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  • Election 2020: Citrus Heights mayor won’t seek another term

    File photo, Jeff Slowey comments during an Oct. 26, 2017, council meeting. // Metro Cable

    Sentinel staff report–
    Jeff Slowey, who is currently serving as mayor of Citrus Heights, was not among the names of candidates who filed by the Aug. 7 deadline to run for City Council this year.

    Slowey confirmed with The Sentinel on Friday his decision not to run for another four-year term on the City Council, saying that 17 years on the council “is enough.” He first joined the council in 2003, when he was appointed to fill the remaining term of the late Bill Hughes, who died while in office.

    In the city’s first-ever election by council district this year, Slowey would have faced current Councilman Bret Daniels for the newly created District 1 seat in the northwestern area of the city.

    New Citrus Heights district map ensures one councilman gets booted in 2020

    When the council first adopted the new district maps for Citrus Heights last year it was unclear whether both Slowey and Daniels would run for re-election. Slowey had said he was “leaning towards running,” while Daniels said he was looking forward “to a spirited contest.”

    Normally, when an incumbent does not file, the deadline to file to run for office is extended. However, the City Clerk’s Office confirmed the deadline has not been extended due to the unusual circumstances of this year’s transition to district elections.

    “With switching to District elections, current councilmembers are not considered incumbents for the purpose of extending the nomination period as they were elected at-large,” said City Clerk Amy Van in an email. “We currently do not have any councilmembers that have been elected by Districts to represent a District. Therefore, the nomination period will not be extended.”

    Daniels will still face a challenger this year for the District 1 seat. Nicole Castor, who currently serves as a legislative advocate with the Green Party of Sacramento County, submitted papers and qualified to run for the seat on Friday.

    The new district map for Citrus Heights splits the city into five voting districts, with each council member being elected to represent their own area of the city — rather than being elected at-large by all voters in the city as in the past. Two districts are up for election in 2020, while the remaining three districts — represented by Councilwoman Porsche Middleton, Mayor Jeannie Bruins, and Councilman Steve Miller — won’t be up for election until 2022.

    District 3, the other area up for election this year, is an open seat created by the new map. Planning Commissioner Tim Schaefer and newcomer Thomas Goetz are the only two candidates who qualified for the race.

    Kevin Miles Jr. also filed papers to run for the District 3 seat, but his petition did not qualify, according to the City Clerk’s website. A sixth potential candidate, Allison Sanchez, also pulled papers to run for the District 1 seat, but she did not end up filing the papers.

    Additional information about each candidate will be published in the coming weeks. Click here to sign up for The Sentinel’s free weekly e-Editions to follow all our local election coverage.

  • Guest Opinion: Cardrooms have a positive effect in Citrus Heights, across California

    Guest Opinion: Cardrooms have a positive effect in Citrus Heights, across California

    Stones Gambling Hall, casino
    Stones Gambling Hall opened in July 2014 in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel

    Guest Opinion by Citrus Heights Vice Mayor Jeff Slowey–
    For decades, cardrooms have been making multi-million-dollar investments in our communities through tax revenues, local jobs and capital improvements.

    Jeff Slowey
    Jeff Slowey

    As one of the Sacramento area’s newest cardrooms, Stones Gambling Hall has followed this familiar path. They are an active community partner, dedicated to a community existence beyond just serving the entertainment needs of Sacramento.

    Stones is not just a gathering place but also dedicated to giving back to our community. For example, last year, they held their “Big 24-hour” giveback benefitting Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE), a nonprofit organization that provides crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County. For every person who walked through their doors that day, Stones donated $100 to WEAVE, resulting in a $75,000 donation. 

    This giveback event exemplifies Stone’s daily commitment to continuing the new wave of corporate community involvement in Sacramento and across the state. It’s the kind of event that you see hosted by cardrooms throughout California that directly benefit local cities, nonprofit organizations, and families.

    Additionally Stones has a private room in the back that any community member or group can reserve for free to hold various gatherings.

    Beyond these philanthropic efforts, California cardrooms like Stones Gambling Hall also result in a daily, direct community benefit, producing more than 23,000 of the high-quality jobs in our state. Many of these jobs are living wage jobs that require little prior training and are often based in underserved communities.

    In addition, cardrooms generate between $1.5-2 billion in economic activity statewide and almost $800 million in wage income for California workers. Cardrooms also contribute to funding the vital, local public services critical to our residents. 

