Note: In the interest of providing voter information and fair election coverage, The Sentinel has given all eight Citrus Heights city council candidates an equal opportunity to submit 100-word written statements on a variety of local issues. Porsche Middleton’s full responses can be found below. See other candidate responses in the article: “Citrus Heights city council candidates on the issues, in their own words”
Porsche Middleton, 32, serves as a project manager at “A Project Ahead,” an engineering consulting company based in the Sacramento area. She moved to Citrus Heights from Alabama two years ago. (Click to read full candidate profile)
Homelessness is ranked among the top issues faced by businesses and residents in Citrus Heights. What is your plan to address this and what role do you see private organizations playing? (Be specific)
“Citrus Heights has a Navigator Program that connects the homeless with local resources and regional programs. The full time Navigator helps to connect these individuals to organizations like HART and regional resources located in Sacramento County. Further development of these programs will be critical to addressing the issue of homelessness in Citrus Heights.”
Measure B would raise the sales tax by half a cent throughout Sacramento County to pay for roads and Regional Transit projects. If the vote were held today, would you vote “yes” or “no” on Measure B, and why?
“I realize that many people do not want to pay additional taxes, however if approved Measure B will provide the City of Citrus Heights a stable, local source of funding for filling potholes, repairing and repaving local streets, redesigning intersections, as well as implementing a Bicycle Master Plan and Americans with Disabilities Act improvements. These improvements will make our community more attractive and we would share the cost of these improvements state wide, this means we will not have to use money from the general fund to make these necessary improvements.”
One of the City’s strategic planning goals is to enhance public safety. What specifically would you advocate doing to enhance public safety in Citrus Heights?
“Continued community outreach is important for enhanced public safety in Citrus Heights. At this time the CHPD is doing an amazing job of engaging with citizens by attending local neighborhood association meetings, participating in the Sacramento Police Department vs. CHPD softball game, and strengthening the police force with a new K9 Officer Blitz.”
Body-worn cameras have been praised by many as a way to increase accountability and decrease false claims against police. Do you believe CHPD should implement body-worn cameras within the next two years? Why, or why not?
“I think that this is an issue that should be further evaluated since our community and CHPD do not face the same issues that other police departments have with community interaction. If CHPD officers feel that body cameras would better help them to do their job, increase their level of personal safety, or increase community confidence, then this is something that should be strongly considered.”
Many of you have advocated for a fiscally conservative policy and maintaining the City’s history of operating debt free. What is your specific plan to address the growing cost of pensions and maintaining a balanced budget with healthy reserves?
“Two thirds of the property tax should be put into the reserves to replenish what has been spent and to ensure that the city remains debt free and to help with the growing cost of pensions; the other third should be put into the general fund to help fund necessary projects. This will ensure that the city can continue to maintain a balanced budget while still keeping the goal of remaining debt free.”
In August, the city council voted 4-0 to oppose Proposition 64, which would legalize recreational marijuana in California. Do you agree with the council’s decision?
“After listening to community concerns about public safety, I understand the reason why the council made the decision to oppose Proposition 64 and I support that decision. In this case the negative impact to our community may outweigh the benefit of additional revenue in the form of taxes on marijuana sales if Proposition 64 is passed.”
It is well-known that many homeowners choose to ignore required building permits while doing remodel or construction work on their properties, citing permit costs or “excessive regulations.” What would you do to address this?
“Education is key with this issue, many homeowners believe that the City is trying to make remodeling or construction projects more difficult and this is simply not the case. The City is trying to make sure that all projects are completed safely and are up to code. I think that a community event to address this topic and allow for the community to ask questions will help to alleviate some of the issue.”
What, if any, are two existing city regulations/codes that you think should be changed, and why?
“I am unaware of any city regulations/codes that should be changed at this time and would need to look further into existing city regulations/code.”
>>See other candidate responses: “Citrus Heights city council candidates on the issues, in their own words”
