Preston Jackson's Record of Service in West Sacramento
A Record of Leadership and Service
Preston Jackson is not new to public service and he will not need on-the-job training to serve on the City Council. As a former Washington Unified School District Trustee and Board President, a West Sacramento Planning Commissioner, an educator, and a coach, Preston has spent years making difficult decisions, bringing people together, and helping our community prepare for the future.
“
His record reflects the kind of leadership West Sacramento needs: thoughtful preparation, honest communication, responsible decision-making, and a commitment to putting people first.
Jackie Thu-Huong Wong — Trustee, Washington Unified School District, Area 4
Leading Our Schools Through Unprecedented Challenges
Preston served on the Washington Unified School District Board of Education from 2018 to 2020 and was selected by his colleagues to serve as Board President during one of the most consequential periods in the district’s history.
During his time on the Board, Preston helped:
- Guide the district through a leadership transition and the hiring of a new superintendent.
- Begin a strategic planning process to establish clear priorities and strengthen the district’s long-term direction.
- Lead during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools had to respond quickly to closures, distance learning, and rapidly changing guidance.
- Keep the Board focused on students, families, educators, and the continuity of learning during a period of extraordinary disruption.
That experience tested what leadership really requires: listening carefully, asking hard questions, communicating honestly, and making responsible decisions when there are no easy answers.
Helping Shape West Sacramento’s Growth
As a member of the West Sacramento Planning Commission, Preston reviews the decisions that determine how our city grows from housing and commercial development to zoning, transportation, environmental impacts, and neighborhood compatibility.
His work has included reviewing and acting on major plans and projects such as:
These decisions have lasting consequences for housing, roads, public services, local businesses, and quality of life. Preston approaches them with a practical question: How do we help West Sacramento grow while protecting what residents value and ensuring that the benefits of progress reach every neighborhood?
On the Planning Commission, Preston has developed firsthand experience with the public process behind local development. He understands how to read the plans, weigh competing concerns, listen to residents, and hold applicants and the city accountable for getting the details right.
Advancing Smarter, More Effective Public Safety
Preston believes keeping West Sacramento clean and safe is one of local government’s most important responsibilities. Safe neighborhoods and business districts protect residents, support local businesses, and strengthen our regional economy.
Innovation in Public Safety
In 2020, Preston served on Mayor Christopher Cabaldon’s My Brother’s Keeper Task Force. One of the Task Force’s key recommendations was the creation of a Community Response Team that pairs behavioral health professionals with first responders to better assist people experiencing mental health crises.
That recommendation became an important part of West Sacramento’s public safety strategy. The Community Response Team helps connect residents with appropriate services while allowing police officers to remain focused on violent crime and other calls that require a sworn response. The City subsequently expanded its investment in this approach through Measure O.
Preston supports continued investment in West Sacramento’s Police and Fire Departments, including the competitive compensation needed to recruit and retain qualified personnel. But he also recognizes that staffing challenges require the city to use its public safety resources more strategically.
On the City Council, Preston will work to:
- Strengthen behavioral health response programs that support first responders and connect residents in crisis with appropriate services.
- Use data-driven deployment strategies and technology to direct public safety resources where they are needed most.
- Expand crime-prevention efforts so the city is not relying solely on responding after a crime has occurred.
- Promote tools such as West Sac Connect that make it easier for residents to report concerns and communicate with the city.
- Help local businesses access the City’s Vandalism Relief Program and resources for installing Safe and Secure camera systems.
- Bring together the Police Department, City staff, Chambers of Commerce, residents, and local businesses to evaluate what is working and identify practical improvements.
For Preston, effective public safety is not a choice between supporting first responders and embracing innovation. West Sacramento must do both — giving police officers and firefighters the resources they need while adopting smarter approaches that prevent crime, respond appropriately to behavioral health emergencies, and keep every neighborhood and business district safe.
Investing in Young People
Preston’s commitment to young people extends beyond elected and appointed office. As an educator and coach, he has spent his career helping students and athletes develop the discipline, confidence, and teamwork they need to succeed.
He also coaches Little League in West Sacramento, giving his time directly to local children and families. Whether in a classroom, on a field, or in a public meeting, Preston believes leadership means setting clear expectations, preparing people to succeed, and doing the work alongside them.
Experience West Sacramento Can Put to Work
Serving on the City Council requires more than good intentions. Councilmembers must understand budgets, land use, public accountability, long-term planning, and how decisions made at City Hall affect families and neighborhoods.
Preston brings experience from both sides of that work: governing a public institution through a crisis and evaluating the growth and development proposals shaping West Sacramento’s future. He has shown that he can study the issues, work with people who do not always agree, and stay focused on responsible outcomes.
West Sacramento deserves leadership that is prepared, accountable, and focused on results. Preston Jackson is ready to put his experience to work for every neighborhood in our city.