I'm a Nevada County native with strong ties to this community, having attended every local school from Bell Hill to Sierra College. The natural beauty of our region, with its trees, rivers, and vistas, has been the backdrop of life and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Growing up in a one-parent, low-income household once dependent on social services, my mother put herself through school and worked tirelessly as a nurse at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital and ensured that my siblings and I never went without. I cherish memories of growing up in Grass Valley exploring Condon Park, biking to school, and enjoying the freedom to roam without cell phones, simply returning home by dark as my mom instructed.
Working hard has always been a part of my life, I mowed lawns for neighbors, had a paper route, and washed dishes in high school. Then I mostly worked in construction. Later I joined the US Navy as a Fire Controlman, where I operated and maintained complex naval weapons systems, including large naval guns, missile systems, and radars. I rose through the ranks swiftly, taking on leadership roles traditionally held by more senior personnel. My responsibilities included protecting my fellow sailors and managing ammunition logistics for our ship's arsenal, which included munitions worth tens of millions of dollars.
While I'm incredibly proud of my military service, my heart always longed to come home to Nevada County. Upon returning, it took time, self-reflection, and community involvement to transition back into civilian life and become a better neighbor.
I've dedicated a significant portion of my life to community service, actively participating in various local Veterans organizations. You can also catch me on the radio every first and third Tuesday at 9:00 am on KNCO.
My pursuit of knowledge led to diverse educational experiences, including an Associate's of Natural Science degree from Sierra College and soon, a Bachelor's degree in legal studies. People are always amazed by how many things I am good at, I would not dare to say that I am a genius at any one thing but I do think I am one of the most versatile humans I have ever met. As evidenced by my friends who often refer to me as a modern Renaissance man.
Family is paramount to me, and I consider my neighbors an extended family. I believe in our county's potential for unity and cooperation, and I am eager to contribute to its success as District 2 Supervisor.
My journey is a testament to the value of determination, service, and lifelong learning, and I'm excited to bring these qualities to benefit our community.
What is a Supervisor?
I am running for Nevada County Supervisor of District 2. A county board of supervisors is the legislative body for the county much like the state and federal legislatures, albeit much smaller. These county boards of supervisors are lesser known to the public but play a much larger role in our everyday lives than many may be aware of. To me, a supervisor's primary purpose is to write ordinances and resolutions tailored to our local community's specific needs, to have oversight of county revenue and spending, and to ensure that our non-elected government employees are ethical and fiscally responsible as public servants.
For far too long, nepotism and cronyism continue to be the status quo in Nevada County, and I have personally grown tired of voting for people who were groomed from within this system and then run for office. Representatives of the people should be of the people. Our county supervisors are among the closest elected officials that the average citizen has any real access to. As such they should be very accessible and very knowledgeable of the issues that face their constituents. I am from Nevada County, and I know my community, you are more than just neighbors—you are my family.
My campaign to be your next supervisor will reflect who I am: humble, resourceful, and passionate. This is only a small introduction to a much larger conversation that I hope to have with you all. Please sign up below to receive updates, follow me on social media, or meet up with me to talk in person.
Sincerely,
Jason Tedder
Problems and Solutions
Homelessness:
I believe we are failing our vulnerable populations by providing perpetual assistance without accountability. If individuals are unwilling or unable to integrate into society, unlimited support does little to foster personal growth and puts an undue burden on taxpayers who are also struggling. While California's legislation makes limiting assistance challenging, we must prioritize offering a helping hand-up rather than a perpetual handout. My personal experience with homelessness has shaped my belief in the value of hard work and self-empowerment.
Cannabis Grows:
Many residents are understandably upset about living near large cannabis grows. While I acknowledge the medical benefits and relative harmlessness of cannabis compared to alcohol, the nuisances associated with its cultivation are undeniable. Promised revenue boosts have not materialized, and our current approach has inadvertently strengthened the black market.
I propose treating cannabis cultivation like other agricultural activities, removing industry-specific requirements and inspections that inflate operating costs. Instead of using taxpayer money to subsidize compliance, we should implement fair taxation policies, with only end-users being taxed at a regular sales tax rate. Implementing stricter zoning requirements, such as increased setbacks for large grows, is essential to address community concerns and ensure responsible cultivation practices.
Wildfire Safety:
Ensuring full staffing of our fire companies is my primary objective. They are currently underfunded and understaffed, and I was dismayed to discover this. Alarmingly, many of our first responders do not reside in Nevada County, often citing unaffordable living costs. This must change. I propose increasing their starting wages from the high teens to the mid-twenties to attract more firefighters by offering a living wage.
