With who pays for $400 million Sacramento Zoo move to Elk Grove still hidden, the sales job proceeds
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2024/03/with-who-pays-for-400-million.html?m=0
With who pays the $400 million relocation tab to move the Sacramento Zoo to Elk Grove still hidden from the public, the sales job to convince residents of its viability proceeds full steam ahead.
As part of that sales job, Elk Grove released a student-produced three-dimensional video yesterday displaying some of the proposed zoo highlights. Captioned with "artist conceptual rendering: final decision subject to change," the video shows giraffes, hippopotamuses, lions, crocodiles, a butterfly pavilion, overhead views, and some planned visitor amenities.
A timeline on the city zoo webpage show the review process for the project. The city has released the environmental impact review documents, although the Elk Grove Planning Commission or City Council has yet to hear them.
That same timeline says the "plan of finance" was to be revealed "Winter 2023 Winter 2024." As of March 21, the first full day of spring 2024, the city has yet to reveal any details in spite of repeated commentary from the public (see videos below) urging full disclosure of who pays the estimated $400 million multi-phase project.
Additionally, the timeline says final approval will happen this spring. The EIR hearing for the planning commission and city council, typically the first step in the approval process, has not been scheduled.
Although not independently verified, Christopher Jordan, the city of Elk Grove's innovations czar, is reportedly tasked with developing the financing plan. A city planner by training, Jordan has been involved in several projects during his lengthy tenure.
During several public appearances, Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen has discussed forming regional partnerships with other municipalities without explicitly mentioning the zoo. During the recent Sacramento primary mayoral race, where she addressed this partnership, Singh-Allen supported former Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Hansen, who, unfortunately for her, was in last place among the four main candidates and conceded defeat on Tuesday.
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Any city leader worth their salt would put this amusement park up for a policy vote of the people on the November ballot if taxpayer funds, including Measure E sales tax money and/or Mello Roos tax assessments are being used.
And Mister CJ, please don't insult our intelligence by using voodoo economic study projections and W.A.G's which the taxpaying public can't ever track over time for validity purposes. If the city leaders are looking for a feather in their caps for political purposes, I'll buy them each a feather!
Don't be fooled! Without major funding, and I mean multiple tens of million dollar donors, this project will either fail or bankrupt our city. $400,000,000! That's a lot of zeros and there are no Forbes 500 companies in our area seemingly willing to throw their money toward a city that has well established it can't even run a swimming pool.
Bonds will offer initial funding, but when those bonds become due, Elk Grove won't be able to pay.
Ask yourself one question. Why aren't us, the people who will be taxed for this, not even asked if we want it here? How presumptuous of this city council to push a $400,000,000 project down our throats and we have no say so! Seems a lot like taxation without representation.
Maybe the zoo opponents can align with all the Old Town MAGA hotheads who convinced Mayor Bobbie to kill the Oak Rose project. After all, if there is one thing Mayor Bobbie and her city hall crew are afraid of is a city council chamber full of racist MAGAs breathing down their neck!
What we have here are four spineless men, just seat fillers on either side of the Mayor. All four are so afraid of her, they won't risk her wrath.
BSA wants the zoo to be her legacy. Hell, she will probably push for it to be named after her. Would the four vote against that? Not a chance!
Citizens wants a family friendly city. Things for families so we have great parks, children sporting facilities, bike park, fishing opportunities, swimming, water fun etc. The Zoo needs a new home and how wonderful to add to the Elk Grove landscape for families. I get there are some older folks who don’t want nice things but as a city that is family friendly guess what you don’t have to go. Like many things our tax dollars are spent on they may not be for you. Well now the funding starts to be announced and wonder where it is going to come from or potential tax hikes. 2 funding mechanism come to mind as I am not sure the dollar amount available. 1st the money we pay the county is coming to an end next year I believe. 2nd there is money for community projects that comes from the MOU from Wilton Rancheria Tribe. That I believe would take care of the cities part. Since it will be a regional Zoo look forward to hearing monies from our regional partners, public and private. What monies coming from the zoo foundation. Keeping an open mind I believe there will be no need for our community worrying about a tax hike to pay for the Zoo. One last thing I get all the negative from those posting on this page but really if a poll was taken from our citizens over a weekend at all the grocery stores in our city and asked only 2 questions. 1. Do you want the Zoo moved to Elk Grove? The 2nd if it was moved to Elk Grove would you vote for a 1 cent sales tax increase.
Both would pass overwhelmingly!
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