City of Burbank gets new mayor

The Burbank City Council has elected a new mayor.

Nick Schultz, who served as the city’s vice-mayor this past year, was chosen by the council to lead the city for a one-year term.

Shultz succeeds Konstantine Anthony, whose term came to an end this month.

Elected by the council unanimously at the city’s annual reorganization meeting, Schultz was elected to the council by the general public in 2020.

According to the city, Schultz was the first person in his family to graduate college, having earned a Bachelor of Arts with majors in history and political science from the University of Oregon. He then earned his doctorate from the Oregon School of Law.

Schultz has worked his entire professional career in public service, the city said. He currently works in the California Department of Justice as Deputy Attorney General with the Special Prosecutions Section of the Attorney General’s Office.

Schultz said the opportunity to serve the city as mayor is not a responsibility he takes lightly.

“My commitment is to collaborative leadership, engaging with our dedicated city staff, and connecting with the heart of our city – the community,” Schultz said in a release. “Together, we stand on the cusp of a new era for Burbank, one marked by shared prosperity, innovative progress, and a steadfast dedication to the well-being of every resident.”

Schultz lives in Burbank’s “Rancho” neighborhood with his wife Allie and their two children.

In addition to mayor, the city council also appointed a new vice-mayor in Councilmember Nikki Perez. Both Schultz and Perez will serve one-year terms in these roles.

Perez will take over for Schultz, who held the same position under outgoing mayor Anthony. It’s the same chain of succession that led Anthony to the mayor’s seat, who served as vice-mayor under his predecessor, Jess Talamantes.

Anthony made national headlines in his brief tenure as mayor for both pushing back at conservative pundits for his participation in a political event that featured drag queens, as well as his endorsement and eventual withdrawal of support for Rep. Adam Schiff in his campaign to replace the late Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate.

Anthony is currently seeking a new position, challenging Kathryn Barger for her seat as Los Angeles County 5th District Supervisor.

Unlike other cities, Burbank voters do not elect a mayor, rather they elect councilmembers who do so. While the title wields significant power in some cities, the role of mayor in Burbank is considered to be mostly symbolic.

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