Holding PG&E accountable for repairing and maintaining safe and reliable energy facilities is also a top priority. I intend to begin by addressing the mess left by their tree crews. Having personally dealt with them on my own property, I understand the challenges firsthand. Leaving large logs on the lawns of elderly residents on fixed incomes is unacceptable, and I am committed to rectifying this situation.
Improving and clearly marking egress routes for South County is imperative to maximize traffic flow. South County can be confusing to navigate, and while the Rood Center has spent considerable funds on outside firms to analyze the issue, I advocate for promptly installing signs marking existing exits before the upcoming fire season.
Elections:
There are significant flaws in mail-in voting that remain unaddressed, and evidence from across the country suggests vulnerabilities to manipulation. While it may be tempting to ignore these concerns, it is crucial to acknowledge them. A considerable portion of the population shares these apprehensions. Despite Joe Biden winning the presidency, questions about the legitimacy of the process persist.
MAGA:
Those who demand answers to partisan questions about Trump often accuse me of partisanship when I respond honestly. Labeling nearly half the country as a cult is offensive and unproductive. Adhering to such a standard would render us all partisan. While I have supported Trump in the past and intend to do so again, I recognize he is not without flaws. However, I believe he is the right choice for our country, and I would welcome RFK Jr. as his vice president.
Skills and Training
I grew up working in the trades, and am proficient in all aspects of construction from the foundation to the roof including electrical, plumbing, and millwork. I can even build the furniture, lay the carpet, and sew the upholstery. From 17 to 25 years of age, I specialized in fine woodworking building exotic furniture and cabinets mostly from old-growth redwood that was salvaged from the northern California coast.
In the Navy, I was trained in advanced electronics, computer systems, rotating magnet fields, radars, and software. I studied electrical engineering, circuit theory, layered circuit card repair, stepper motors and servos, pneumatics, hydraulics, high-power amplifiers, biological warfare, communications security, industrial hygiene, formal leadership schools, and logistics and industrial hygiene systems. These totaled over 150 semester hours. During this same period, I completed an 8000-hour apprenticeship as an Electronics Technician through the Department of Labor earning my journeymen’s card.
I was an expert in tactical operations and logistics and was overall in charge of numerous programs and watch stations including:
Divisional Leading Petty Officer
Maintenance Supervisor
Weapons Supervisor
Officer of the Deck
Small Arms Instructor
Armorer
Divisional Training Petty Officer
Command United States Military Apprenticeship program coordinator
Command Ammunition Logistics Coordinator
Command Weapons and Ammunition Safety Officer
Operations Department Gauge Calibration Tech and Petty Officer
At Sierra College, I studied engineering, computer-aided drafting, political science, welding, and agriculture. A total of 94 credits. Earning the President's Honor Roll on several occasions.
I graduated summa cum laude (the highest honors) with an Associate degree in Natural Science. I was only one semester away from a degree in political science and one in welding technology.
I was accepted at Lincoln Law School of Sacramento without the need for further education due to my long history of higher education and my high LSAT score. So, I opted to work towards my Juris Doctorate instead of seeking additional undergraduate degrees. I finished my first year at Lincoln with straight A’s, outpacing fellow students who had extensive legal backgrounds and graduate degrees. As stated before I am four classes away from a bachelor's of science in legal studies.
For the community, I have served as:
The President of Nevada County All Veterans Stand Down
The Treasurer and Director of Communications for Welcome Home Vets.
The Public Relations Officer for the American Legion Post 130
I also host a radio show on KNCO twice a month where I bring in National, State, and Local Veterans organizations and personalities, to help bring awareness to the public about Veteran's issues and resources that are available to Veterans.
In Chicago, I tutored inner city school children and spent weekends at homeless shelters serving meals and providing for security.
In San Diego, I mentored teens one-on-one who were at risk of dropping out of High school through an afterschool program, where I taught them vocational skills and helped steer their life choices. All 12 graduated and still drop me a line occasionally.
For leisure, I like to write, and read, and have been playing guitar for 23 years. I love working outside with my animals and playing in the yard with my daughter. From time to time I create fine art, pencil being my favorite medium, but I also do graphic design and photography for fun. Over the last couple of years, I have nearly restored a 1987 lifted Suburban right down to every nut and bolt, and have rebuilt every sub-assembly by myself, all that is left is the interior which I will be doing too. I also have created all of my campaign materials with no prior experience, this website included.
Additionally, I belong to several community organizations where I volunteer and contribute regularly. Such as the Free and Accepted Masons, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, and the Native Sons of the Golden West.
There is a lot more but suffice it to say I am an insatiable learner.