Ly's Republican outreach includes Elk Grove disability committee member who is running for Cupertino office

October 25, 2018 |

Like every politician running for office, one of the keys to success is reaching across political divides to capture every possible vote. Even though Steve Ly and his Team Elk Grove have made direct appeals to Democratic voters, he too knows it will take more than loyal partisans to win an election.

As part of that strategy, Ly has sent a mailer to registered Republican voters in Elk Grove that makes no mention of his Democratic affiliation and uses language that typically speaks to Republican and conservative voters. In this case, Ly highlights crime and fiscal issues.

The piece, called Community-Minded, Fiscally Responsible (see below) claims "Mayor Steve Ly balanced the budget" and "championed the effort to increase our police force to 146 officers." Included in the piece are testimonies from Republicans Heather Davis, who is a member of the Sacramento County Board of Education, and wife of former Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis, and Tim Gursulowsky, who is a current member of the City of Elk Grove's Disability Advisory Committee.

Recently, Gorsulowsky appeared before the Elk Grove City Council during their Wednesday, October 10 regular meeting. Gursulowsky was there as the city council recognized the Disability Advisory Committee’s 12th Annual Above and Beyond Program Accessibility Award. 

In his endorsement, Gorsulowsky targeted fiscally conservative anti-tax voters saying, "I trust Mayor Ly to keep our budget balanced and taxes low."

Interestingly, while Gorsulowsky is still listed as a member of the committee and featured prominently on Ly's mailer, he is also currently seeking office. According to several media reports and information recorded on state and municipal websites, Gorsulowsky is one of eight candidates seeking three open seats on the Cupertino, California City Council.

The City of Cupertino's 2018 Guideline For City Council Candidates notes candidates "must be a registered voter living within the corporate limits of the City of Cupertino to be eligible for office." A Statement of Economic Interests filed with the California Fair Political Practices dated August 15, 2018, shows Gorsulowsky running for the Cupertino City Council with a redacted address.      

According to information from the Elk Grove City Clerk's office, in general, committee members are required to be residents of Elk Grove, and in some cases registered voters. As of today, the city's website lists Gorsulowsky as a member of the Disability Advisory Committee.

City Clerk Jason Lindgren noted the Disability Advisory Committee is one of the oldest committees in the city and members usually leave service voluntarily or after not showing up for several meetings. Currently, there is no established process for addressing members who do not meet the residency requirement.