Wheat Continues Coffeehouse Campaign, Discusses Her Platform

Elk Grove mayoral candidate Lynn Wheat (standing) discusses the city's expansion plans with a group of young voters.  If the road t...

Elk Grove mayoral candidate Lynn Wheat (standing) discusses the city's
expansion plans with a group of young voters. 

If the road to becoming Elk Grove's first directly elected mayor pans out for Lynn Wheat, it is a good chance it will have led through one-on-one campaigning in local coffeehouses and asking for referrals.

Wheat, one of six candidates for mayor, has eschewed all the usual local campaign trappings and has said she will personally limit her campaign spending to $1,000 and will not accept donations. Wheat has also made local campaign financing reform one of her campaign issues.

To this end Wheat held her second no-host coffeehouse meeting in less than a week and invited voters last night to discuss issues at the Starbucks on Laguana Blvd. As with the meeting Wheat held last Saturday, those attending were asked to bring guests.

Typical of those attending was a longtime friend of Wheat's, Connie Bellos. A 22-year resident of Elk Grove, Bellos brought two acquaintances, Cecilia Kumar and Lynn Macias.

After discussing the issues facing the city, all three said they agreed with Wheat's assessment that the sphere of influence (SOI) application, which would increase the size of Elk Grove by over 12 square miles, would be bad for existing homeowners saying it would further erode property values. They also agreed the city needs a change in leadership.

"Everything she said really makes sense to me," Macias said. "I think she has the right priorities."

Although Kumar said she would research all the candidates before making a final decision on who she will vote for, she did agree with Wheat's stance on not taking campaign contributions. "I like that she is not taking contributions," she noted.

Aside from talking with people who came to the gathering, Wheat also spoke to the store's patron. Among those she spoke with was a group of five young voters.

The group of two women and three men all said they appreciated Wheat reaching out to them and liked learning about issues facing Elk Grove.

"She has a great love for the town of Elk Grove," UC Santa Barbara student Alex Nguyen said. "That is a very important factor for me."

Wheat said she was pleased with the contacts she made and is heartened to see the interest people are taking in the city's SOI plans.

"I am really encouraged that they want to listen and know more about it," Wheat said. "The more they find out about it, the less they like it."

Abdualai Turay, a Cosumnes River College student and one of the young voters Wheat spoke to said he was impressed that Wheat is a Registered Nurse and that she is passionate about the issues.

"What she said really resonates," he added.


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14 comments

Mary said...

I too, met Ms. Wheat last night at Starbucks. I generally avoid politicians, but I overheard her speaking to some patrons and was very impressed. She isn't a politician, she's a caring citizens who has the drive to get involved and fight for what is right, unlike our current council, who seems to be swayed by the needs of their deep pocket endorsers. - She has my vote, and I'm sending e-mails to all my friends, telling them to cast their vote wisely and vote for this candidate. Good luck Ms. Wheat.

Anonymous said...

Well, it seems like she might be a liable candidate. Thanks for the story. I will check out her webpage. I am not happy with our current status quo so this young lady is an interesting twist.

Janey said...

It is my understanding that if Councilman Davis wins the mayoral election, it is very likely that a special election would be necessary to find his replacement on the council.
Is this right?
From what I understand, this could cost the city over $250,000 of our tax money!
- For this reason alone, I'm voting against Davis. He is not looking out for our best interests if he puts us in this situation. - JMO

Anonymous said...

True, that is one choice as I understand it. The other being the present city council can appoint someone to fill his position which would most likely happen....someone who walks the walk and talks the talk most likely.

This is he way I look at it....I believe Mr. Davis is a good man and someone I have voted for in the past. This is our chance for some new blood on the council and voting someone else in as Mayor can do just that. Mr. Davis would still be on the city council and representing his district. We need someone who represents the people. I have spoken to every person who is running for Mayor and have found that the only one who attends council meetings, public meetings including SOI meetings in Sacto. is none other than Ms. Wheat. How do I know that....as a resident I attend most of those meetings. You will also never see the other candidates at those meetings either.