    I encourage the Attorney General and policymakers to continue to take into account the positive impact cardrooms have in our communities.

    On its surface, a small change to how cardrooms administer their games may not appear to have an effect on the daily lives of Californians, but as evidenced above, further restrictions on our California cardrooms’ ability to operate would have a direct, negative impact on hundreds of thousands of our residents, local businesses and city services. 

    Our communities are all the better for their community partners that actively engage with and contribute to them. We must continue to work together to find a solution to ensure the industry’s continued survival, and the continued added benefit to our communities. That way, we all thrive.

    Jeff Slowey is a four-term member of the Citrus Heights City Council and is currently serving as the city’s vice mayor. He can be contacted at JSlowey@citrusheights.net.

    Want to share your own thoughts on a local issue in Citrus Heights? The Sentinel welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns from residents.Click here to submit a letter to the editor.

  • Citrus Heights City Council approves first-ever $12M line of credit

    Credit, Citrus Heights
    Citrus Heights Councilman Bret Daniels speaks prior to a 5-0 vote to approve a $12 million line of credit for the city. // Image credit: Metro Cable 14

    Updated 7:23 a.m., Nov. 18–
    Sentinel staff report–  Citrus Heights City Council members on Thursday night unanimously voted to approve a $12 million revolving line of credit, making it the first time the city has ever authorized incurring debt in its 21-year history.

    City Manager Christopher Boyd, who in 2016 assured that the city would “never go into debt,” said access to the new line of credit will put the city in a position “to invest in our community for return” and also allow “a nimble and flexible way” to get by until the city receives a long-anticipated boost from property tax revenue in four years. Assistant City Manager Ronda Rivera said the funds will be drawn on for both “unanticipated operating or known operating deficits that we have and capital needs as they come up.”

    According to a 10-year projection presented to the council, without the line of credit, the city’s current reserves of $5.3 million were projected to dwindle to about $350,000 by fiscal year 2021-22, before increasing to more than $4 million beginning the following fiscal year when the city begins receiving its property tax revenue. An updated projection, accounting for the line of credit being used, showed reserves only dropping to $2.9 million before rising to almost $5 million the following year.

    The city’s share of property taxes is currently about $5.6 million, but as part of a 25-year “revenue neutrality” agreement with Sacramento County, Citrus Heights has reluctantly had to fork those funds over to the county each year — a condition imposed to allow the city to incorporate in 1997. After an unsuccessful attempt to strike a deal with the county to get early access to the funds, the city pursued a line of credit as the most “cost effective” alternative.

    The revolving line of credit with Western Alliance Bank is structured as a site lease with the Community Center pledged as collateral and comes with an interest rate of 4.4% on $4.5 million, and 6.09% on the remaining $7.5 million. An interest rate of 0.25% will be charged for any undrawn amount.

    “Good faith estimates” included in the council’s Nov. 15 agenda packet state that if funds borrowed are paid in full at the end of the 20-year sublease, the city would pay about $9 million in interest, although that amount will be less if prepayments are made by the city. The city plans to pay any debt off by September of 2024.

    The line of credit will enable the city to fund two “big ticket” expenses — purchasing the old Sylvan Middle School property and helping fund the second phase of improvements on Auburn Boulevard, according to Mayor Steve Miller. The city recently announced around $16 million in outside funding is available for the Auburn Boulevard project, which will extend roadway improvements from Rusch Park to the Roseville border, but the city needs to put forward about $4.5 million in matching funds.

    The mayor has said the city’s intention with the old Sylvan school property is to buy it from the San Juan Unified School District and then sell it to a private party, in order to “have a full say in what happens there.”

    In comments made during the meeting, councilmembers Bret Daniels and Jeff Slowey both said they “reluctantly” were voting for the line of credit, in light of the city’s long tradition of operating without debt. Four members of the public also addressed the council during the meeting to express their general support or opposition to the proposal.

    Resident David Warren spoke during public comment and warned that another economic recession could hinder the ability of the city to repay the debt and said the council should specifically limit the use of credit for capital improvements, rather than operating expenses, arguing that “operating expense should never be something you use a line of credit for.”

