A total of five candidates are vying to represent the southernmost part of Fresno County in the June 2026 primary election. Its District 4 is an oddly shaped one. It begins south of Huron and Coalinga, stretches as high as Malaga and Sanger and continues east to Reedley and Orange Cove.
The race is between a former sheriff, a tax auditor, the mayor of Huron, the mayor of Parlier and a Selma Unified school board member. The retirement of Supervisor Buddy Mendes opened the race up to a new face to represent southern Fresno County.
The District 4 seat can be won outright if a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the primary. Anything short of that, and the two with the most votes will face off in the November election.
Read more about where the candidates — ordered alphabetically by last name — stand on these issues below.
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What does a Fresno County Supervisor do?
There are five seats on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. Cumulatively, the board represents over one million constituents across several distinct regions.
The supervisors make decisions on the scope, direction and financing of county services, such as the department of social services and public health. They’re also in charge of approving the county’s budget annually, which last year passed $5 billion.
Supervisors serve four-year terms, and they have no term limits.
Alma Beltran
Occupation: Mayor of Parlier
Age: 58
Residency: Parlier for 30 years, grew up in Reedley
A little about the candidate:
Alma Beltran grew up In Reedley and has lived in Parlier for the last 30 years. She was first elected to become the mayor of the small Fresno County city back in 2014.
She said she’s running for supervisor to make a change on the county level. She didn’t specifically outline any specific changes she wants to make.
Her biggest accomplishments:
In more than a decade as mayor, Beltran said her biggest accomplishments were saving the Parlier Police Department’s budget and establishing 24/7 firefighter service for residents.
The way she did it was by convincing residents to support tax hikes.
She said there was some explaining to do for residents who wanted to know why they needed to pay more in taxes. But options to increase revenue for a small city like Parlier were limited, Beltran said.
During Beltran’s tenure as mayor, Parlier residents approved a 2016 property tax increase to fund local police, a 2018 measure that increased taxes to fund firefighter services and a 2019 sales tax increase for public safety as well.
“We worked on our deficit,” Beltran said. “We got that fixed. When we started to do that, the community started to see that there was more progress, and (put) the trust back with the police department.”
But the last decade has been a tumultuous time for Parlier City Hall, according to The Fresno Bee. The city has shuffled through six different police chiefs and six different city managers in just 10 years. Its city officials are mired in multiple legal battles — two of them lawsuits filed by a former police chief and another by a former city manager.
Beltran said the city has long struggled with attracting the right talent for top jobs..
“It’s hard for small communities to find a match,” Beltran said. “Someone that’s going to move the city forward.”
Beltran added that she and her fellow city officials have hired a number of people who look good on paper but haven’t necessarily had the right experience.
“That’s why now we hire an actual consultant to do a search,” Beltran said. “We didn’t do that in the past.”
What would she do about Fresno County’s budget?
Beltran said she would have to first do research after being elected to identify how Fresno County’s budget could be adjusted after cuts from the Trump administration.
“To me, you do the same thing the way we did it here at the City of Parlier,” Beltran said.
She added that she would approach things with caution, and doesn’t want to make hasty decisions.
“Finding ways to reduce it and gradually get there — you don’t want to go in there and just take away everything, kind of like what happened in our federal government,” Beltran said. “You don’t want to harm other departments when there’s no need and then regret.”
Beltran added that Fresno County does not participate in organizations that could create more funding and revenue for the county.
Beltran said she is part of the San Joaquin Valley Policy Board, which goes to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to lobby for funding that can be taken back to the region.
“For the policy board, you have supervisors — from Kern County, from Tulare County — all going and uniting to advocate for the San Joaquin (Valley),” Beltran said. “There is not one (member of the) Fresno County Board of Supervisors.”
What does she think about immigration issues?
Beltran said she disapproves of how federal immigration authorities have been arresting undocumented people in the community. She also said she fully supports the Dignity Act, a federal bill that could create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented people after several years of working in the U.S.
Beltran added that she supports SB 54, the California Values Act, which limits communication between local and federal law enforcement regarding undocumented people who have not committed any crimes.
What does she think of the transportation sales tax?
Beltran has been at the forefront of advocating for the Better Roads, Safe Streets sales tax initiative to create funding for local transportation infrastructure.
She said that the difference it creates is very real, even for a small city like Parlier. She said tax revenue for transportation costs in Parlier would more than quadruple under the proposal.
“So from $500,000 to $2.3 (million) —- that’s a yes for me,” Beltran said.
What will she do about homelessness?
Beltran said Fresno County should have a designated homeless services department like LAHSA in the Los Angeles area. She added that county officials haven’t been doing enough about homelessness.
