(FOLSOM, CA) —Folsom City Council District 3 candidate Jag Nagendra is running on a message centered on trust, fiscal clarity, and the belief that residents should feel “safe, valued, and included.” In an extended conversation with Open Governance ai, Nagendra described how his engineering background, public‑sector leadership, and earlier experience as an entrepreneur shaped a platform focused on financial transparency and infrastructure-first planning.
Although District 3 includes the rapidly growing neighborhoods south of Highway 50 as well as parts of Empire Ranch to the north, Nagendra prefers to talk about the city as a whole—its traffic bottlenecks, its budget constraints, and the trust gap he believes has widened between residents and City Hall. That theme of trust surfaced early in the discussion. Residents, he argued, are unlikely to support any new revenue measure unless they feel confident in how the city makes decisions.
Credit : Sarah Denos and Chirag Kathrani
“Everything starts with asking the right questions and having the passion to solve the issues and problems we are facing,” Nagendra says.
(Folsom City Council District 3 candidate Jag Nagendra (front) with family. Photo courtesy of Jag Nagendra.)
Nagendra’s view of local life in Folsom is rooted in his daily routines. He often walks the Willow Creek trail behind his home, and he lights up when describing the historic Folsom Powerhouse— “a hidden gem,” he says, one he serves through the Friends of the Folsom Powerhouse board. These personal interests serve as an entry point to his broader point: that the city should preserve its parks and open spaces, while modernizing the standards that guide their design. He pointed to recent resident requests for a neighborhood splashpad, suggesting that older park guidelines may need updating to reflect hotter summers and shifting community expectations.
Transitioning from parks to the business climate, Nagendra explained that Folsom’s geography limits outward expansion, which means local policies and community engagement matter even more. While he sees the local interest groups as an important partner, he believes the city should review longstanding agreements—such as leased facilities or annual allocations—to ensure they reflect current community priorities and carry clear accountability measures. He also wants to keep more shopping and dining dollars local, noting that many residents travel to Roseville for entertainment options that Folsom could potentially support and grow within its own community.
Nagendra connects his strategy to the city’s structural deficit, emphasizing that any new funding must be framed as an investment that produces returns rather than a blank check for operations. He cited the 2024 failure of Measure G as a "trust issue," noting that residents doubted the city would spend the money responsibly. To boost revenue, he proposes multi-year vendor contracts and program evaluations, pointing to his experience negotiating state technology contracts to reduce costs without cutting essential services.
From finances, the discussion turned naturally to development and congestion—especially on East Bidwell, which Nagendra described as “a nightmare.” He argued that Folsom repeatedly approved new housing without ensuring roadway access or alternate routes were in place. For him, “infrastructure first” is not a slogan but a sequence the city must follow if it wants to avoid repeating mistakes. He also acknowledged the state’s housing mandates but said he is still gathering full data on Folsom’s current compliance before making detailed commitments.
(Photo courtesy of Folsom City Council District 3 candidate Jag Nagendra, second from left.)
Nagendra also returned several times to the importance of transparency, particularly around the budget. Long, 300‑page financial reports posted online are meaningless to most residents, he said. Instead, he wants the city to publish simple, visual dashboards—monthly or quarterly—that allow people to track revenues, reserves, and spending trends at a glance. And when asked about council frustrations with Public Records Act requests, he pushed back: “If leaders complain about PRA costs,” he said, “they’re essentially saying they don’t support transparency.”
Toward the end of the conversation, Nagendra was asked to differentiate himself from incumbent Sarah Aquino. While acknowledging her long tenure in public life, he pointed to a recent vote shortening the fire department’s medical director contract from three years to one while exploring the use of external community impact funds to pay for the position. Nagendra said he would have voted differently, arguing that the shorter contract reduces the city’s leverage and potentially shifts influence away from the city toward outside entities funding the role.
As the interview concluded, Nagendra returned again to his central message—the emotional and practical experience of being a Folsom resident. “If people feel included in decisions, if they know how money is spent, and if they trust the council,” he said, “Folsom can solve its own problems. But it starts with bringing people into the process.”
“If someone says they can solve all the problems alone, they’re lying—the people are the ones who solve problems,” Nagendra said, “Seeing is believing. If people can see where their money is going, they’ll trust the city again.”
Submit Folsom story tips and ideas to Sarah Denos at sarahkdenos@gmail.com.
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