    “If the city borrows money and goes into debt and it has a compensating asset, then the city’s books remain in balance,” said Warren. “If instead we are spending it for operating expenses, the city’s books go out of balance because we will have a debt without a corresponding asset.”

    The final wording of the agreement allows for the line of credit to be used for both “operating and capital funding needs.”

    Bill Van Duker, sometimes called the city “Godfather” for his role in helping with the incorporation process, also spoke during public comment and told the City Council that it was known “from day one” that there would come a time when the city would reach a “crossover point” before the end of the 25-year agreement with the county, where expenses would exceed revenues. He said if former City Manager Henry Tingle were here today, “we would still be in exactly the same position.”

    EDITORIAL: Council should re-watch tribute to ‘Tightwad Tingle’ before $12M vote

    Several other council members and the assistant city manager also referenced the “crossover point,” which was initially projected to be reached in 2010, according Councilman Jeff Slowey. However, with frugal management under Tingle’s leadership, the city steered away from debt and amassed $33 million in reserves by 2012 — enabling the city to spend $21 million in reserves on the new city hall in 2016.

    That move to purchase the new city hall was criticized by Councilman Bret Daniels, who has frequently voiced his opposition to the city draining its reserves on the new hall.

    “We’re having [this] discussion today because of the decision to build this building and spend the general fund reserve to do that,” said Daniels. “If that had not occurred, we wouldn’t be having this meeting tonight. We would have a nice healthy reserve and we would be able to make it over those next five years or so.”

    In the end, Daniels said he would “very reluctantly” support the line of credit in order to “return back to taking care of some of our different needs,” primarily referencing roads.

    Related: Henry Tingle reflects on 17 years as Citrus Heights city manager

    Vice Mayor Jeannie Bruins, who co-chaired the cityhood effort in 1996 and has served on the council since 2002, called the city’s move to incur debt for the first time a “very big paradigm shift” and said “we all hoped that this day would never come.” She said she was supporting the proposal due to its “very limited scope” and the goal “to get debt-free again as soon as we can.”

    Councilman Slowey said in comments before the vote that future council members could make different decisions about how the line of credit is spent, noting governmental misuse in funding is common across the country. As he will be retiring from the council in two years, he said voters will need to keep council members “on their toes to make sure that they’re held accountable for how that money is spent.”

    “I’m reluctantly going to support this, just because, again, it’s always nice to go everywhere and say your debt free,” said Slowey. “But, I think that fiscal frugality will continue to play on our part so that we will use that money wisely and only when we need to.”

    Related: Middleton set to join Miller, Bruins on Citrus Heights City Council

    Porsche Middleton, who won election to the City Council on Nov. 6 did not vote on the matter, as she will not officially replace Councilman Al Fox on the council until next month. Both Fox and Mayor Miller supported the $12 million line of credit.

    Two other members of the public also spoke during the meeting, Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter and resident Kelly Severin. Carpenter focused her comments in support of the city investing in capital projects on Auburn Boulevard and Sylvan Corners, while Severin cautioned about taking on debt and said the city would be better off continuing its “pay-as-you-go” approach to projects, even if it would mean waiting four years for the city to receive its property tax revenue.

    Funding from the line of credit is expected to be available by the end of this month, on Nov. 29, according to the city manager’s office.

    What do you think of the City Council’s decision? Share your thoughts in a letter to the editor: click here.

  • Guest Opinion: Citrus Heights mayor should apologize for ‘kneeling’ remark

    Guest opinion column submitted by David Warren–
    At the Sept. 28 Citrus Heights City Council meeting, the Cub Scouts presented and posted the colors, followed by leading the Salute to the Flag. As the audience took their seats, Mayor Jeff Slowey said “thank you for nobody in the audience taking a knee,” a derogatory reference to athletes who for some demonstrated their concern about social issues or in response to statements made by the President of the United States. Regretfully, no member of the city council criticized the inappropriate statement.

    David Warren

    Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts were present at the city council meeting for an educational experience. They may have learned that although freedom of speech is a constitutional right, those who exercise that freedom in a way the mayor disagrees with cannot be tolerated.

    The First Amendment to the United States Constitution “prohibits the making of any law respecting . . . abridging the freedom of speech.” The California Constitution at Article I §2(a) states: “Every person may freely speak, write and publish his or her sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of this right. A law may not restrain or abridge liberty of speech or press.”