“If you’re receiving funding for homelessness, then you need to implement something,” Beltran said. “But as far as I can see, I don’t think there is anything that has been implemented. At least it doesn’t appear to be.”
She added that Fresno County should send homelessness funds to small cities like Parlier to address homelessness.
What will she do about housing?
Beltran said that Fresno County’s health department should be enforcing housing codes across the county and ensure landlords upkeep their rental properties.
“I don’t think they have any inspections in any of these apartments that are in poor condition,” Beltran said. “The rent keeps going up.”
What does she think of AI data centers?
Beltran does not support AI data centers cropping up in Fresno County.
“AI is scary,” Beltran said. “To me, I love technology, but you just gotta be careful with always trying to do everything with AI.”
She said AI data centers aren’t compatible with trying to address issues with electricity and water usage.
What does she think of urban sprawl?
Beltran said she didn’t know enough information to share a stance on county leaders greenlighting affluent developments that don’t have the right or enough resources to support it.
What does she think of the county’s Department of Social Services?
Beltran said she didn’t know much about the latest issues at the county’s Department of Social Services, including the investigation county leaders launched in March. However, she said she would look into issues at the county department if elected.
Would she consider a countywide project labor agreement?
Beltran said she would need to learn more information to decide whether Fresno County should have a project labor agreement.
“I have to go in there and see,” Beltran said. “It always goes back to support. Are the board members gonna all support that?”
Endorsements:
- Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez
- Orange Cove Mayor Diana Guerra
- Coalinga Mayor Nathan Vosburg
- San Joaquin Mayor Adam Cornejo
- Farmersville Mayor Tina Hernandez
- Woodlake Mayor Rudy Mendoza
- Orange Cove Mayor Pro-Tem Gilbert Garcia
- Farmersville Mayor Pro-Tem Araceli Ochoa
- Mendota Mayor Pro Tem Jose Alonso
- Orange Cove Councilwoman Esperanza Rodriguez
- Sanger Councilwoman Esmeralda Hurtado
- Modesto Councilwoman Rosa Escutia Braaton
- Chino Hills City Councilmember Ray Marquez
- Ventura County Supervisor Vianey Lopez
- Former Mayor of Covina Jorge Marquez
- Senator Melissa Hurtado
- Parlier Unified Trustee Mary Sanchez
How much money has she raised?
As of the end of April, Beltran has raised $43,730, the third most out of all candidates in the race. About 46.6% of those funds came from individual donations.
Beltran’s campaign received contributions from 15 individual donors, the third most out of the four candidates in the race.
The following are Beltran’s biggest donors, which make up 84% of all that she’s raised as of April:
- Orfil Muniz ($17,000)
- Muniz Developments ($10,000)
- Costanzo & Associates ($10,000)
Rey León
Occupation: Mayor of Huron, first elected in 2016, executive director of the LEAP Insitute
Age: 53
Residency: Huron for 30 years
A little about the candidate:
Rey León grew up in a family of farmworkers who settled in Huron. After graduating from UC Berkeley, he came back to Huron in the 1990s and has lived in the city since then. He was elected to become the city’s mayor in 2016.
León is a longtime community organizer who has been focused on environmental sustainability and economic development. Back in 2008, he founded the LEAP Institute and has been its executive director ever since.
León said he’s running to represent Fresno County’s District 4 after witnessing disappointing leadership on the county level.
“I think there’s a gap in service,” León said. “There’s a gap in commitment. There’s a gap in compassion to do the work that must get done to ensure that the quality of life for the people, especially the most vulnerable, get covered.”
His biggest accomplishments and future policy proposals:
León said one of his biggest accomplishments in more than a decade as mayor of Huron was getting the funding to establish the Heart of the Valley Bridge near the small Fresno County city. It elevated car traffic above a creek that tended to flood over, according to The Fresno Bee.
The bridge required about $31 million in total, using a combination of funding from different levels of government, León said.
León added that another of his major victories is a new community plaza project, which, he said, should be completed by the end of the year. Part of it was funded through the state.
He also said that, during his time as mayor, there’ve been over $100 million in infrastructure and building improvements.
“We got a brand new city hall, brand new police department, brand new council chambers, brand new ambulance facility,” León said. “Grant and partnerships from the state — so I’ve been pretty effective there. That skill I’ll bring to Fresno County for District 4 and beyond.”
He added that one of his first wins as mayor was identifying cost-saving solutions, which included changing street lights to LED — a change that led to $60,000 in savings per year, León said. Another one of his ideas led to a similar outcome: When he renegotiated Huron’s bond arrangements, he said, it saved the city another $60,000 a year.
