Who’s running for Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, District 4?

By Phillip Pesola–
Candidates vying to take the seat of outgoing Supervisor Sue Frost on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors faced off at a recent forum, sharing with voters their differing perspectives on homelessness, climate change, public safety, housing affordability, and more.

The three candidates for District 4, which covers Citrus Heights, Folsom, Orangevale, and surrounding areas, include Citrus Heights Mayor Bret Daniels, Folsom City Councilwoman Rosario Rodriguez, and political newcomer Braden Murphy. The hour-long forum was held on Jan. 29, 2024, and was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Sacramento, along with the Metro Cable Commission.

A full list of the 10 questions asked and summaries of each candidate’s answer are included below.

Question: The number of homeless individuals continues to skyrocket and we know that this requires multifaceted and budget driven solutions at all levels of government. What are your short and long term solutions?

• Daniels highlighted his approach to homelessness as a member of Citrus Heights’ city council, emphasizing direct engagement through navigators and an impact team, including police, to address needs such as mental health and housing. He advocated for expanding housing options, like tiny home villages, alongside strict law enforcement measures against criminal activities to improve community conditions.
• Murphy emphasized a three-step approach to tackle homelessness: providing immediate safe parking areas overseen by social workers and police, moving individuals into permanent shelters with continued support, and creating affordable housing to bridge the gap between the middle class and homeless, He also criticized current officials for the issue’s escalation.
• Rodriguez criticized the current “housing first” model in Sacramento County. She highlighted homelessness as being exploited for profit and advocated for stronger accountability for organizations benefiting from homelessness funds. Rodriguez proposed demanding results, redefining success, engaging law enforcement and faith communities, reclaiming public spaces, ensuring regional coordination, and emphasizing community restoration.

‌Question: The city and county of Sacramento have opened or plan to open over the next year hundreds of new emergency homeless shelter spaces, either at safe parking lots or at tiny home communities. Are they the right strategy for addressing our homelessness crisis?

• ‌Daniels strongly supported opening new emergency homeless shelters, arguing that they are crucial for removing people from the streets and providing them with dignity. He highlighted the importance of enforcing rules and offering supportive services, and acknowledged the diversity of needs among the homeless, including those requiring institutional care or legal intervention.
• ‌Murphy supported the emergency homeless shelter spaces initiative but emphasized the need for officials to actively engage with the homeless community. He argued for a compassionate, unified approach from both city and county to transition the homeless to affordable housing, highlighting that addressing homelessness transcends mere business practices.
• ‌Rodriguez argued against the housing first model, suggesting it ignores the critical needs of the homeless for mental health and addiction services. She emphasized the inhumanity of providing shelter without addressing these underlying issues. Rodriguez advocated for comprehensive programs that offer both housing and essential health services to genuinely aid the homeless.

‌Question: Sacramento County does not have an inclusionary housing policy that requires new developments to include a portion of their apartments or homes to be affordable to lower income residents. How will you approach an inclusionary policy, and will you support one that requires mixed income developments?

• ‌Daniels opposed inclusionary housing policies, arguing they unfairly increase costs for new homeowners through what he called an embedded tax. He advocated for private-public partnerships as a more effective solution, citing the Sunrise Pointe low-income housing project in Citrus Heights as an example. Daniels stated that such collaborations, rather than mandated mixed-income developments, are the answer to affordable housing.
• Murphy criticized his opponents’ approach to affordable housing, emphasizing the need for inclusionary housing policies as a solution to the housing crisis. He pointed out the inefficacy of current strategies, where developers often bypass creating affordable units through minimal compliance or by paying fees. Murphy advocated for bringing a fresh perspective to address the issues effectively.
• Rodriguez highlighted her experience in Folsom, where developments incorporating affordable housing were approved, underscoring its importance in addressing California’s housing crisis. She advocated for streamlined regulations, appropriately sized fees, reduced litigation abuse, and flexibility to facilitate housing construction, noting challenges in implementation statewide.

‌Question: The Sacramento County DA recently filed a lawsuit against the city and the mayor of Sacramento, alleging it fails to enforce its ordinances regarding our homeless population. Do you support that? And if elected, how would you address the lawsuit’s allegations?

• ‌Daniels expressed strong support for the lawsuit, criticizing the city’s handling of homelessness and the inefficient use of tax dollars, such as the high cost of housing initiatives. He highlighted the failure to enforce ordinances and the need for leadership change in addressing the city’s issues.
• Murphy criticized the existing approach to homelessness and housing, highlighting an apparent contradiction in opposing inclusionary housing while failing to provide viable solutions for affordable housing construction. He advocated for government investment in partnership with non-profits and the creation of union jobs to address the housing crisis effectively, suggesting a change in leadership is necessary.
• Rodriguez endorsed the lawsuit, highlighting the need for a focused approach on homelessness. She cited an instance where the majority of interviewed homeless individuals declined housing offers, illustrating the issue’s complexity. Rodriguez advocated for a collaborative regional strategy to effectively tackle homelessness, emphasizing communication and coordination among different municipalities.

‌Question: Simply building more won’t necessarily address affordability concerns. So what steps should the county be taking in the future to ensure affordability needs will be met?

• ‌Daniels advocated for leveraging public-private partnerships to identify and develop affordable housing in strategically located areas within communities, such as Citrus Heights. He criticized ineffective expenditures of over $175 million on homelessness by Sacramento County, suggesting a shift of focus towards actionable solutions rather than administrative costs and studies that do not address the root issues.
• Murphy stressed the necessity for cities, including where his opponents serve, to develop affordable housing units, defining it as a critical step before county-provided services can be effective. He expressed strong disapproval of the previously mentioned lawsuit as a waste of tax dollars that could be put to use for housing.
• Rodriguez argued that the main issue in addressing housing affordability is not just the shortage, but also the inefficient use of funds, citing examples like the Capitol Park Hotel project’s high costs. She emphasized reevaluating spending to increase housing creation efficiently, and suggested a focus on comprehensive services, including mental health and addiction support.

