away free 'apples' (oops the health department would probably not going along with that). Well, they say pictures are stronger than words, so I can see at least one candidate distributing a power-pose flyer, arms folded and featuring the Apple building in the background! Add in a speedo and a soccer ball and you got a sure-fire winner!

Anonymous said...

From the sounds of the Business Journal article, it appears that Apple is bringing in some high-powered executives. If that is the case and the city knew ahead of time, you would have thought the council members would have tipped-off their developer buddies and scrambled to rezone for some executive-style housing in the SEPA. What do we have there, more RD-5 and 7's. Also, I wonder if the city will now use some of their laser focus on cultural amenities for a change?

Anonymous said...

Interesting timing of things, considering the focus of the city's leadership. Maybe the "Trojan horse" article that shined the light on why our city wants a "MLS" team and an expansion approved by LAFCO was how these leaders planned on helping the development community in the first place.

By using a ruse to get approval for more land zoned for a soccer stadium that could then easily be rezoned after Elk Grove acquired the new land by the same city officials that spent taxpayer money for the purpose of said ruse... that would be "apples expansion" a great excuse to change the focus of that land we so hope to acquire.

If I were to make a bet, I would bet that that land that we will acquire will get rezoned for residential and commercial purposes and not the pipe dream and complete and blatant lie that the focus is for a soccer stadium. Expecially considering that only a few days ago Sacramento and Warren Smith announced that they will be gearing up to build an actual stadium for a future MLS team.

I think it's time we accept the fact that our leadership is not ignorant nor dumb. It's time to accept the fact that all of the gentleman that sit on the council are very intelligent and understand the game they are playing and the pockets they draw from. That is the only way this game is played and that is the only way you get elected.

Once we have accepted that, then we can begin to focus on elected officials that actually have Elk Groves best interest in mind. But that will be up to the citizens to truly want change.

I could be wrong, and very well may be... but this is just my perspective. I hope some of you can share yours to help me get a clearer picture.

Respectfully,

Silence Dogood

Proud to be led said...

I'm proud of the leadership we have on Council and staff. Apple could have chosen to set up shop in Ireland and avoided paying U.S. taxes. But no, they chose Elk Grove, CA! Elk Grove is quickly establishing itself as the sports Mecca, medical Mecca, restaurant Mecca, and now Apple mecca of the U.S. Maybe Applebee's ought to become our official city restaurant and get a complimentary spot on a freeway billboard.

Anonymous said...

With Apple's high level of privacy, you can bet that we'll find out what they want us to find out and nothing more. They know the city has an underground network and that there are no secrets in this city. This would be for only low-tech employees who would know nothing of the companies workings. Those will/are being placed in other countries such as Ireland and China....remember tax breaks!

Maybe our Mascot should be an APPLE instead of an elk. BTW...how in the heck did this Mascot come about? We don't have a professional sports team. Oh, I forgot...the MLS. We do some of the most stupid things sometimes, why am I not surprised that our Mayor would come up with something like this.

Mack the Knife said...

It would behoove Gary Davis, the rest of the city council, and staff to take a lesson from Tim Cook and not brag too much about bringing all these Apple jobs to Elk Grove. If the Apple executives get wind of the bravado, they would be less than pleased.

And we all know that certain members of the council are filled with bravado falling all over themselves with the pats on the back.

“Any fool knows that bravado is always a cover-up for insecurity. That's the truth. And on that note, I'll say goodnight. God love you.” ~ Bobby Darin

Proud to be led said...

I'm getting all giddy! The top dog in economic development gave us a compliment today in the Sacramento Business Journal!

" Barry Broome, CEO of the Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council, said the city deserves credit for Apple's growth.

It really speaks to what a great job Elk Grove has done treating the company like a customer,” Broome said. The council has been working for six months to get other Bay Area executives interested in expanding to the Sacramento region.

Anonymous said...

Cultural amentities and executive housing in Elk Grove?

What a joke!

This hick city wants a Roseville Galleria type mall, an Olympic swim venue and Major League Soccer stadium when all it will get are a discount outlet center, a water park in a residential neighborhood and a fancy venue for kiddie soccer games.

Anonymous said...

From what I understand many of these Apple jobs are actually temporary positions with subcontractors and pay barely minimum wage. That's the real story here if this information is true.

Follow Us

Popular

Archives

Elk Grove News Minute






All previous Elk Grove News Minutes, interviews, and Dan Schmitt's Ya' Gotta be Schmittin' Me podcasts are now available on iTunes

Elk Grove News Podcast




item