Citrus Heights mayor who called California politics evil resigns amid Kentucky move

CITRUS HEIGHTS — The city of Citrus Heights will be without a mayor starting this weekend.

In a surprise move, current Mayor Bret Daniels said he is resigning effective Saturday and is moving immediately to Kentucky, calling California's politics evil.

The mayor's moving van was outside his home Thursday morning. He had previously announced he'd wait until the end of his term to leave the state.

"Financially, it was going to be kind of crushing and whatnot, and so out of a bigger concern for my wife and daughter, we made the decision to go ahead and finish up now," Daniels said.

Daniels said he is leaving California because he feels "evilness has permeated the state legislature."

I asked the mayor about why he used the word evil.

"There's a lot of words you can use. You can use 'bad,' 'I don't like it,' 'not for me,' but 'evil' has a sinister side to it," I told Daniels.

"It is. It is," Daniels said. "And I feel that that is the case."

Daniels said that he opposes California state laws like the one banning school transgender notifications to parents.

He said that he and his family searched nationwide for a new home and settled on one in Corbin, Kentucky, where his 7-year-old daughter is now enrolled to go to school.

"It's a nationally recognized school," Daniels said.

Citrus Heights Councilmember Tim Schaefer is now scrambling to fill roles following the mayor's sudden departure.

"I'm concerned that there are some critical issues that we will have to push back to after the election," Schaefer said.

Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce member Ray Riehle is upset by Daniels' abrupt exit.

"Walking away from a job, walking away from an elected office because you dislike the people on the other side is more of the same. You oppose them with good policy. You don't walk away in the middle of the job," Riehle said.

Citrus Heights will have no mayor at least until mid-September when the council meets next to decide what to do with that position.

"It's sad, but we've become disgusted with California politics," Daniels said. "I hope they hear about it enough."