If elected, one of León’s priorities is to increase the county’s investments in green space. He referenced the proposed Huron Hawk Conservancy, a 3,000-acre plot of nature-rich land that he said the state should be in charge of preserving. So far, state legislators haven’t found the money for it, after a proposal from Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria.
León said green space and parks have a number of different uses, including community celebrations and exercise.
He added that he wants to work on a light passenger rail that would connect Huron to Hanford’s Amtrak transportation hub. León said a project like that needs more funding and he said he’d like to find ways to secure it, if elected.
“Basically, setting it up to where you’re not stranded because you don’t own a car,” León said.
He also brought up how the Fresno County Department of Public Health staffed health promoters who would go in the community and help people identify health care needs during the pandemic.
“If it worked and it was successful in helping families stay healthy, I think that would be a huge, positive tool,” León said.
What would he do about Fresno County’s budget?
León said addressing budget issues requires getting creative and looking at all kinds of funding sources, including a soon-to-expire property tax exemption.
If elected, he said he would bring leadership to Fresno County that would include obtaining more federal funding.
“If the shortfall is coming due to the lack of support from the federal government, then we should go and knock on the federal government’s door and make the case of why that is not a good thing for Fresno County,” León said.
Fresno County has leverage, León said, as the one of the biggest agricultural producers in the country. Pushing for more federal funding means making sure congressmembers representing Fresno County are doing their job in Washington, León said.
“I think that’s part of county leadership, advocating for the county,” León said. “We’re a small body of government, comparatively to the state and to the country. We feed them, so there’s this symbiotic relationship.”
León also said that if he’s elected, he’d want to do the due diligence of identifying any waste of public dollars on the county level.
What does he think about immigration issues?
León said he helped make Huron a sanctuary city for undocumented people.
He added that he’s satisfied with SB 54, or the California Values Act, and how it has created boundaries between local and federal law enforcement.
What does he think of the transportation sales tax?
León said he supports the Better Roads, Safe Street transportation tax proposal — which he referred to as “the people’s version of Measure C.”
He said the proposal will make a huge difference for cities across Fresno County, including small cities that don’t have the capacity to compete for resources like the City of Fresno.
“We would not always be playing catch up in terms of the roads being riddled with potholes, you know, broken sidewalks,” León said.
What will he do about homelessness?
León didn’t have a specific policy proposal on how Fresno County should address homelessness.
However, León said he thinks Fresno County should work on direct homelessness solutions by collaborating with the Fresno Housing Authority and the statewide CARE court system.
He said there’s no vision amongst county leaders. He also said the Board of Supervisors needs the leadership to make that happen.
“It needs to be initiated. There needs to be leadership,” León said. “I’ll bring that. If nobody else is bringing it, I’ll bring it. I’m a coalition builder. I’m a fixer.”
León said that in his experience, Supervisor Buddy Mendes has not taken action when elected leaders in his district reach out about concerns.
What will he do about housing?
León said Fresno County should encourage homeowners to build ADUs, especially after a state law requires local governments to ministerially approve them.
He said one way to incentivize the development of ADUs is if the county covers some of the cost to build them.
León said he worked with a county staffer to establish ADU blueprints, which are now available to the public on the county’s website.
What does he think of AI data centers?
León said he is against AI data centers in Fresno County.
“Especially because of the amount of energy, and the issue of water that’s involved,” León said. “And we are a drought-stricken area, so I know the water is used for cooling. But it’s a complicated issue that should be fully clarified and I think a moratorium is a well-placed idea until we learn better.”
What does he think of urban sprawl?
León said Fresno County should not be permitting developments that don’t have enough resources to support the prospective communities that would live there.
What does he think of the county’s Department of Social Services?
León said he would need to look into statewide whistleblower protections before pushing for some sort of countywide solution — an issue that bubbled to the surface following a Fresnoland report in February.
“That would have to be a discussion,” León said, “because I’m unaware of what the state statute is on this.”
Would he consider a countywide project labor agreement?
León said a project labor agreement could work on the county level. But he emphasized that it needs to be accompanied by workforce development programs so that residents from Fresno County get to work locally.
He added that would make a difference in Fresno “because that money’s gonna go to our people in our county — and where are they gonna invest their money?” León asked. “Here.”
Endorsements
- SEIU 521
- Planned Parenthood
- Fresno County Womens Democratic Club
- Fresno County Democratic Central Committee
- San Joaquin Councilmember Adam
- San Joaquin Mayor Adam Cornejo
- Mendota Councilmember Victor Martinez
- Firebaugh Mayor Freddie Valdez
- Firebaugh Mayor Pro Tem Silvia Renteria
- Sanger City Council Humberto Garza
- Parlier School Board Martin Mares
- Dr. Mike Castillo Kaiser
- Sandra Celedon, President & CEO of Fresno Building Healthy Communities
- Former Sanger Councilmember Humberto Garza
How much money has he raised?
