With Singh-Allen's refusal to Elk Grove mayoral forum, opponent Lynn Wheat makes pitch at city council meeting
Ms. Lynn Wheat, a fixture at Elk Grove City Council meetings since the city's incorporation 24 years ago, spoke during the Wednesday, September 25 session.
Two opponents are challenging Bobbie Singh-Allen in this year's Elk Grove mayoral race. One of those candidates, Ms. Lynn Wheat, a fixture at Elk Grove City Council meetings since the city's incorporation 24 years ago, spoke during the Wednesday, September 25 session.
Wheat's comments were in the context of Singh-Allen's refusal to acknowledge and respond to her request to organize a mayoral forum, which Wheat sent to Singh-Allen in early September.
When Wheat used public comment during the September 11 city council meeting (see second video below), Singh-Allen tried to suppress her opponent's free speech rights. During the September 25 meeting, Singh-Allen, perhaps on the advice of city attorney Jonathan Hobbs, said nothing but her facial reaction after Wheat's comments conveyed exasperation that she could not suppress her opponent from speaking, which is her constitutional right.
During her commentary, Wheat noted she has been involved in many planning and land use issues regardless of their location within Elk Grove. Wheat also said that she considers Elk Grove her "big backyard."
Wheat and the other mayoral candidate, Brian Pastor, face long odds in defeating Singh-Allen. With over a quarter of a million dollars to fund her campaign, if Singh-Allen wins her third two-year term without reaching a majority, it will expose her flagging popularity with the electorate, especially fellow Democrats, as she seeks higher office in Washington, D.C.