Question: Policing policies and practices have been at the forefront of public discussion and review in recent years. How do you define public safety and what may need to change, if anything, to build trust that law enforcement will serve all communities more equitably?

• ‌Daniels emphasized the paramount importance of public safety and suggested the need for a county ordinance to ensure adequate budget allocation for patrols, which would allow for shorter police response times. Additionally, Daniels called for a societal shift towards greater respect for law enforcement, despite mistakes he said are inevitably made.
• Murphy emphasized the importance of redefining public safety beyond policing, highlighting high costs associated with incarceration, particularly for the homeless, and dealing with mental health and addiction issues. He criticized approaches that increase taxes for public safety funding, advocating instead for compassionate, community-oriented solutions that do not burden the middle class.
• Rodriguez emphasized the importance of public safety as Sacramento County’s primary budget responsibility, pointing out that only 18% of the county’s current budget is allocated for criminal justice in spite of a significant increase in violent crime since 2019. She supported construction of a new jail to secure prisoners safely, and criticized current approaches to homelessness as ineffective.

Question: Do you see the need for civilian oversight and or review of law enforcement practices and policies?

• ‌Daniels expressed opposition to civilian oversight of law enforcement, arguing the profession already endures significant scrutiny from existing internal layers. He emphasized the challenging nature of police work in America, especially in Sacramento County, where he said officers must make quick decisions that can be judged for extended periods.
• Murphy expressed support for civilian oversight of law enforcement when it has meaningful power to hold officials accountable. He questioned the effectiveness of such committees if they merely serve as forums for elected officials to assert their influence without real consequence, suggesting taxpayers’ money should be used wisely.
• Rodriguez opposed the idea of civilian oversight for law enforcement, expressing confidence in the police department and officers’ ability to conduct their internal investigations. She emphasized the importance of trusting law enforcement’s internal operations without the need for civilian intervention.

‌Question: How will you address the high incidence of deaths from multiple causes in our county criminal justice system? Do you support the billion-dollar expansion of the jail?

• Daniels criticized the current state of the jail as unconscionable, but opposed the billion-dollar jail expansion. He advocated for better mental health services instead, citing multiple causes of inmate deaths, including drug use. Daniels defended jail staff and Sheriff Cooper’s management, suggesting the focus shouldn’t be on the jail’s operation.
• Murphy emphasized the need for oversight to prevent deaths in custody and criticized the proposed billion-dollar jail expansion as financially imprudent. He advocated for policies that support individuals before they enter the criminal justice system, arguing this approach would reduce jail populations and fatalities, and firmly opposed increasing the financial burden on middle-class taxpayers.
• Rodriguez emphasized the need for an audit and internal reforms to address compromised medical services and the entry of drugs into the county jail, factors contributing to inmate overdoses. While hesitant to directly comment on the $1 billion jail expansion, Rodriguez advocated for a well-planned facility for those deserving incarceration.

Question: What strategies or policies have you supported or will you support to address gun violence prevention?

• ‌Daniels stated that the term “gun violence” misrepresents the issue, emphasizing instead a broad perspective on violence and the importance of accountability. He advocated for preserving Second Amendment rights, and called for addressing what he called the glorification of violence in society, highlighting recent violent incidents involving children as indicative of a deeper cultural problem.
• Murphy emphasized the critical role mental health care and government inaction play in gun violence, criticizing politicians for favoring incarceration over addressing root causes. He advocated for early intervention through mental health programs and affordable housing to promote mental stability, and stricter regulations on assault rifles to prevent young people from accessing such weapons.
• Rodriguez emphasized the necessity of addressing crime and holding criminals accountable as a key to preventing gun violence. She advocated for reallocating funds to improve schools and community resources, specifically mentioning the enhancement of neighborhoods and the addition of community centers, boys’ or girls’ clubs, and other programs aimed at providing youth with better opportunities.

‌Question: Do you believe that climate change requires urgent action, and what would you do to reduce the carbon footprint of our region’s activities significantly and quickly?

• ‌Daniels expressed skepticism on the urgency of addressing climate change, criticizing the financial resources spent on needlessly stringent regulations. Serving on the Sacramento Air Quality Board, he cited significant improvements in air quality as evidence of progress without directly tackling climate change. Daniels advocated for practical improvements over policy-driven change, emphasizing cleaner air and water over regulatory battles.
• ‌Murphy stated that climate change is a real concern but emphasized the importance of addressing it without burdening the middle class. He suggested integrating solar panels on affordable housing and making electric vehicles more accessible to individuals who traditionally couldn’t afford them.
• Rodriguez acknowledged the Board of Supervisors’ history of rejecting climate action proposals, expressing her belief that climate change is real but also criticizing current solutions as economically and practically unfeasible. She underscored the importance of balancing environmental concerns with economic realities, highlighting as an example the high cost of electric cars.

A recording of the District 4 forum can be watched in its entirety on Sacramento County’s YouTube channel: click here. Websites for each candidate can be found below:

• Bret Daniels: bret2024.com
• Braden Murphy: bradenforsac.com
• Rosario Rodriguez: rosario4supervisor.com

*Editor’s note: This article was edited by humans, but summaries of each candidate’s responses were written with assistance from AI. Spot an error? Let us know.