For three years running, Elk Grove City Councilmember Darren Suen has never met a freebie he couldn’t resist!
With the countdown to the March 31 deadline, high-ranking Elk Grove city employees, planning commissioners and all current city council members have to file their annual statements of economic interest. The so-called California Form 700 must be filed with the Elk Grove City Clerk’s office.
Barring initial reports from Councilmembers Rod Brewer and Sergio Robles, for the the third year running, the king of the freebie on the Elk Grove City Council is District 1 representative Darren Suen. His disclosure reveals he has accepted 10 gifts from nine patrons, mostly meals, valued at $1,517 in 2023 compared to 2022 when he accepted $1,275 from eight patrons.
During 2023 Suen accepted the following gifts:
- Asian American Business Club, May 13, golf tournament – $150
- Sacramento Region Business, March 17, workshop dinner – $250
- Ca Asian Chamber of Commerce, May 13 night market – $250
- Asian Pacific American Leadership Foundation, November 16, CALNET dinner – $100
- Sacramento Association of Realtors, January 11 board installation lunch – $50; April 24, hors devours – $75
- Northstate Building Industry Association, January 20, board installation dinner – $275
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, April 23, Cap to Cap Dinner – $232
- Asian Real Estate Association of America, February 24, board installation dinner – $75
- Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, August 8, rafting trip – $60
Suen also reported stock investments valued between $220,000 and $2,210,000 and a family income exceeding $200,000, which is more than double the city’s median family income.
Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen has not not yet filed her report.
Councilmember Kevin Spease did not report the acceptance of any gifts during 2023. Spease the business he owns with his spouse, ISSE Services, a military subcontractor for Northrup Grumman, Sentry View Systems, Persistent Systems, and Danjani Consulting at over $1 million.
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