    The price of freedom of speech is not censoring or preventing the actions or words which one finds intolerable, stupid, ignorant and uninformed, so long as they are nonviolent. Every member of the city council must govern by the oft-quoted legal axiom “Each side takes the position of the man who was arrested for swinging his arms and hitting another in the nose, and asked the judge if he did not have a right to swing his arms in a free country. ‘Your right to swing your arms ends just where the other man’s nose begins.’” Unfortunately, the mayor appears to have forgotten his responsibility to uphold all provisions of the Constitution as the nonviolent “taking a knee” did not strike the mayor’s nose.

    The California oath of office states: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter.”

    Also on The Sentinel: The Civic Minute: What’s happening at Citrus Heights city hall? (Oct. 12)

    The mayor swore to protect freedom of speech for all persons, including Citrus Heights residents. The mayor’s constitutional freedom of speech as a private citizen includes expressing the opinion that athletes not standing for the National Anthem is wrong. However, when the mayor speaks in his capacity as the chief spokesman for all residents of the City of Citrus Heights, the mayor should not proffer those opinions during a city council meeting, because the mayor’s duty is to represent all residents, not only those who agree with him.

    A recent poll of college students revealed that 20% of college students agree that violence is acceptable to silence offensive speech. In communities across the country, public demonstrations and civil disobedience became out-of-control riots. Nationally, rhetoric has divided the country, not united it. City council members in their official roles have a responsibility to lead by example and unite the citizenry by praising the exercise of freedom of speech, no matter how repugnant.

    Apparently too long ago, and now apparently forgotten by the mayor, incidents such as George Wallace’s attempts at the University of Alabama to preserve segregation, and the accusation that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a communist, led to youthful civil disobedience, which culminated in the need for national introspection after the violence outside the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.

    When individuals demonstrate disagreement in a nonviolent manner on issues of public concern, they do not show any lack of respect for the military or veterans, the National Anthem, and the pledge of allegiance. The mayor’s “teaching moment” should have been to reinforce that, although some people in the council chambers that night believed that not standing for the National Anthem is disrespectful and insults those that have been wounded or died protecting our constitutional freedoms, honoring those who have served includes assuring that the sacrifice is not forgotten by those who believe that they, and they alone, know what is appropriate conduct and speech.

    At the very least, the mayor in his role as the titular leader of the City Citrus Heights and all city council members should publicly disavow the Sept. 28 statement and reaffirm respect for the constitutional right to freedom of speech, no matter how offensive. That is true democracy.

    David Warren is a Citrus Heights resident and legislative advocate at the State Capitol with Taxpayers for Public Safety. He can be reached at David@forpublicsafety.com.

    Have a different perspective on this topic or another local issue? The Sentinel welcomes letters to the editor and guest opinion columns on local issues from Citrus Heights residents. Click here to submit one.

  • Citrus Heights mayor gives positive outlook in ‘State of the City’ address

    Sentinel staff report–
    Mayor Jeff Slowey gave the annual “State of the City” address during an Aug. 8 luncheon at the Citrus Heights Community Center, highlighting new proposed developments, increases in projected revenue, accomplishments from the past year, and some challenges faced by the city.

    Slowey kicked off his 25-minute speech to the group of about a hundred business representatives and city staff, focusing on Citrus Heights’ landmark celebration of 20 years since becoming a city in 1997. Slowey, 56, also served a one-year term as mayor during the city’s 10th anniversary in 2007, and again in 2012.

    Budget
    The mayor gave an overview of the city’s $35 million general fund budget and said Citrus Heights remains “fiscally sound” with 2017-18 projections showing a 3 percent increase in general fund revenues and a 4 percent increase in expenditures.

    Pointing to a pie chart slide showing a breakdown of revenue categories, Slowey said 70 percent of the city’s income comes from three sources: sales tax, property tax and motor vehicle fees. The largest chunk — about 35 percent — comes from sales tax, followed by 22 percent from motor vehicle licensing and 14 percent from property taxes.

    A slide covering expenses showed the majority of funds go to the Citrus Heights Police Department, with 57 percent of the budget going toward law enforcement. Remaining expenses cover general management, 20 percent, and between 5 and 6 percent each for general services, community and economic development, and human resources.

    Police & Crime
    Slowey said the transition of former Police Chief Christopher Boyd over to city manager of Citrus Heights went well, saying the city went from “one good egg, to another good egg” after Chief Ron Lawrence officially replaced Boyd last October.