As of the end of April, León has raised $5,960, the least out of all candidates in the race. So far, he’s mostly self-funded his campaign.
The following are León’s biggest donors, which make up 96.6% of all that he’s raised as of April:
- Rey León ($4,010)
- Central Valley Progressive PAC ($1,750)
Margaret Mims
Occupation: Retired, former Fresno County sheriff of 16 years
Age: 71
Residency: Has lived in the same Kingsburg-area house for 26 years
A little about the candidate:
Margaret Mims said she wants voters to know about her 40 years of experience on the county level, with 16 of those years as an elected county sheriff.
“I want them to know that the reason why I got back into politics and running for office was public service,” Mims said. “I missed public service.”
She said the supervisor office was the only other elected position besides county sheriff that she had a desire to fill.
“I got telephone calls to run for state office. I got phone calls to run for federal office,” Mims said. “And I said no. It’s one of those things where it’s nice that people want me to do that, but my ego is not that big. I truly have a heart for local public service.”
What would she do about Fresno County’s budget?
Mims didn’t have any particular cost saving strategies or ideas for how to limit cuts on the county level. However, she did lay out some boundaries she’s unwilling to cross if elected.
“We take care of our elderly, we help take care of our young and those who really need that aid,” Mims said. She added that she’d want to audit county departments and services for their results and ensure that their budgets are appropriate.
Mims said she’d like to create a business-friendly environment in District 4 that is welcoming to employers and that would increase jobs, although she didn’t outline any specific companies.
“In District Four, there’s a lot of opportunity for businesses to come in right now,” Mims said. “There’s a lot of solar going in on fallowed land, which is a great use of land that you can’t farm anymore.”
What does she think about immigration issues?
While she was county sheriff, Mims was quoted by NPR-affiliate KVPR as saying Fresno County could be a role model for counties across the country for what cooperation with federal immigration authorities should look like.
Beginning in 2014, Mims had ICE agents inside the Fresno County Jail that would check the immigration status of people who were arrested. That’s no longer allowed under California’s SB 54.
When asked if she would do anything differently a decade ago, Mims said no.
She said having ICE agents inside the Fresno County Jail would prevent them from making arrests out in the community. However, when asked whether there was an uptick in ICE arrests outside in the community following SB 54, she said she was not aware of that happening.
“I have never seen that in Fresno County,” Mims said. “I have not seen an uptick.”
Mims said that she would prefer SB 54 allow local law enforcement to communicate with immigration enforcement regarding anyone in the jail system. However, Mims also said she does not see the county supervisor role as one that tries to challenge state law.
Mims also said undocumented people who haven’t committed any crimes should not be the focus of federal immigration enforcement.
“They shouldn’t be targeted,” Mims said. “My hope is we can get ahead of it with immigration reform, so that thought shouldn’t even cross their minds.”
What does she think of the transportation sales tax?
Mims said she doesn’t think the Better Roads Safe Streets transportation tax proposal puts enough money toward roads. She also said that she’s skeptical about how much money is going towards transit.
“I understand there’s going to be money for public transportation, yes, but the studies have shown ridership isn’t going up,” Mims said. “Why are you going to give money if ridership isn’t going up?
“My fear is who is going to be in control,” Mims added.
Mims said she doesn’t have a sense for specific transportation projects that should get worked on in District 4. However, she said she is in favor of fixing roads based on need, but also traffic levels that could make repair for some roads more important than others.
What will she do about homelessness?
Mims didn’t have specific solutions for homelessness and said she would have to first look into what services the county provides homeless people.
She said she’s interested in finding efficient ways to deliver those services.
What does she think of AI data centers?
Said she has a lot of questions about AI data centers.
“It takes a lot of power,” Mims said. “Where is that power going to come from? And are they going to pay for it, or is it going to be passed down to people that are paying their electricity bills?”
Mims said she believes in the free market and working with private investors. But Mims said there shouldn’t be negative impacts.
“I just don’t think we need to create anything that’s going to be more of a burden on our communities that are already barely making it,” Mims said.
What does she think of urban sprawl?
Mims said she is not in favor of urban sprawl and creating county islands, partly because it’s inefficient for first responders.
“It’s a horrible policy — I don’t care if they’re affluent or not,” Mims said. “It’s poor policy to support (county) islands.”
What does she think of the county’s Department of Social Services?
Mims said it’s not right for foster youth to be put into dangerous or abusive situations. She also said that it’s important for department heads to seriously reckon with whistleblower complaints.
