Elk Grove Candidates Speak to Capitol Area Progressives

City Council candidate Davies Ononiwu

Three Elk Grove-based candidates for the Elk Grove City Council and Cosumnes Community Services made their case on why they should be elected at as special meeting of the Capitol Area Progressives.

Held Thursday night at the Elk Grove Public Library, Democratic State Senate District 1 candidate and Rancho Cordova Mayor Ken Cooley and a representative for Assembly Member Joan Buchanan also made their respective cases in front of the spirited assembly.

Cosumnes Community Service District (CCSD) candidates Rod Brewer and Doug McElroy are two of the four candidates seeking to fill seats being vacated by Elaine Wright and Keith Gruenberg.

Citing his position as a board member of the Elk Grove Food Bank and the Sacramento County Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission Advisory Board, Brewer said he is passionate about serving the community.

Brewer said given the tough financial situation facing government agencies, if elected he would work toward developing partnerships with the City of Elk Grove.

“We need to figure out how to work with the city to create opportunities,” he said.

Brewer, who making a second run at the CCSD board said he learned from a few missteps from his 2008 campaign that ought to help him this year.

“It would be an honor to represent Elk Grove and Galt,” Brewer said.

The other CCSD candidate to speak was Doug McElroy. A four term CCSD board member who lost his seat in 2008, McElroy stressed his 16 years of experience on the board during which time six fire stations and 60 parks were built.

McElroy note that in by this June it is estimated cash reserves from the district will be $19.5 million, down from $50 million just two years ago.

“There is going to need to be some changes,” McElroy said. “There needs to be a higher degree of accountability.”

The sole Elk Grove City Council candidate to speak was Davies Ononiwu who along with George Murphey, is challenging incumbent Pat Hume for the District 2 seat. Like Brewer, Ononiwu serves on the Sacramento County Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission Advisory Board and ran for the city council in 2006.

Ononiwu said Elk Grove needs to do a better job of balancing the housing and job ratio saying that more big businesses need to be attracted to the city.

Citing his high-tech experience in Silicon Valley, Ononiwu said by attracting a large high-tech businesses, other service companies would be established to serve their needs.

“We shouldn’t be just a bedroom community,” Ononawu said. “We need to have balance.”

The last speaker of the night was Rancho Cordova Mayor Ken Cooley, who is running in a special election for the Senate District 1, the seat formerly occupied by the late Dave Cox.

Cooley noted that as the only Democrat on the ballot for the special primary, he will face the winner of the three way race between Republicans Barbara Alby, Ted Gaines and Roger Niello. This election is not subject to Proposition 14 which passed last June.

Acknowledging the perceived weakness of Democrats in the traditionally Republican district, Cooley said his ability to work with people of differing opinions and ideologies will give him an excellent chance of making his case to voters within the district.

"I do a tremendous job in my community connecting across the political spectrum," he said.

Regarding the states ongoing budget fights, Cooley said having a budget passed by a simple majority rather than a two-thirds majority would go a long way toward improving the process.

"We need majorities that drive us forward and who can live with the consequences," Cooley noted.