    He also focused on a slide showing officers responded to more than 88,000 calls for service and another 21,000 officer-initiated actions in town last year. “It’s not a surprising figure that law enforcement is the biggest expense to the city because to me that’s the main job of government,” Slowey said.

    Related: Annual report: overall crime up 4% in Citrus Heights

    Although citing call volume statistics from Chief Lawrence’s annual crime report in March, Slowey did not mention crime statistics reported by the chief that showed a 4 percent overall rise in crime in the city, including a double-digit increase in motor vehicle theft in 2016.

    However, he expressed confidence that Lawrence would take the city to the “next level in law enforcement.”

    Homelessness
    On homelessness, Slowey praised the work of the city’s Navigator program in helping homeless get off the streets and into housing, but said “there’s not a lot that can be done” to help those who don’t want to be helped.

    The city approved a $50,000 contract for the Navigator’s services last year and renewed the contract for the current fiscal year after leaders credited the program with aiding in a reduction of homeless-related calls for service to police in 2016.

    Related: CHPD: new survey shows significant drop in homeless-related calls in Citrus Heights

    “It’s a difficult problem, to be quite honest with you,” said the three-term mayor. “But I do think… we’re getting a pretty good bang for our buck.”

    Businesses and development
    Slowey highlighted the debt-free purchase of the new $22 million city hall last year, as well as the recent addition of new restaurants and businesses like Black Bear Diner on Sunrise Boulevard, Yellow Yo Yogurt at Sylvan Corners, and Crepes & Burgers on Auburn Boulevard.

    He also cited the new 68,000-square-feet medical office building under construction on Greenback Lane, as well as a developer’s proposal to build 261 homes on vacant land near Arcadia Drive. A 42-unit multi-family development has also been proposed at Sylvan Corners on vacant land behind Bearpaw’s corporate offices, and a developer recently announced plans to demolish the old Logan’s restaurant on Sunrise Boulevard and construct a 10,000-square-feet building for several new restaurants and retailers.

    Slowey also called the now-vacant Sylvan Middle School property on Auburn Boulevard the city’s “biggest opportunity” and said the city has expressed its intention to purchase the property. He said the goal would be “to control it” rather than own it long term, which would mean buying it and then selling it for a use the city deems most appropriate for the strategic corner.

    Speculating about future use, Slowey shot down the idea of a dog park or sports complex, advocating that the city focus on uses that would bring direct sales tax revenue. He said parks or a sports complex would create additional maintenance costs and estimated a construction price of $9 million for a sports complex.

    From April: City makes formal step toward buying old Sylvan property

    The mayor also gave an overview of the three main business groups that make up the city’s primary sales tax base: the Sunrise Marketplace business improvement district, Antelope Crossing near Interstate 80, and the newly formed Auburn Boulevard Business Association.

    Slowey spoke highly of the business improvement district model, where businesses vote to pay a tax to fund projects in their area.

    “When businesses vote to tax themselves and spend that money on promoting themselves… as the public partner, I am willing to go in and spend money with them,” the mayor said. He said Sunrise Marketplace has been an improvement district since 1999 and the newly formed Auburn Boulevard Business Association is planning to develop a plan of action later this year, which could include consideration of an improvement district model.

    A city branding campaign is also currently in the works, with plans to soon present a logo and tagline for the city to help attract new businesses and residents.

    Challenges
    Slowey also noted three challenges the city faces — sales tax revenue is projected to be flat, there is a reduced general fund reserve balance, and there’s another five years still remaining on the city’s “revenue neutrality” agreement with the county.

    Under the agreement with the county, Slowey said the city has lost out on $76 million in revenue from property tax money that currently goes to Sacramento County, as part of a 25-year agreement that was a condition of Citrus Heights being allowed to incorporate as a city. The agreement expires in 2022.

    Transportation and roads
    Slowey skimmed over slides on capital projects that included photos and statistics showing the city had recently replaced 20,000 feet of failed sidewalk, constructed 50 ADA ramps, and resurfaced five residential streets, over the past year. Work was also done on the Antelope Road Safe Routes to School Project between Auburn Boulevard and Rollingwood Drive, along with enhanced street lighting and various creek restoration projects.

