Elk Grove City Council

Let me preface this with a few comments. First, my dad (it is the week of Father's Day after all) taught me to speak my mind. He also taught me there are consequences for your actions. So, there will be consequences for this post. But that is okay.

You see, I have written before about my town's city council having an idiotic idea: bring Major League Soccer to Elk Grove. They were going to go to Dallas to study what Dallas has done. Um, Dallas is a major city with a major youth soccer tournament every year. With lots of money. And corporations. And people with money. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Dallas has done. But they are going ahead with these plans with Fabian "I used my political influence to get my son's felony conviction and sentence reduced" Nunez. (Go read my prior post here: http://randomrants08.blogspot.com/2011/12/mls-in-elk-grove-i-think-not.html)

Here is what I didn't say in that one because I was trying to be politically correct. Time to be politically correct is gone.

I do a fundraiser every year. Well, this is my 2nd year. And, for the record, my last year in Elk Grove. Last year was a 24 hour soccer game to raise money for Susan G Komen. My mom passed away from breast cancer last year. It seemed appropriate. This year its called Soccer Speaks. (Go to Facebook and look it up.) Its a 12 1/2 hour soccer game for Autism Speaks for my 12 1/2 year old son who is autistic. Simple enough, right?

Here is where this gets interesting. Last year, I has ZERO support from the city leaders. I could tell you the total support was actually less than zero. They did not a damn thing. Wait, until the day of the event. Then I had the news crews out there. What happened? Our then mayor came out and shook my hand to start the game. I did it because it was the right thing to do. Easy enough.

You know what happened next? I came up with this idea and the former mayor couldn't remember who the fuck I was. You know how much support I have gotten this year? ZERO. None. Not a retweet, not a "Great idea, let me pass the word," not a single fucking thing. None. Not from anyone on our city council.

You know what I have gotten? I have had the commissioner of MLS tweet about it, The Shin Guardian, an article on a sports blog in Texas, support from MLS players and US Womens National Team players. Support has come from friends, family, and people I sort of know. Even clients have supported this.

So let me get this right..........a guy who admittedly used his influence to get his son off (reduced, whatever, its semantics when you are involved in a murder) is getting support from the city council to bring an MLS team to our town when MLS has said there are no plans for expansion and when there are 100 cities ahead of us in line. But, I do something that actually gets the attention of MLS and I get no support? Really?

What sounds like a better idea? Doing business with a guy who manipulates the system for his own well being or supporting a fundraiser from a guy who is on year 2 of bringing attention to your town? Look, Nunez is entitled to do whatever he wants to do. He apparently did nothing illegal. But, wouldnt you double and triple and quadruple check before you do business with someone like that? I know I have made mistakes. I expect everyone who wants to do business with me, whether as a client or a friend or a business deal, should check me out and be comfortable with me. Ask lots of questions.

In this case, the city is using public money to give to a group headed by a guy who doesnt quite answer the questions. Its not like he has a long history of doing the right thing. He has a long history of helping himself. Is that what the city wants?

Look, you don't have to like my idea. You can think my idea is stupid and ridiculous. You know what my idea is? My idea is this:

1. Its a way to bring attention to a disease that sucks;
2. Its a way to bring attention to our little town;
3. Its a way to show people that soccer can make a positive difference in people's lives;
4. Its a way for people to get together and have fun for a day.

You know what it could be? Wait, what it could have been? It could have been a way for Elk Grove to get the attention of MLS and to show that we are a soccer town that supports using soccer to make the world a better place. But, our city "leaders" havent quite figured that out. Why? Because there is nothing in it for them.

Don't give me this nonsense about how MLS is good for the city. MLS is good for politicians who want to get donations from people who want to bring an MLS team to town. You can't finish a mall but you can build a world class soccer stadium? I dont think so.

Its simple. I dont have the money. I dont contribute to campaigns. You come out and get a picture taken with me when it works for you. If you cant get your 15 minutes of fame out of this, you want nothing to do with it.

So let me be clear: I am uninviting the Elk Grove City Council. The entire council. Every single one of them. Jim Cooper, Patrick Hume, Gary Davis, Steve Detrick, Sophia Scherman. You are not welcome. I dont want you there. In fact, if you come, I will ask you to leave.

You see, a leader would step up and work with an idea like this to make our city stand out. A leader would want to see something like this succeed. You have failed in that, and not just because this is my fundraiser. You have failed to support many great projects in Elk Grove that are for the people and about the people.

So, next year, no soccer event. This is my last one. I will be doing something, but it wont be in Elk Grove. Elk Grove's leadership has failed. You have put the almighty dollar ahead of the almighty citizens. You are more concerned with your re-election and your political connections than you are about helping real people trying to make Elk Grove a better place.

I wish you the best. But do not ask me for campaign contributions. Do not ask me to help you with your pet project. Do not ask me for anything. I will give to the community in ways I see fit. I will do what I think is right. And I will make the world a bit better than it was when I came here.

You see, my dad taught me about leadership. But he also taught me to make the world a better place. I remember him mentoring a young manager at the complex he lived in when he passed away. At his funeral, she came up to me and was crying because of everything he had taught her. I dont remember her name. I dont know where she is. I do know he made a difference in her life. And I know I will make a difference, because that is what we are supposed to do. Make a difference. The Elk Grove city council has chosen to put money ahead of making a difference.