Exposed by his colleague, Elk Grove City Councilman Rod Brewer intentionally lied during a hearing about his compensation
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2024/08/exposed-by-his-colleague-elk-grove-city.html
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| Remarks by a city council colleague revealed that Elk Grove City Councilmember Rod Brewer (pictured above) lied to the public during a hearing on a possible raise for the Elk Grove mayor and city council members. | |
The Wednesday, August 28, Elk Grove City Council meeting was a watershed moment that unfortunately verified what many suspect - that elected officials can intentionally deceive the public.
Elk Grove's case was unique because a public document request or a whistleblower did not uncover the deception. In this instance, a fellow elected official outed the elected official.
In this case, Elk Grove District 3 City Councilmember Kevin Spease called out statements by his District 2 colleague Rod Brewer that were shown to be patently false. Brewer intentionally lied during a public hearing.
During a hearing about increasing the salaries of the mayor and the four city council members, Elk Grove resident and mayoral candidate Lynn Wheat publicly commented that aside from their $800 monthly salary, the mayor and city council members received generous benefits like health insurance.
During city council deliberations, Mr. Brewer, perhaps in response to Wheat's assertions, stated that when he took office in 2022, he waived his health insurance benefit because he had coverage from his day job. Brewer further amplified his statement, saying that this savings of taxpayers' money could be used for other purposes.
"I waived my benefits before I got sworn into office because I'm very cognizant that other people who do not have what I have do not work the job that I work and make the money I make," Brewer said (see video below).
Brewer implied that the taxpayer money that would have been used for his health benefits would be redirected to the city general fund to help others in the community.
"They could use some of those benefits, and we could pour that money into other programs and other things that could really help our community," Brewer added.
During his remarks, Spease did not buy what Brewer was selling. Spease said those who waived health benefits were given deferred compensation and placed into a retirement account for their benefit.
Responding to an Elk Grove News inquiry, Elk Grove city manager Jason Behrman verified Spease's claims. According to information provided show that three council members - Brewer, Spease, and District 1 representative Darren Suen - all waived health care benefits and instead received $650 a month in deferred compensation.
The three council members' deferred compensation monies are invested in retirement accounts with Mission Square Retirement, which serves public-sector employees.
Combined with his $800 salary - not a stipend, as it was repeatedly called during the hearing - Brewer receives $1,450 in monthly compensation.
Councilmembers Brewer and Spease were included in the email inquiry to Berhman and were aware a story would be posted with the findings of the inquiries. Neither first-term council member contacted Elk Grove News regarding the investigation for this story and the findings.
The money Brewer claimed his refusal of health benefits saved does not go back to serving the community as claimed but rather to a savings account for him to enjoy when he retires. Council member Brewer lied to the public.
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6 comments
After seeing numerous Brown Act violations from this councilmember with no recommended censure from the dais and now this, it's perhaps time for the Vice-Mayor to show some humility and good will towards this community. Resign his position. He has proven that he cannot be trusted and that he lacks ethics. Will he do what's best for our community or will he continue to lie and bring shame upon our community. We deserve better.
When I hear Mr. Brewer and Mr. Suen speak, I am reminded of the quote attributed to Mark Twain. "It is better to keep quiet and seem ignorant than to speak up and remove all doubt.”
Rod suffers from several of the Seven Deadly Sins. We won't state the obvious ones, but in this case, he has succumbed to Pride - the lack of humility. The big guy will never acknowledge his lie, and the public for the most part won't care either.
Apathy is the breading ground for abuse and corruption.
There’s plenty here in my hometown. So sad that people just don’t care anymore. Result? More of the same. Wake up, neighbors, before it’s too late.
As a lobbyist for a Southern California gas and electric company, his behavior and misleading words are par for the course. His tenure on City Council is like a crock pot simmering the evening stew--at some point you just have to unplug it and say it's done!
Yet another saga in our little political realm... we shall call this one "Defer-gate"
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