“You have to ask yourself, are they right? And then check into it,” Mims said. “And then you get all of the information before you make the decision.”
Would she consider a countywide project labor agreement?
Mims said that a project labor agreement would impact who even gets to bid on major projects.
“I believe that the supervisors need as much flexibility as possible and not be bound by only ‘These people can bid the jobs,’” Mims said. “Free enterprise is important to me. If everybody can bid, great.”
Endorsements
- Shannon Grove, Calif. State Senator
- Connie Conway, Former Congressmember
- David Tangipa, Calif. State Assemblymember
- John Zanoni, Fresno County Sheriff
- Lisa Smittcamp, Fresno County District Attorney
- Paul Dictos, Fresno County Assessor
- Buddy Mendes, Fresno County Supervisor
- Nathan Magsig, Fresno County Supervisor
- Garry Bredefeld, Fresno County Supervisor
- Brian Pacheco, Fresno County Supervisor
- Luis Chavez, Fresno County Supervisor
- Jerry Dyer, Mayor, City of Fresno
- Vong Mouanoutoua, Mayor, City of Clovis
- Frank Gonzalez, Mayor, City of Sanger
- Staci Smith, Mayor, City of Kingsburg
- Matthew Tuttle, Mayor, City of Reedley
- Scott Robertson, Mayor, City of Selma
- Juan Mejia, Mayor, City of Fowler
- Sarah Guerra, Mayor pro Tem, City of Selma
- Mike Montelongo, Councilmember, City of Sanger
- Mike Karbassi, Councilmember, City of Fresno
- Matt Basgall, Councilmember, City of Clovis
- Lynne Ashbeck, Councilmember, City of Clovis
- Drew Bessinger, Councilmember, City of Clovis
- Diane Pearce, Councilmember, City of Clovis
- Jim Avalos, Councilmember, City of Selma
- Leonard Hammer, Council member, City of Fowler
- Kathy Solorio, Councilmember, City of Parlier
- Phil Larson, Former Fresno Co. Supervisor
- Judy Case, Former Fresno Co. Supervisor
- Sal Quintero, Former Fresno Co. Supervisor
- Debbie Poochigian, Former Fresno Co. Supervisor
- Former Kingsburg Mayor Michelle Roman
- Reedley Mayor Pro Tem Mary Fast
- Vice Chair of the Parlier Cemetery District
- Parlier City Council Member Kathy Solorio
- Bill Jones, former CA Secretary of State
- Rod Lander, former Coalinga Mayor
- Fresno County Public Safety Assn.
- Sheriff & Correctional Lt.’s Assn.
- Clovis Police Officers Association
- Fresno Sheriff Sergeant’s Assn.
- Sheriff’s Correctional Sgt.’s Assn.
- Fresno County Prosecutors Assn.
- Fresno Chamber of Commerce
- District Attorney Investigators
- California State Sheriffs’ Association
- Fresno Deputy Sheriff’s Association
- Fresno Association of REALTORS®®
- CAL FIRE Local 2881
- Richard and Karen Spencer
- Helder Domingos
- Matt Rogers
- Tal Eslick
- Penny Raven
- Dale Mendoza
- Joanne Magarian
- Pat Ricchiuti
- Jerry Cook
- Todd Cook
- David Woods
- Joe Kalpakoff
- Richard Caglia
- Tony Campos
- Jeannine Campos Grech
- Lee Nilmeier
- Fred McNairy
- Mandeep Singh
- Pastor DJ Criner
- Paul Sihota
- Simon Sihota
- Henry Nijjer
- Gurnek Nagra
- Barbara Garcia, Vice Chair Parlier Cemetery District
- Nisei Farmers League
How much has she raised?
As of the end of April, Mims has raised $275,928.01, the most out of all candidates in the race. About 31% of those funds came from individual donations.
Mims’ campaign received contributions from 66 individual donors, the most out of the four candidates in the race.
