Has Elk Grove Vice Mayor Sergio Robles put his frat-boy shenanigans behind him?
Of greater significance for the first-term council member is that he is displaying growth
Yesterday, Elk Grove Vice Mayor Sergio Robles, on his own accord, made a noteworthy statement following Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen's forgettable and milquetoast State of the City Address.
While it is not known if the mayor was aware that Mr. Robles would deliver his remarks, because the assembly was an official meeting, the Vice Mayor was entitled to speak regardless of the mayor's or the other city council members' potential misgivings. After the mayor's address, a recess, and two public comments, Robles took the stage and delivered remarks.
Without explicitly saying so, Robles' comments were regarding the ongoing Los Angeles protests stemming from the ICE workplace raids. Citing his personal experience with ICE raids while a student in Minnesota, Robles implored the audience to focus on human decency.
Robles' comments were sublime, and he tried to avoid over-politicizing the controversial topic. These comments by a seated member of the Elk Grove City Council are noteworthy.
While Robles did not give a full-throated condemnation of the raids, he attempted to be sublime and avoid over-politicizing the controversial topic, it is the most memorable instance in which a seated council member engaged with a national issue in a significant way.
Whether you agree with Robles or not, the significance of these comments during an address that centered on Elk Grove's 25 years as a city cannot be overstated. To the best of our recollection, this is the most significant stance taken by any city council member in an official meeting on a topic of national interest in the city's 25-year history.
Of greater significance for the first-term council member is that he is displaying growth. While Mr. Robles began to exert his political independence when he suggested a universal income program (see video below), he could have just as easily taken a stance on a matter that would have generated conservative support by advocating for Elk Grove Police to cooperate with ICE raids, for example.
Regardless, the point is that Robles took a stance and was willing to speak up. Whether you are conservative or liberal, constituents are always better off when they know what their elected representatives, even city council members, have in their hearts.
For him, given his past DUI troubles, let's hope this indicates he is on a better personal trajectory, has put his frat-boy shenanigans behind him, and is serious about governing.