    He said funding for roads is also expected to come in the near future, after the state legislature approved a recent controversial gas tax.

    The mayor also said the city is working on a comprehensive plan for transit services in Citrus Heights, noting his personal dissatisfaction with Regional Transit’s use of funds and also commenting about limitations of transit when buses reach the county line.

    “There’s a lot of other agencies and cities out there that are looking at Uber and Lyft subsidizing rides for people — it’s cheaper,” said Slowey, who also works as a banking executive. “For the amount of dollars we spend [on transit], we ought to be giving a lot better service to you folks.”

    Slowey concluded his Aug. 8 presentation with a tribute to the late-Councilman Mel Turner, who passed away in April.

    Related: Citrus Heights leaders set 22 new objectives for next 6 months

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  • Annual report: overall crime up 4% in Citrus Heights

    Citrus Heights crime
    A slide presented to city council members during their March 9, 2017, council meeting shows a comparison between 2015 and 2016 crime in Citrus Heights. // Source: CHPD

    Motor vehicle theft, aggravated assault, and arson all saw at least double-digit increases in Citrus Heights during 2016, while robbery and homicides saw double-digit drops, according to the latest annual crime report delivered to council members by Police Chief Ron Lawrence earlier this month.

    The annual report used crime data from “Part 1” of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which tracks eight categories of crimes that are broken down into property crimes and persons crimes. Property crimes include burglary, larceny theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson, and persons crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

    Part 2 crimes are considered less serious and are only required to be reported if there is an arrest, according to the FBI’s website.

    Largest local increases in crime were in the motor vehicle theft category, which rose 39 percent in the year-over-year comparison presented. Arson cases also more than doubled, rising from six in 2015 up to a total of 16 last year, while robbery dropped by 22 percent and homicides dropped from five in 2015 down to three last year, according to the report.

    The homicide category of the UCR statistics does not typically include officer-involved shootings, since the FBI tabulates such shootings as “justifiable homicides,” after a law enforcement investigation. As reported in an extensive story in The Sacramento Bee on March 12, Citrus Heights had one homicide involving a police shooting in 2015, and two in 2016.

    Lawrence, who replaced former Police Chief Christopher Boyd in October last year, highlighted “deficiencies” in year-over-year comparisons, as did several council members who focused on a 10-year crime trend showing categories of major crime are at one of their lowest points in the history of the police department, which was formed in 2006. From 2006 to 2016, Lawrence reported an overall drop in Part 1 crimes by 22 percent.

    “I think the citizens are 100 percent behind you,” Mayor Jeff Slowey told the police chief after hearing the March 9 report. “So even when there’s a little blip on the radar that doesn’t always look good, everyone’s always out there doing their best.”

    Councilman Bret Daniels called the crime statistics “a little disappointing that there’s even a slight little spike,” but he said “it could mean that we just did better last year.”

    Daniels also questioned the chief about the significant rise in vehicle theft and asked what could be done in response. Lawrence said such thefts are “up all over the state” and said vehicle thefts notably rose after prison realignment in 2011, which is often blamed for releasing prisoners on the streets.

    According to Lt. Jason Russo, the department plans to launch a theft prevention program targeted at Honda owners to encourage use of a steering wheel lock. He said 90’s model Honda’s are the most commonly stolen vehicles, with thieves often stealing the cars using shaved keys.

    *This story originally appeared in The Sentinel’s March 19 e-Edition. Read part two of this article in our upcoming March 26 edition for additional statistics and a look at CHPD’s crime reduction strategies. Click here to sign up for our Weekend e-Edition

    Crime overview
    A slide showing a 10-year overview of total Part 1 crimes in Citrus Heights, from 2006 to 2016. // Source: CHPD

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  • Campaign funding: who’s backing the top 3 candidates in Citrus Heights

    Rick Doyle, Jeff Slowey, Marcel Weiland
    Candidates Rick Doyle, left, Marcel Weiland, and Jeff Slowey, right. // CH Sentinel

    Latest campaign finance disclosures filed on Oct. 27 show three candidates far outpacing the rest in the race for two seats on the Citrus Heights city council.

    Reporting more than $17,000 in contributions, Vice Mayor Jeff Slowey maintained a significant lead over the other seven candidates, but Planning Commissioner Rick Doyle and financial tech director Marcel Weiland also reported receiving more than $10,000 in contributions — more than double what each of the remaining five candidates reported receiving.

