The following is from Lynn Wheat, Elk Grove District 3 city council candidate. Ms. Wheat asked us for the opportunity to discuss an issue. If other candidates would like to opportunity to speak on an issue, please contact us for guidelines.

Over the last several years, the City of Elk Grove has touted the racial, ethnic and religious diversity of it 175 thousand plus residents.

This diversity has been used not only to promote civic pride, but it has also been used as a marketing tool to promote its fledgling tourism and economic development efforts.

In the year 2020 Elk Grove is a far different city than it was 40 years ago.

Or is it?

During the COVID 19 shelter in place order, we have seen the very best and, unfortunately, in recent days, the worst of humanity and I am not talking about Trump

In November Sacramento County voters will be asked to approve a sales tax that will raise $8.4 billion for a variety of transportation projects. Measure A is proposed by the Multi-jurisdictional Sacramento Transportation Authority, the STA.

In opposition is a coalition calling itself the Sac County Residents against Measure A that is led by the Bruce Lee of the Sacramento County Taxpayers Association.

In our discussion Lee offers an overview of the proposed sales tax increase and discusses disparate groups that have aligned with them in opposition to the proposed tax increase.

By Dan Schmitt |

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on people and will continue to do so for who knows how long. Understandable, many people are anxious and angry, especially the more than 35 million Americans who have lost jobs and have had to shutter businesses.

In the legal business, a rainmaker is a person, usually a retired politician who is an attorney hired by a law firm, primarily to use their contacts and influence to generate new clients and the all-important billings.

The Sacramento white-shoe law firm of Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann and Girard seems to have planted a gratis rainmaker in Elk Gove City Hall.

This November Sacramento County voters will be asked to approve Sacramento Transportation’s Authority’s Measure A – an $8 billion tax increase during the COVID19 economic depression.

The success of the measure falls in large part on the STA chair, Elk Grove city council member Darren Suen.

On Thursday, May 14 the Sacramento Transportation Authority moved one step closer to placing Measure A on the November 2020 ballot.

If approved Measure A would impose $8 billion dollars in an additional sales taxes in Sacramento County. Although the measure will advance to the November ballot, during the proceedings, Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost voiced strenuously opposition to the plan. Among the concerns voiced by Frost was the negative affect a regressive tax has on low-income families.

One of the interesting stories I’ve heard about mothers day comes from a sibling who spent many years of her Pacific Bell career working as a 411 operator.

Remember calling 411 and Ma Bell?

I’ve been thinking about the $1,200 stimulus money that people are now receiving from the federal government. Over 30 million Americans have lost their jobs, and millions of small businesses have shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tens of millions of folks desperately need that financial assistance.