As a taxpayer I have great difficulty in seeing my tax dollars thrown in the wind on projects that do nothing to bring in businesses and jobs for the people. One being the SOI, Sphere of Influence, where the city has spent close to $700,000 with another $300,000 budgeted to be spent. We have empty buildings, acres of vacant land, people out of work, more people going to the Food Bank, children needing school supplies, etc....fix what we have first! On top of all that I received an email asking for me to donate 5 hours or $10.00 to Mr. Davis' already hugh war chest....very disappointing! JMHO Sorry for the length...just want change!

Capt. Benjamin L. Willard said...

Anon,

I agree with you about Lynn's omni presence at council meetings. I would bet if you randomly viewed three any of the videos for council meeting over the last several years, chances are you will see Lynn speaking and offer specifics, not bluster. As for the other three non-elected candidates running for office, I bet they have never been in the council chambers, save three or four times.

As for Davis and Scherman, they have been on the council for six and 12 years respectively and if they haven't figured out the annexation will do nothing to cure our jobs to houses imbalance, let along stabbing existing home owners in the back with a glut of news homes (you do know that is what the annexation is about, don't you?) that will kill any chance of recovering years of lost equity, they never will. Bye-bye.....

Anonymous said...

Wow, $250,000! of my money, just to fill a replacement seat on the council?
No vote here for Davis, I don't care if he's God's gift to politics. If everyone else knoew this, he wouldn't stand a chance of being elected mayor. There's already enough waste in gov't. He's making it worse when he already has a seat at the table. That's a pretty big ego!
My political views tend to mirror the Capt, and looks like we still think alike. I don't know Wheat, but she's looking pretty good from what I've read.

Capt. Benjamin L. Willard said...

Hey Anon right above this,
Why don't you adopt a name? Since you refer to me at "the Capt." I have two suggestions.

1. The obvious moniker to adapt is "Tennille." You know the connection there unless you were born after 1975.

2. The second choice is a bit more subtle. We all remember "The Sound of Music" right? Captain von Trapp. Well if I am the Capt., why not be Maria. Hell, you can even be the Baroness if you want!

So what do you think? Deal? We will look for you.....

Anonymous said...

good job lyn

Anonymous said...

So, as one comment above stated: the council can APPOINT a council member to finish out Davis's term if he moves to the mayor chair? IS that right? I thought the citizens elected the council? You're telling me I will have NO say so in the next council person if Davis is elected mayor? Someone please say it ain't so.

Anonymous said...

Hold on please. As stated above, the council gets to APPOINT a council member to Davis's chair if Davis moves to the Mayor's chair? Someone please tell me this isn't true!!!!

It's either spend 250,000 on special election or let the current council chose for me?? NO, NO, NO, NO....this is not right. Someone tell me this isn't so.

Anonymous said...

Anon,

It is very easy, if Davis is not elected Mayor then there will be no appointment and the city will not have to spend $250,000 on a special election and davis will continue to serve with 95% of the same power and authority that the Mayor will have.

In fact the only special power that the Mayor will have is the ability to nominate the members of the committees and commissions. However, thses nominations must be approved by the council so there is a back stop.

That is why I have narrowed my choices to Wheat and Braxmeyer. Both are fresh voices that seem eager to improve the City and neither appear to be career politicians looking to move up or desperate to hang on.

Anonymous said...

Sory it is so. And Steve, Gary and Cooper will get someone who is on their side and will vote as they do. We will have a stacked council..
We will be done over for the next two years..

Anonymous said...

Please get the word out about this issue. Tell your friends and anyone you know here in EG. There has been a gluttony of wasted $$ and it needs to stop.
Let's get Lynn in the mayor's seat and save this community a quarter of a million dollars or more.
The only way to do this is to pass the word and ask everyone to keep on passing it.
Lynn Wheat is NOT taking any coontributions, so she'll owe no favors to anyone, she'll just be looking out for the OUR BEST INTERESTS. - Pass the word!

Arlene said...

OK, I'm new to this site and I've been reading through all these comments.I did not know about a special election and the costs associated with it. That would be an incredible waste of taxpayer money. And why? Because someone who is already on the council, wants to the 1st elected mayor? How greedy!
The people need to know about this.
I'll spread the word to my friends, everyone else needs to as well.
Undecided on who I'm voting for yet, but it won't be Mr. Davis.

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