City of Elk Grove, Mayor Hype SOTC Address With Promise of 'Silicon Valley' Jobs Announcement

March 22, 2016 |

Go Grover Go! |

Every year the President of the United States is constitutionally required to present to a State of the Union message to the joint session of Congress. Although the Constitution does not say how the message is to be submitted - it could be a written document - American Presidents have traditionally delivered their message in a State of the Union speech.

As such, Presidents of both parties have used the nationally televised occasion to give what is essentially a political message. Presidents use the address to brag about their accomplishments, put forward their laundry list of goals, and trot out some noted American to give everyone a warm fuzzy feeling.

Following this tradition, many cities now have a State of the City (SOTC) address provided by Mayors that have followed the same trajectory as the State of the Union. It is an opportunity for a Mayor to brag of his or her accomplishments, or that of the city, and present a laundry list of desires. Rarely, if ever, will any self-serving President or mayor will speak the truth.

As such, Elk Grove's normal State of the City address is more akin to a Rotary Club meeting or a sedated high school pep rally - Go Grover Go!

Not surprisingly, Elk Grove's SOTC is a major fundraising event for the Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce. If you have never heard one - and I think most past Mayors would agree if they are intellectually honest - you are not missing anything.

So it is with some curiosity, that this year's Elk Grove SOTC address is being, dare we say, hyped.

We first became aware of the hype when Mayor Gary Davis took to Twitter last Friday night. Davis tweeted "At next Friday's State of the City we are announcing a game changer of a new employer #InElkGrove."

Who could it be - is the new employer the previously announced Apple expansion, or perhaps re-groundbreaking of the Outlet Collection at Elk Grove? Are those new jobs the ones commented on by a user from an Apple computer server left on an EGN story Sunday night?

Yesterday Elk Grove's public information officer Kristyn Nelson got in on the act and sent a press release that further hyped the SOTC address. In her release, Nelson wrote, "...and a major announcement regarding the city’s future."

What could this major announcement be? A new employer with high-paying jobs?

To keep the mystery going, Davis again took to Twitter this morning and wrote a cryptic tweet that read "Elk Grove State of the City this Friday. We are announcing an exciting new employer. Hint: Silicon Valley #growingjobs #inElkGrove."

With this tweet, Davis ruled out anything to do with the Outlet Collection at Elk Grove, and obviously anything to do with a possible Indian casino. Silicon Valley - is it Apple or some other heavy hitter? 

Will it be Apple's iPhone recycling contractor as suggested by our Apple server commentator or some other high tech employer locating in The Grove? Google or Oracle perhaps? 

In less than 72 hours we will know who this "game changer of a new employer" from "Silicon Valley" is and what sort of jobs they are bringing, and most importantly if they are well-paying. Who knows, maybe the Davis/Vice Mayor Steve Ly job clock will be banished from our front page.

We will be waiting with baited breath - Go Grover Go!