Ken’s career in public service began in 2002 when he went door-to-door expressing his belief in Rancho Cordova’s future as a city. Rancho Cordova, where he has lived since 1977, had been hard hit by 10 years of job loss after Mather Air Force Base’ 1993 closure. Embracing this vision, voters approved cityhood and put him on its new City Council for 10 years, including two terms as Mayor in 2005 and 2010. In the city’s first decade, Rancho Cordova grew back the Mather job losses – reaching its pre-closure job levels faster than McClellan – aided by more than a million square feet of new commercial office space.
Ken’s entire career in public service has been based around a few key principles: connecting, listening, and respect.
He believes we are stronger when we treat those with whom we disagree with respect and actually listen to them. This is borne out by the fact that Ken has consistently earned the support of Republicans and Independents and is considered to be one of the most moderate and consensus-building legislators in the entire state.