Note: As part of The Sentinel’s 2022 coverage of local elections, we have asked a series of seven identical questions to each of the candidates running for a seat on the Citrus Heights City Council. The questions are designed to give each of the candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves to the community and give voters an opportunity to learn more about each candidate’s life and background. Candidates replied via email, and those who responded to each question in less than 100 words have their answers published word-for-word.
Steven Durham, District 2
Why are you running for City Council? I want to help. I can bring a broad spectrum of education and experience to the City Council and the residents of Citrus Heights. I earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1975. I spent over 40 years in corporate business in advertising, mergers and acquisition and tech support, at the VP level or above. I’ve negotiated dozens of contracts and written over 100 business plans. I also taught at the college level. I am a political centrist, in that I believe in supporting our business community while having a strong and broad social consciousness.
What are two aspects you like most about living in Citrus Heights?
People here are a whole lot friendlier than what we experienced in 30 years in Southern California. I can feel a strong sense of community and it makes me want to “join in”.
What are the top two things you’d like to change/improve in Citrus Heights, if any?
I’ll work with the SJUSD to improve our schools, as that will lead to improved housing values, better employment opportunities and increased safety. We need to improve personal and traffic safety through a strong police force.
What are two books that have had the most influence on your life, and why/how?
When I was 14 my summer reading list for school included, “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” by William L. Shirer. It is meaningful to me, in that it covers in detail how the beliefs and actions of the citizenry can be manipulated. It is a true, cautionary tale of how power can be rapidly abused.
The same summer, I read Rachel Carson’s “The Sea Around Us”, which was an eye-opener to me about how important our world’s oceans are, how they developed and nurtured life and how susceptible they are to human interference.
What are three key principles that would guide your votes on the council?
They are (1) understanding what our constituents want and need; (2) weighing these needs with a fiscal, moral and social awareness, and (3) keeping an open mind.
What kind of volunteer work have you done for charities, churches or service organizations in the community?
My wife and I sold our house of 30 years in Orange County and moved to our home in Citrus Heights in 2017. In Orange County, for years, I was active in volunteer matters pertaining to Orange Lutheran High School, where our youngest daughter attended and to the YMCA. The Pandemic certainly helped curtail any volunteer work here is Citrus Heights, but that is precisely why I want to “give back” by running for City Council, District 2.
City Council members are paid a small monthly stipend of $600 for their service. If elected, how do you plan to balance work life elsewhere with council responsibilities?
I am 75 years old and retired. Luckily, my wife and I were good earners during our business careers, and we receive close to the maximum Social Security Benefits each month. We also have no mortgage payments on our home. That’s why I can devote so much time to the people of Citrus Heights.
Key endorsements:
- Town and Country Democratic Club
- JFK Democratic Club of Sacramento County
Top donations: “My top two donors are my brother, David, and Ric Barretto, a prominent Postal Workers Union official.”
Campaign website: not submitted.
*Editor’s note: James Tipton, Michael Nishimura and MariJane Lopez-Taff are also running for District 2. To read more about each candidate, see article: Election 2022: Who’s running for Citrus Heights City Council?
