In a pair of news releases sent out by each campaign Saturday night, city council candidates Bret Daniels and Tim Schaefer announced mutual endorsements of one another and said they are united in opposition to tax increases and the new city hall expenditure.
“Both Tim and I believe that the residents of Citrus Heights would have been better served with a more prudent approach to building the new City Hall,” said Daniels in his statement. Schaefer reiterated the point in his news release, arguing that the $21 million taken from reserves to build the new hall “will impede the City’s ability to fund infrastructure and road repairs for many years to come.”
Daniels, 56, is a former Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy and previously served on the Citrus Heights city council from 1999 until he resigned in 2005, citing personal and family reasons. 55-year-old Schaefer is known for his service in various leadership positions in local neighborhood associations, as well as leading the “Save City Hall” effort in 2014 to oppose tearing down the old city hall.
The pair also focused on opposition to the proposed county-wide sales tax increase to fund road repairs and transportation projects. Daniels and Schaefer are the only candidates opposing Measure B, out of the eight candidates in the race.
“Four years ago, I helped lead the fight against the City’s effort to raise our utility taxes,” said Daniels, referring to Measure K in 2012. “Tim will join me in fighting any effort to raise your taxes, including the effort to pass Measure B.”
Schaefer also questioned the frequent number of unanimous votes by the current council and said he believes “the virtual absence of any dissenting opinions among the current members… demonstrates a significant problem with transparency.”
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Although struggling to raise funds and attract voters during two recent election forums, the pair’s unique opposition to Measure B could help secure additional votes in Citrus Heights, based on significant voter opposition to Measure K four years ago. That measure would have increased utility taxes to pay for roadway and public safety improvements, but only received 44 percent of the vote — while needing a two-thirds majority to pass.
>>Campaign funding: see who’s backing the top 3 candidates in Citrus Heights
The pair still face an uphill battle to unseat incumbent Vice Mayor Jeff Slowey, who has raised the highest campaign war chest and boasts the endorsement of the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce PAC and the entire city council. Candidates Rick Doyle and Marcel Weiland also pose a challenge, as Weiland has also received the Chamber PAC’s endorsement and Doyle is backed by a number of high profile leaders and all sitting council members.
>Learn more about all the candidates: Citrus Heights city council candidates on the issues, in their own words
>Related: Citrus Heights Chamber PAC endorses Weiland, Slowey for city council