The following are Mims’ biggest donors, which make up 67% of all that she’s raised as of April:
- Richard Spencer ($30,000)
- Lance-Kashian & Company (20,000)
- Mendes for Supervisor (15,000)
- American Ambulance ($5,000)
- Antonio Campos ($5,000)
- Bonadelle Homes, Inc. ($5,000)
- California Real Estate Political Action Committee (CREPAC) ($5,000)
- Cedar North Investment Partners LLC – Richard Caglia ($5,000)
- Chain Link Farms – Jeannine Grech ($5,000)
- Consolidated Land Company, LLC – Michael Tatham ($5,000)
- Cook Land Company Inc. ($5,000)
- David Paynter ($5,000)
- David Wood ($5,000)
- Fresno County District Attorney Investigators Association PAC ($5,000)
- Fresno County Public Safety Association ($5,000)
- Fresno County Public Safety Association ($5,000)
- Granville Homes Inc. ($5,000)
- Jerry De Young ($5,000)
- Joseph Campos Land Company – Joseph Campos ($5,000)
- Mid Valley Disposal ($5,000)
- Richard Caglia ($5,000)
- Steve Campos Land Company – Steve Campos ($5,000)
- Table Mountain Rancheria ($5,000)
- The Joseph & Cynthia Yraceburu Revoc Trust – Cynthia Yraceburu ($5,000)
- Triple B Ranch ($5,000)
- True North Detox, LLC – Josh Beauchaine ($5,000)
- Zanoni for Sheriff 2028 ($5,000)
Narinder “Nick” Sahota
Occupation: Selma Unified school board member, CEO of Central Valley Engineering and Surveying
Age: 52
Residency: Has lived in Selma for 36 years
A little about the candidate:
Nick Sahota was 13 years old when he first came to Selma with his family, immigrating from India. He graduated from Selma High School in 1993 and went on to get degrees from Reedley College and Fresno State.
He founded Central Valley Engineering and Surveying in 2008, a firm that’s done civil engineering, land surveying and consulting services for a number of government and commercial clients since then.
Biggest accomplishments and future policy proposals:
Sahota said his biggest accomplishment over the last five years as a Selma Unified school board member was supporting the district’s students, teachers and parents during the pandemic.
“We were able to handle what the students require, what the parents require — to be able to provide them meals,” Sahota said. “We were able to give them extra assistance.”
Another big accomplishment of his, Sahota said, was bargaining a three-year contract with the Selma Unified Teachers Association in 2023. The contract is set to expire later this year and will need to be renegotiated.
Sahota said he has brought his background as a civil engineer to Selma Unified as a trustee, saving the district a total of $1 million since he first got elected in 2020.
“There’s tons of stuff that I learned in six years,” Sahota said. “How do you really make sure your budget is fair for everybody?”
Sahota said one of his top priorities, if elected, is to create a county marketing department.
“When I get on the board, first thing is that I will create a marketing department where we will make sure that (we) create new skilled worker, technical jobs out there,” Sahota said.
He wants to promote Fresno County to Silicon Valley and Los Angeles to encourage industrial investors. One example, Sahota said, would be attracting an industrial manufacturer of computer chips.
“Why can’t we bring those one(s) here, counties in Fresno, to give them a skilled worker?” Sahota said. “We tell them, you guys hire locally people here. We will help you six months training — we will pay for them. But you got to promise to be building a multi-billion dollar industry here.”
Sahota said people are worried about a lack of jobs in Fresno. Without jobs, people will not stay in Fresno County, Sahota said. He added that Fresno County has never worked with local irrigation districts to preserve water for farmers.
“I will work with the Washington, I will work with the DC and the Sacramento, with those water and with the local Irrigation District, to find a solution that nobody ever done on it,” Sahota said.
What would he do about Fresno County’s budget?
Sahota said he would need to look into the county budget, if elected, to see how he would try to save its budget amid federal funding cuts.
“What are the essential services out there?” Sahota asked. “I will not cut down for the senior services, I will not cut down the public safety and I will make sure that … where we could use those funds, we have lots of money.”
What does he think about immigration issues?
Sahota said he supports how SB 54 has created boundaries between local law enforcement and federal law enforcement regarding communication about undocumented people.
He added that undocumented people shouldn’t be arrested by federal immigration authorities, as long as they haven’t committed any crimes in the U.S.
What does he think of the transportation sales tax?
Sahota said he supports the Better Roads, Safe Streets transportation tax initiative. However, he said it should go farther.
“We need something on it,” Sahota said. “But we need a better like, as I said, 80% of roads needs to be replaced and I don’t think this is enough money for it.”
What will he do about homelessness?
Sahota said Fresno County is not doing enough about homelessness. He also said the issue is more than just homelessness.
“The homeless, we keep feeding them, we keep giving them the housing,” Sahota said. “But I think the problem is that we need to help them on their mentals, their situation, their health, illness — you know what they are going through.”
Sahota said Fresno County is not reaching unhoused people with its services.
What will he do about housing?
Sahota said local governments in Fresno County have been burdening developers too much, especially with development fees. He does not think they should be waived entirely, but he said they’re too high and are squeezing developers out of making investments or building in Fresno County.
He said it’s impossible to lower rent for tenants if those financial challenges are impacting developers.
“We can’t go overkill,” Sahota said. “Some of these rentals are and definitely what we need to promote (is) the developer, not go against them.”
