EGUSD Trustees notified Elk Grove Mayor and former trustee accepts tobacco cash
None of the mayor's allies have commented on this unusual cash donation.
During the Elk Grove Unified School board meeting on Tuesday, September 17, the Trustees learned that one of the board's former members and current Elk Grove mayor accepted campaign donations from Big Tobacco.
Elk Grove mayoral candidate Lynn Wheat conveyed that information (see video below). In her comments, Wheat, a retired school registered nurse, reminded the trustees of tobacco's ill effects on youth and the district's stance on the issue.
Interestingly, while the school district advocates against youth tobacco use, several trustees are close allies of Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. Among those political allies are trustees Gina Jamerson, Nancy Chaires-Espinoza, and Michael Vargas.
Before being elected Elk Grove mayor in 2020, Singh-Allen served for eight years as an EGUSD Trustee. During her time as a school board member, Singh-Allen in not know to have accepted big tobacco campaign contributions.
None of Singh-Allen's political allies on the EGUSD Board of Trustees, Elk Grove Grove City Council, or any of the other boards the mayor serves on have commented on this campaign donation.
While none of Singh-Allen's allies and proteges like Elk Grove City Councilmembers Rod Brewer and Sergio Robles have urged the mayor to return the cash, for several years the state of California has run numerous anti-smoking campaigns. Many of these campaigns have aimed to deter youth smoking.
