Video Voices of Elk Grove - Voters, Not Politicians Should Decide How They Are Represented


Vice Mayor Steve Detrick
Elk Grove Vice Mayor Steve Detrick defends the current "from district" representation and steadfastly opposes
allowing voters to choose how they should be represented. |  
October 27, 2017 |  

At their Wednesday, October 25 meeting the Elk Grove City Council were once again urged to voluntarily place an initiative on next year's ballot that would allow voters a voice in how they are represented. 

The request came from Elk Grove resident Jim Kelly who spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. Kelly has organized a grass roots, voluntary operation that hopes to gather approximately 10,000 signature to place the initiative on next year's ballot asking voters if they desire the continuation of the current from district or changing to by-district representation. 

In the current from district system, council members are from one of four specific districts in the city but are elected on a citywide basis. A by district system would mean that council members would have to reside in one district and are elected only by voters in that district, not citywide. In either scenario, the mayor would continue to be chosen by all voters in the city.

During his appearances before the city council, Kelly has stressed he does not have a position on from or by district per se. Instead, he emphasizes Elk Grove voters should be the party who determines how they are represented.

Since winning the mayor's position last year, Steve Ly has voiced support for converting to the by district council members. Ly has reportedly signed the petition currently being circulated. 

During Wednesday's meeting Council Member Pat Hume noted he too signed the petition but stopped short of voicing support for the conversion saying he will reserve comment based on the signature gathering results. Vice Mayor Steve Detrick continued to voice opposition on Wednesday while council members Stephanie Nguyen and Darren Suen did not respond to Kelly's request seeking their position on whether or not voters should be given an opportunity to decide how they should be represented.

Below is a video of the entire dialogue between Kelly and Detrick and Hume.   








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D.J. Blutarsky said...

" Stephanie Nguyen and Darren Suen did not respond to Kelly's request seeking their position on whether or not voters should be given an opportunity to decide how they should be represented".

Silence is golden! Wonder what our forefathers would think about Council members being selected by appointment? Does Mr. Kelly's petition drive change that clause in the city charter?

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