Sahota added that he would want to create a committee to study housing issues in the county.
What does he think of AI data centers?
At first, Sahota said he is in full support of AI.
“I’m fully supporting AI,” Sahota said. “It needs to be smart plan.”
However, he later said he is not that familiar with AI data centers and would need to do more research about them.
“I didn’t know that much data, I really can’t talk about it,” Sahota said. “But yes, I’m very proactive on everything with the education backgrounds.”
What does he think of urban sprawl?
Sahota said all development must be smart.
What does he think of the county’s Department of Social Services?
Sahota said he would have to look more into issues at Fresno County’s Department of Social Services before saying whether he had any thoughts on it, including whistleblower protections for its employees.
Would he consider a countywide project labor agreement?
Sahota said he would need more information before sharing a stance on whether Fresno County needs a project labor agreement.
“This all depends on this intent of this labor agreement,” Sahota said. “Are we doing it unionized? Can it affect our people, our residents? Who’s going to get the benefits out of them?”
Endorsements
- Selma Unified Teachers Association
- Sonny Dhaliwal- Chairman, San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors
- Naindeep Chan- Board President, Central Unified School District
- Joel Fedor- Board President, Selma Unified School District
- Mark Madena- Trustee, Selma Unified School District
- Stella Padron Duarte- Trustee, Selma Unified School District
- Mike Hernandez- Trustee, Sanger Unified School District
- Nathaniel Cid- Trustee, Sanger Unified School District
- Steve Nagle- Trustee, Kingsburg Unified School District
- Eddie Ruiz- Trustee, Washington Unified School District
- Bill Nijjer- Former Councilmember, City of Kerman
- Sandra Williams- Board President, Cutler/Orosi Joint Unified School District
- Robin Tyler- Trustee, Kings Canyon Unified School District
- Yolanda Valdez- Superintendent, Cutler/Orosi Joint Unified School District
- Ajit Singh Gill- Developer/Farmer
- Atwal Brothers Farming, Merced
- Atwal and Sons Farms, Merced
- Sher Singh Chohan- Trucking
- Tehal Singh Thandi- Trucking
- Gurmail Chahal- Farmer
- Vijay Mohan- Farmer/Trucking
- Gurpreet Sarai- Business Owner
- Gurdev Singh Muhar
- Jagjot Singh
- Navdeep Singh Judge- Trucking
- Fabrizio Lafaro
- Ed Gomez
- Gurdip Nijjer- Farmer
- Fernando Espinosa
- Harpreet Mand- Business Owner
- Sukhwinder Sing Sidhu
- Gurminder Sangha- Educator
- KS Trans Service Company
- Gurdeep Shergil- Educator
- Jass Mann
- Jasbir Sarai- Business Owner
- Jaspal S. Mahil- Farmer
- Amarjit Singh- Business Owner
- Avtar Singh Gill- Farmer
- Parmjit Singh Gill- Business Owner
- Parmjit Singh- Owner, Chicago Pizza with a Twist
- Teji Padda- Business Owner
- Sunny Padda- Business Owner
- Jaspreet Singh- Trucking
- Dr. Nirmal Brar- Farmer/Business Owner
- S & V Farming Co.
- Tejinder Singh- Business Owner
- Paul Sihota- Trucking
- Hari Mann- Radio Host/Accountant
- Gumit Singh
- Rajinder Kumar
- Harjinder Dhesi
- Gurmej Singh Brar- Business Owner
- Satwant Dhami- Business Owner
- Bhupinder Badesha
- Udeep S. Sidhu- Business Owner
- Pritpal Singh- Business Owner
- Sandhu Farming- Madera
- ABSR1 Inc.
- Dr. Harpreet Dhindsa- Business Owner
How much money has he raised?
As of the end of April, Sahota has raised $49,205.72, the second most out of all candidates in the race. About 44.7% of those funds came from individual donations.
Sahota’s campaign received contributions from 37 individual donors (besides himself), the second most out of the four candidates in the race.
The following are Sahota’s biggest donors, which make up 43% of all that he’s raised as of April:
- Golden Palace Event Center Inc ($9,600)
- Asoka Indian Cuisine ($6,101.72)
- Narinder Sahota ($5,500)
Charlie Soto
Career: IRS tax auditor, after 24.5 years in the U.S. Navy
Age: 45
Residency: Lives with family near Kingsburg, born in Fresno. Has lived in District 4 since 2008.
A little about the candidate:
Charlie Soto spent much of his adult life in the U.S. Navy. He spent 16 years on active duty and another eight and a half years in the Navy Reserve.
Soto also spent a couple years on Kingburg’s planning commission. He said he always had a dream to go into politics. He said he wanted to be able to create the most impact.