    Although money doesn’t always dictate who wins and loses, a Sentinel review of local elections back to 2012 found winning council candidates have all raised over $10,000 — with some candidates spending over $20,000.

    Who’s funding who?
    During the latest reporting period from Sept. 25 through Oct. 22, Slowey picked up an additional $3,800 in contributions. He also reported two extra donations of $1,000 each from a real estate and labor political action committee (PAC) in the past week, bringing his contribution total up to $17,600.

    The vice mayor’s top donor in most recent filings was the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce PAC, which donated $1,750. As previously reported on The Sentinel, Slowey’s overall top donor is Kings Management Group, which donated $3,000 and lists Stones Casino as its business address.

    Coming in second for fundraising, Doyle reported a $5,400 boost in contributions during the latest reporting period, bringing his total up to $12,400. Doyle’s top donor listed was $2,000 from former Phoenix Casino president Jack Cunningham. He also received a $1,000 donation from Kings Casino Management Group.

    Weiland reported another $3,600 in contributions, bringing his total up to $10,200. His top recent donor was also the Chamber PAC, which endorsed both Slowey and Weiland and gave each $1,750. Weiland’s top overall donor remained himself, with $5,800 of his own money donated to the campaign.

    >See prior story from September: Slowey, Weiland dominate funding in latest Citrus Heights council election filings

    Campaign expenditures listed by the trio were largely dominated by campaign mailing expenses to reach voters with direct mail. Slowey has spent the most so far, reporting $11,200 in expenditures — $7,100 of which was spent on several recent mailings.

    Both Doyle and Weiland reported about $10,000 in campaign expenditures each, about a third of which was spent on literature and mailing-related costs in the latest reporting period.

    >See where the candidates stand: Citrus Heights city council candidates on the issues, in their own words

    Other candidates
    The remaining five candidates have all reported spending and receiving less than $4,000 each throughout their campaigns. Tim Schaefer reported $3,100 in contributions, although $2,000 of that is in the form of loans to his campaign. Porsche Middleton reported receiving $3,900, and Bret Daniels $3,100.

    Candidates Amor Taylor and Michael Nishimura were not required to file disclosure forms, as each filed a statement indicating they planned to spend and receive under $2,000 during the course of their campaigns.

    Campaign disclosures are required by the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for local candidates who raise or spend over $2,000. Two pre-election disclosure filings are required by the commission, with an additional requirement for candidates to file a separate form each time a donation of $1,000 or more is received.

    The next FPPC reporting deadline is Jan. 31, 2017.

    Have an opinion about the local election? The Sentinel now accepts letter-to-the-editor submissions and opinion pieces. Submit one by clicking here.

    —
    See all candidates’ campaign finance disclosures: http://www.citrusheights.net/164/Candidate-Committee-Campaign-Statements

  • Schaefer, Daniels unite in opposition to Measure B & new city hall expense

    Bret Daniels, Tim Schaefer, Citrus Heights city council
    Tim Schaefer, right, sits next to Bret Daniels during a Sept. 19 election forum that featured all eight candidates vying for a seat on the Citrus Heights city council. // CH Sentinel

    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.”

    [Get local news delivered to your inbox each Sunday: click here to sign up for The Sentinel’s free Weekend e-Edition]

    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

  • Jeff Slowey on the issues, in his own words

    Jeff Slowey, Citrus Heights
    Jeff Slowey, current Citrus Heights Vice Mayor and candidate for city council. // CH Sentinel

    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. Jeff Slowey’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”

    Jeff Slowey, 55, is a vice president for Bank of America and has served on the city council since 2003. He is the only incumbent running in this year’s election for two of the five council seats, as current councilwoman Sue Frost gave up her seat in order to run for Sacramento County Supervisor this year. (Click to read Slowey’s full bio and 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)

    “I truly believe the homeless ‘issue’ is a regional issue and will not be solved alone by Citrus Heights. That aside, for the current budget year, the City Council doubled the budget for our Homeless Navigator program. This program has proved very successful last year with over 50 percent of those requesting assistance moved into some form of permanent housing or ongoing services. All in all pretty good results for a start-up program. Additionally the newly formed HART group (Homeless Assistance Resource Team) made up of business representatives and City resources is looking for ideas to dive deeper into this arena.”

