Rodriguez pledges action on homelessness, safety, roads as new County Supervisor

By Sara Beth Williams–
Rosario Rodriguez took the oath of office on Jan. 7, officially becoming the new Sacramento County Supervisor, taking over Sue Frost’s position. Frost formerly served as Citrus Heights Mayor and Sacramento County Supervisor for District 4 and announced last year that she would not be seeking reelection and would be moving out of state.

At the time, Frost also endorsed Rodriguez as a candidate to fill her seat. Rodriguez won the supervisor seat without the need for a runoff in the March 2024 primary election, winning 51 percent of the vote against candidates Branden Murphy and former Citrus Heights Mayor Bret Daniels.

Rodriguez was sworn in by her mother, Concepcion “Connie” Rodriguez, in Spanish, and by her son, Yovanny Chamberlain, and grandson, Antonio Velasquez, in English, according to a Jan. 7 press release.

Rodriguez was also unanimously selected to serve as Vice Chair for the upcoming term during the Board of Supervisors’ organizational meeting.

Rodriguez said she was “deeply honored” to begin her term and added that she is “committed to helping lead efforts” to address challenges throughout the county.

“This is a pivotal opportunity to work collaboratively to take real action to reduce the impact of homelessness, keep our neighborhoods safe, and focus on repairs and improvements to our roads.” Rodriguez said.

In a newsletter to constituents, Rodriguez outlined her top five “immediate” priorities, which include addressing homelessness, fighting crime and community saftey, improving roads and transportation, supporting local businesses and job creation, and engaging with the community.

“The time for empty promises is over—it’s time to take action,” Rodriguez said in her newsletter.

Her approach emphasizes collaboration with community members, local governments, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and stakeholders to create “meaningful and lasting change.” Rodriguez also plans to hold quarterly community meetings and wants to establish Citizen Advisory Committees to help address “pressing life issues.”

According to her bio, Rodriguez previously served as a board member for multiple boards, including the Folsom Chamber of Commerce, Twin Lakes Food Bank, and Folsom Economic Development Corporation. Rodriguez was elected to the Folsom City Council in 2020 after serving on the Historic District Commission for three years. Rodriguez also launched a San Francisco-style taqueria in the Folsom Historic District in 2016.

District 4 encompasses Citrus Heights, Folsom, Orangevale, Antelope, Rio Linda, Elverta, Gold River, Rancho Murieta, North Highlands, Carmichael, Foothill Farms, and Fair Oaks.