“I felt like I could do more of an impact with change for the residents of Fresno County than just running for city council — which small impact, small footprint, nothing wrong with it,” Soto said. “But when you’re trying to do the most good for the most people you know, Fresno County felt like it was for me.”
So far, Soto has been running a small campaign, mainly through YouTube ads, he said.
Potential future policy proposals:
Soto said he wants to prioritize recharging water resources in Fresno County and create an aqueduct system that brings water.
“We do have areas in the United States where water levels are rising, flooding happens,” Soto said, “and it’s just one of those situations where we could create as mankind or as a nation an aqueduct system that will pull water from northeast to southwest, pooling water levels lower in areas that are flooding or rising, creating new charge stations along the way.”
Soto also said he wants to increase how much sales tax can be collected to fund transportation infrastructure. Since the Treasury Department stopped making pennies, Soto said he wants taxes to be rounded up to the nearest fifth cent. Soto said that would mean bringing in extra tax revenue, between one and four cents for each transaction.
What would he do about Fresno County’s budget?
Soto said he thinks one way Fresno County can generate more revenue is by increasing taxes on corporate owners of residential property.
“So they’re going to try to either sell it right away, or they’re going to be paying a large lump sum of property taxes, which could go towards making sure we have funding,” Soto said.
Soto said that extra property tax revenue could go toward bridging budget deficits at the county so that programs like CalFresh don’t need to face cuts at the expense of low-income residents who depend on it.
“We can find ways to generate revenue that is unique, that doesn’t impact a lot of people, but does on certain individuals, like property owners who are corporations,” Soto said.
Soto added that it’s a tragedy that while so many people are struggling, social safety net programs are at risk.
“If Cal Fresh benefits get cut, the county needs to be able to step in, at least for our residents, and be able to help support them somehow, some way,” Soto said.
What does he think about immigration issues?
Soto said he’s overall satisfied with the boundaries on local law enforcement created by SB 54. He also said that there should be a pathway to citizenship for undocumented people working in the U.S.
“We need to find a way to make them a little bit more permanent, or semi-permanent, for long periods of time,” Soto said. “Someone could become a citizen within a two-year period, and show that they’ve been capable of working and taking care of things — that’s great.”
What does he think of the transportation sales tax?
Soto said he hasn’t been able to take a look at any of the current transportation sales tax proposals. He also said his idea of increasing sales tax revenue for transportation infrastructure doesn’t have to wait.
Soto said it could be put to voters next year, regardless of whether a proposal is approved by voters this year.
“I feel like we’ve gone into a society where it’s just easier to let it ride and then at the end fix it,” Soto said. “But if we see it’s not working now and we want something better. Why do we want to wait?”
What will he do about homelessness?
If elected, Soto said that he’d like to propose setting up shipping containers or quonset huts to create a cost effective solution to housing for homeless people.
He said this idea for temporary housing for homeless people could first be rolled out to homeless veterans.
“Veterans in Fresno County would actually have a location within Fresno County, may it be a quonset hut or a shipping container,” Soto said. “People may look down on those ideas, but when I was deployed in Djibouti, Africa, I lived in a shipping container for nine months. Every service member did.”
Soto said creating cost-effective temporary housing solutions for homeless people would at the very least get them off the streets.
What will he do about housing?
Soto said malls can be repurposed into hubs for social services. He said there’s no need for them to be sitting abandoned or empty.
Soto also said he thinks malls can be turned into housing, too.
“We could convert it into housing for small families, so that way, they’re in these permanent structures, safe apartments,” Soto said. “They’re being placed in an area where you also have social services immediately available.”
What does he think about AI data centers?
Soto said he does not support any AI data centers coming into Fresno County.
“They generate a lot of heat, enormous amounts of heat, and they require a lot of water for cooling,” Soto said. “They don’t care — corporations will come in and they’ll jump right into our groundwater table. We’re already in a place that is suffering from low water levels. I could not support an AI data center coming in if I was elected.”
What does he think of urban sprawl?
Soto said that while Fresno County needs housing growth, it cannot be done without ensuring there are proper resources available for developments wherever they are planned, including water.
He also said that abandoned properties need to be addressed and repurposed.
What does he think of the county’s Department of Social Services?
Soto said that the county should have whistleblower protections in place so that employees of all departments, not just the Department of Social Services, are able to report concerning things that they’ve witnessed.
Would he consider a countywide project labor agreement?
Soto said that it’s important to keep costs down, and if unionized labor is working on big projects, they should be local unions.
“If there’s going to be some sort of labor contract agreement, then it needs to be with Union where union members are local,” Soto said.
Endorsements
None
How much money has he raised?
None
