
Sentinel staff report–
With the Aug. 10 filing deadline now over, a total of five candidates have qualified to run for three seats up for election on the Citrus Heights City Council this year. A short summary of each candidate is included below, along with a link to a 200-word candidate statement from each:
Jeannie Bruins is currently serving as the city’s vice mayor and is largely running on her record as the longest tenured member of the city council, noting in her candidate statement that she’s “been honored to support all the major decisions” of the city council since 2003. Key issues listed in her statement include pressing the San Juan Unified School District to “elevate the quality of education” and ensuring revenue from property taxes that Citrus Heights will begin receiving in 2022 will focus on improving infrastructure and economic development. (See photo and full candidate statement).
Treston Shull is a new face in the race for city council, but has earned the endorsement of Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost and currently serves on the board for the Residents’ Empowerment Association of Citrus Heights and also as treasurer for the Birdcage Heights Neighborhood Association. According to his candidate statement, his focus will be on bringing “new energy and a blue-collar work ethic to tackle the growing homeless and crime problems, fix our roads, and protect taxpayers.” (See photo and full candidate statement).
Steve Miller is currently serving as the city’s mayor and is also largely running on his record as a three-term member of the council, since first being appointed in 2005. According to his candidate statement, Miller highlights a plan to focus on launching “maximum code enforcement on absentee landlords to fix blighted rental properties,” as well as working to find funding for paving of residential streets and improving local schools to attract younger families. (See photo and full candidate statement).
Porsche Middleton was appointed to the city’s planning commission last year after a prior run for city council in 2016. According to her candidate statement, Middleton will focus on “implement[ing] strategies and services needed for our community to thrive and be a family friendly city,” along with having an “open door policy.” As previously reported, she has also built up a lengthy list of endorsements from the region and across the state. (See photo and full candidate statement).
Albert Fox, who was appointed last year to fill a vacancy left by the late Councilman Mel Turner, has earned the endorsement of Supervisor Frost as well as several planning commissioners and Councilman Jeff Slowey, according to his candidate statement. Fox has voted in line with the majority of his fellow council members during his time on the council, and pledges to reject new taxes and work towards “boosting efforts to deal with our growing homeless problem.” (See photo and full candidate statement).
Two other residents also filed to run by the Aug. 10 deadline, Michael Potter and Anthony Gutierrez, but according to the city clerks office, both failed to obtain at least 20 valid signatures from registered voters, which is a requirement to run for the position.
The five candidates who qualified will have a chance to face off later this month at a candidate forum hosted by the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee. The Sentinel will also continue local election coverage in the coming weeks, with additional details on each candidate’s platform and top issues.
Related: How much do Citrus Heights council members actually get paid?