    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?

    “This issue is tricky – a self-imposed tax raise or not, with the benefit going into much needed local roads. The downside to this measure is the funding going into Regional Transit at roughly 30 percent and no control of how the funding is spent after 5 years. I think most would agree RT has yet to fully get its house in order and the fact that approximately only 5 percent of the county residents ride RT. While I generally don’t support tax increases, this one makes sense on the whole. I will probably hold my nose and vote a reluctant yes.”

    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?

    “Public safety for me is the number one priority of government. Several things can be done to enhance our award winning police department. Make sure they have adequate funding for all necessary equipment and continue to educate them on interpersonal interactions with the public. At the same time educate the public that the Citrus Heights Police Department cannot do the job alone – it is in everyone’s best interest to be the additional eyes and ears for our police dept. If you see something suspicious – report it. Don’t be afraid to get involved in your neighborhood watch and be ever vigilant.”

    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 fully support CHPD wearing of body cameras but the issue is not that simple. There are clarifications still needed as to length of storage of tapes, timing of release of film to protect all officers rights, and who could actually request release of any tapes and for what purpose. Clearly their use would tell the story from the vantage point of what the officer saw, but they could also be used for other nefarious purposes. While I suspect we will deploy them in the future, questions and issues still need to be clarified before that can occur.”

    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?

    “Most issues around pensions have already been addressed by the current council. We implemented new lower tiered pensions for new employees and have adopted policies that ensure each employee pays their share of their retirement contribution. Let’s not forget the employees did not create the situation, politicians did over years of not paying attention. I think anyone in the system deserves what they were promised and Citrus Heights has already mitigated most of what we can. We have always paid our share of what we have been billed by CALPERS which others have not – exacerbating the problem.”

    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?

    “As one of the NO votes I fully support the decision. I think in the states where legalization has passed they are seeing serious consequences in terms on increased crime rates, driving while under the influence of drugs and other ancillary side effects no one counted on. The drive to legalize marijuana is being driven by those who wish to make money off the misfortunes of others. You can argue States rights vs. Federal, but marijuana is still an illegal federal drug and across most other countries – there is a reason for that based on doctors opinions who are far smarter than me.”

    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?

    “I fully support permits for projects that affect ‘health and safety’ concerns (such as plumbing and electrical work.) While I would agree that not everyone gets a permit for all projects that require them, I don’t see it as an epidemic that needs immediate action. I am more than willing to take time to review all areas of the permitting process and change things where they make sense. A study might be warranted, however our fees in many cases are less than the surrounding jurisdictions for the same service.”

    What, if any, are two existing city regulations/codes that you think should be changed, and why?

    “I have heard many concerns during my last 13 years in office where someone thinks a process or regulation needs to be changed. After discussing it and giving them all the facts, most tend to agree in the end that with all the information in hand, the original judgement was not based entirely on fact. I know there are many opinions out there and want to hear from all. I think a better solution is to incorporate a question similar to this one in our upcoming city-wide survey we will be conducting in 2017 and get full weight in from the public.”

    >>See other candidate responses: “Citrus Heights city council candidates on the issues, in their own words”

  • Citrus Heights city council candidates on the issues, in their own words

    Rick Doyle, Amor Taylor, Jeff Slowey, Porsche Middleton, Tim Schaefer, Marcel Weiland, Michael Nishimura, Bret Daniels
    Citrus Heights 2016 City Council candidates, from left to right. Top: Rick Doyle, Amor Taylor, Jeff Slowey, Porsche Middleton. Bottom: Tim Schaefer, Marcel Weiland, Michael Nishimura, Bret Daniels. // CH Sentinel

    Updated Oct. 23, 12:21 a.m.–
    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 written statements on a variety of local issues. Seven of the eight candidates submitted statements by the Oct. 22 deadline, and links are provided below to each candidate’s responses.

    Questions included topics of homelessness, enhancing public safety, body cameras, marijuana regulation, fiscal policy, and Measure B. Although agreeing on many issues, candidates hold opposing views on Measure B and police-worn body cameras, and also have differing approaches to enhancing public safety and addressing homelessness.

    Click below for each candidate’s responses:

    Other articles related to the local election:

    >>Get local news and election updates delivered to your inbox each Sunday: click here to sign up for The Sentinel’s free Weekend e-Edition