Elk Grove City Council Members, Candidates File Financial Disclosures

One council member donates heavily to various groups; one donates nothing

While the rhetoric will certainly heat up in the next three months, overall fundraising efforts for incumbents and candidates alike for the Elk Grove City Council appear to be lukewarm.

Those are the findings from an examination of California Form 460 financial disclosure statements filed with the Elk Grove City Clerk’s office.

This year districts two and four of the Elk Grove City Council will be on the November ballot. In district two incumbent Pat Hume has no announced opponents as of this posting while district four incumbent Gary Davis is known to have at least two opponents, Jimmie Johnson and James White.

Hume, a first term incumbent, currently has $19,425 on hand and debts totaling $25,515. For the six months ending June 30, 2010, Hume did not receive contributions.

In district four, Jimmie Johnson reported a cash balance of $25,100 that came entirely from a personal loan he made to the campaign. White, who did not have his candidacy papers filed until recently, was not required to report for the first six months of the year.

Davis, like Hume is a first term incumbent. Unlike Hume though, Davis enters the race with a strong cash position and an active fundraising apparatus.

For the first six months, Davis received $16,400 in donations bringing his cash on hand to $69,396. Davis’ largest donation included $5,000 Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 477; $2,500 from Taylor Morrison; and $2,500 from the Sheldon Business Park, LTD.

Council member’s largess; one member's stinginess

The filings also include statements from council members Jim Cooper, Steve Detrick and Sophia Scherman, none of whose seats are up for election this cycle. Cooper, who is running to become the next Sacramento County Sheriff, files a different statement for that campaign.

An examination of Cooper’s statement reveals that he donated $2,787 to a variety of organizations including St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School, Sheldon High School Softball, Lady Magic Softball and the Pig Bowl.

Council members Steve Detrick and Sophia Scherman made charitable donations of $600 and $290 respectively.

Amongst this years incumbents, Davis donated $672 to the Boy Scouts, The Elk Grove Food bank and the Elk Grove Youth Sports Foundation.

Hume was the only council member not to make a charitable donation during the filing period.