By admin 
Infrastructure, public services and the pace of development are key questions in Folsom’s 3rd District City Council race, where incumbent Sarah Aquino is seeking another term against challenger Jag Nagendra.
Read more How Placer County friends landed on ‘Amazing Race’ after global adventures
Aquino is seeking reelection to the 3rd District seat, her first reelection bid since the city switched to district elections in 2022.
She will compete against Nagendra, a principal engineer with the California Department of Water Resources.
Folsom’s 3rd District includes much of the city’s newer development south of Highway 50. About 5,000 new homes have been built in the area since it was annexed by the city in 2004.
The district’s population has grown significantly, raising questions about whether infrastructure and public services are keeping pace with development. The candidates have focused on adding needed amenities, improving economic development and connecting the district’s communities on either side of Highway 50.
Citywide, residents identified traffic, infrastructure, and the challenges of growth among their major concerns in a survey conducted by Ideas for Change, a Change.org-backed nonprofit. Respondents supported making roads safer, addressing congestion and maintaining the city’s parks and bike trails.
Residents also identified new development, housing affordability and the city’s long-term financial stability as concerns, the survey found.
Where is the district?
Folsom’s 3rd District covers the city’s southwest corner and all of the city south of Highway 50. The district includes some of Folsom’s fastest-growing neighborhoods and much of its newer development.
Who are the candidates?
Sarah Aquino, the 3rd District incumbent, was first elected to the Folsom City Council in 2018 and has twice served as mayor. She works as an insurance agent and as a server, a job she took to help a local restaurant that struggled to find employees during the pandemic.
Aquino is focused on creating a “clean, safe, welcoming community” by strengthening public safety, investing in infrastructure and uniting the parts of the 3rd District on either side of Highway 50, she said at a candidate forum Monday.
Aquino said she does not support annexing additional land to the city. She said she wants to make sure residents of newer communities, including Folsom Ranch, Russell Ranch and White Rock Springs Ranch, feel connected to the rest of Folsom.
“There are real-life people who live in those homes. They are grateful to live here in the city of Folsom,” she said at the forum. “We need to make that area look and feel like it’s always been part of Folsom. That should be the goal.”
If elected, Aquino said she would focus on bringing more amenities and services to newer neighborhoods in south Folsom, including parks, a second fire station and a library.
Fiscal responsibility is another focus. Aquino said the city, like any household, has more needs than available funds and must prioritize how it spends its money.
Read more ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds
Aquino has also emphasized staying accessible to residents. She regularly uses her Facebook page to share information about upcoming City Council meetings and other city business.
Jag Nagendra, the challenger, is a principal engineer with the California Department of Water Resources. He has served on several local and regional boards and commissions, including the Davis Business and Economic Development Commission, the Cal Expo State Fair Cultural Advisory Council and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Community Advisory Board.
Nagendra said his experience solving problems in government and the private sector would inform his approach on the council. He has also said his experience as an immigrant has given him a strong work ethic and appreciation for diversity.
If elected, Nagendra would be a “collaborator, a problem solver, a leader with a vision and a heart to prepare the city for what comes next,” he said during a candidate forum Monday.
Nagendra said he would not support annexing additional land into the city. He said Folsom needs to invest in infrastructure and amenities, including libraries and parks, as the city continues to develop.
“We need to focus on, how do we make everyone included in this growth and also into the future so that we don’t leave people behind,” he said during a candidate forum.
Nagendra also said Folsom needs more affordable housing. He said he would look for ways to encourage developers to build more affordable units, including reassessing the city’s in-lieu fees.
Nagendra has criticized the current council’s approach to planning and decision-making and said a change in leadership is needed. In an interview, he said council members “don’t want to listen.”
“They have no idea how their decisions today have a negative impact on something in 10 years from now or 15 years from now,” he said.
Who is funding the race?
Aquino reported about $12,550 in monetary contributions from July 10 through Sept. 18, according to the latest campaign finance filings.
Nagendra reported about $25,450 in monetary contributions since the beginning of 2025, including $11,600 received in 2026 through Sept. 16. His campaign committee was formed before Aquino’s current campaign committee, making the candidates’ cumulative totals an imperfect comparison.
Who else is supporting the candidates?
Aquino has been endorsed by state Sen. Roger Niello, Assemblymember Josh Hoover and Sacramento County Supervisors Rich Desmond, Pat Hume, Patrick Kennedy and Rosario Rodriguez. She has also received endorsements from the Folsom Chamber of Commerce, the Sacramento Association of Realtors and the Folsom Police Officers Association, according to her website.
Nagendra has been endorsed by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, Folsom Firefighters, the Democratic Party of Sacramento County, the Sacramento Central Labor Council and the Folsom Area Democratic Club, according to his website.
Read more Electroshock gloves, mask bans: Newsom signs 21 bills to curb ICE in California