Politics & Government

Mayor: Job Creation is Our Number One Priority

In Elk Grove's 11th annual State of the City Address, Mayor Steven Detrick painted a picture of a local economy on the mend.

The recession has taught Elk Grove some tough lessons, but the city has emerged with a balanced budget, a more accessible government and a more proactive approach towards growing its economy, Mayor Steven Detrick said in Friday’s State of the City Address.

“We’re the young Marine fresh out of boot camp—we’re leaner and meaner and oriented toward action,” Detrick told an audience of over 100 business and political leaders gathered at the Valley Hi Country Club.

Job creation remains the city’s top priority, Detrick said, followed by public safety and keeping residents informed about what their government is doing.

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He pointed to new healthcare facilities and car dealerships in Elk Grove as a sign that the economy here is beginning to bounce back, and said the city—which maintains an A+ bond rating and was able to end employee furloughs earlier than expected last year—is more financially healthy than many other local governments.

“Our fiscal prudence has paid off,” Detrick said.

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The annual event, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and a variety of local businesses including Elk Grove Patch, focused largely on Elk Grove’s economic development.

Some industry groups have previously criticized Elk Grove for being a difficult place to do business. But few of Friday’s guests—which included school district representatives, contingents from major healthcare corporations and U.S. Representative Dan Lungren—had a harsh word to say in an event largely dedicated to patting the city on the back for weathering the economic crisis and increasing transparency.

“The facts are the facts, and the city has come a long way in 10 years,” said Councilmember Sophia Scherman, who in the past has said she wished Elk Grove was doing more to attract investment.

Eric Rasmussen, director of growth and development for Sutter Medical Foundation, which is expanding in Elk Grove, said he’s noticed a new focus at city hall on cutting red tape.

“It trickles down to the planning department; they are more focused on working with the community,” he said. “It’s really beginning to show.”

In his speech, Detrick acknowledged past tensions with local business owners. “We heard loud and clear that the way we were doing business before just wasn’t working,” he said. “It wasn’t keeping us competitive.”

He said the city has worked to strengthen relationships with businesses by cutting development and sewer fees, and hiring an Economic Development Coordinator.

The mayor also touched on some less rosy aspects of Elk Grove’s economic picture.

“I know you can’t be here today and not wonder what’s going on with the mall,” he said, drawing chuckles from the crowd with a reference to the stalled Promenade Mall which sits empty alongside Highway 99 near Grant Line Road.  “Unfortunately I don’t have a definitive answer to give you, and the opening date has not yet been determined.”

The acknowledgment drew praise from Connie Conley, a neighborhood activist with Elk Grove Community Connection who is a strong supporter of the mayor but has often complained the city is dragging its feet on development in the mall area.

“He didn’t shy away from where we need to make improvements,” Conley said.

Another light moment came when the mayor asked everyone in the audience to friend the city on Facebook. He also encouraged Elk Grovians to support the city’s Shop Local program, which offers discounts and gift cards to residents that patronize Elk Grove businesses.

Detrick began the speech by acknowledging the recent killing of Surinder Singh, the 65-year-old Sikh man who was shot earlier this month in what many in the community suspect was a hate crime.

And he took pains to praise the police department, which has endured a challenging month marked by an officer shooting of an unarmed suspect in addition to Singh’s killing, which remains unsolved.

"We have grown a police department that is a true partner with the community it serves," Detrick said.

“It is comforting to recognize that through this difficult time, we have seen just how strong we are as a community, how we won’t let those who live by hate take who we are away from us,” he added.


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