Elk Grove Needs to Cut Wasteful Spending Such as the Proposed $85 Million City Hall Complex

By Jimmie Johnson

Despite these massive revenue declines, Incumbent Gary Davis and the City Council have failed to audit City spending to eliminate waste. For example, City Staff admitted in August that members of the public had come forward to prove that the City had been overpaying for its workers' compensation insurance by $600,000 per year.

In addition, despite the recession and shrinking revenues, the City Council is moving forward on building a new City Hall complex which includes a $30-$50 million library and a $14-23 million new city government office building. In all, government consultants estimate that the entire complex will cost Elk Grove residents $52-$85 million. Even after the complex is built, government consultants estimate that the upkeep on the new buildings will cost the general fund $900k - $1.3 million every year.

Out-of-control spending has been the cause of the budgetary nightmares Elk Grove and other cities are now experiencing. Jimmie Johnson will audit all City spending, stop the City Hall complex project, and return fiscal responsibility to Elk Grove.

In this economy, every dollar we spend must be used as effectively as possible. A $30-$50 million library and unnecessary government offices are not where our money is needed most.