A longtime incumbent on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors faces two challengers in the June 2 primary. Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, who was first elected in 2014, faces candidates Ronald Bell and Brian Lajda, in the contest to represent District 2, which includes parts of South Sacramento and Elk Grove.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kennedy is one of the longest-serving county supervisors and is seeking his fourth 4-year term on the board.. His two challengers say the county needs to move in a new direction. Back in 2014, Kennedy<\/a> succeeded former Sacramento Mayor Jimmie R. Yee, who retired from the board, leaving the seat open. \u201cOn the bigger picture issues, things like, of course, homelessness, medical care, infrastructure \u2026 we\u2019ve made a lot of headway, but these are all very complicated, big issues that take time. And I\u2019d like to have another four years to see those come to fruition and even grow them,\u201d he said.
Since Kennedy was first elected, the county has faced persistent challenges around homelessness, regional growth, and overseeing a $9 billion county budget.
The board is made up of five supervisors who collectively make decisions on and approve how public dollars are used. This fiscal year, the county faces a $101 million shortfall, making spending decisions on things like public health care, road maintenance, and housing programs a constant balancing act.
The county\u2019s District 2 includes neighborhoods such as South Sacramento, parts of Elk Grove, and rural communities like Vineyard.
Voters will see ballots arrive in the mail starting the week of May 4th. If no candidate wins a majority of votes in this upcoming primary election, the top two will advance to a November runoff.
Ronald \u201cRonnie\u201d Bell
Bell<\/a> has spent the majority of his life in Sacramento. He\u2019s a former pastor and UC Davis graduate. He said he\u2019s running for residents who have expressed growing frustration about how the county prioritizes spending. He is critical of the current board\u2019s response to homelessness and public safety in South Sacramento.
\u201cI just want to improve the safety in our neighborhoods, and most importantly, I want to make sure housing is actually affordable, not just talked about, because if we don’t change direction, we’re going to keep on going the same, getting the same results,\u201d Bell said.
This is not Bell\u2019s first time running for local office<\/a>. He\u2019s put up past bids for the Sacramento City Council and the Board of Supervisors. In 2018, Bell’s first attempt to take the seat from Kennedy fell short, as he only secured 20 percent of the votes in the primary.
Bell said this time around, he\u2019s not focused on securing endorsements to further his name recognition; he\u2019s focused on the needs of the residents.
He said what he hears from residents in the second district is a need for affordable housing options. And that the county is not moving fast enough on building it.
\u201cFamilies who rent are being squeezed harder than ever before, and rent keeps going up. Neighborhoods don’t feel as safe, and homelessness continues to grow, and yet this has all happened under the same leadership,\u201d he said.
Patrick Kennedy<\/p>\n
Kennedy grew up in South Sacramento and lost his mother to a drug and alcohol overdose when he was young, which he said made him realize how government services can change lives.
With longtime District 1 Supervisor Phil Serna stepping down from his seat early next year, Kennedy would become the board’s longest-serving member if reelected. Kennedy said his constituents trust him to deliver results.<\/p>\n
He said his opponents\u2019 lack of political experience stands in stark contrast to what sets him apart. Kennedy said he\u2019s made visible impacts through his work on housing and homelessness by expanding county mental health services and voting on key projects that created more shelter beds in the region.
\u201cI\u2019m most proud of the work that I\u2019ve done in stepping up and taking leadership roles in providing shelter for homeless people who are on the street,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cSo if we can get people off the street and give them the services that they need to get them clean and sober and then transition them into a more permanent setting, that\u2019s a success.\u201d
Brian Lajda<\/p>\n