Obit: Tim Hodson

Tim Hodson, the former executive director of the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State, a former member of the Fair Political Practices Commission and a long-time mentor to future political leaders, died Tuesday of brain cancer. He was 61.

Hodson, also a college professor, was a widely known authority on political redistricting and earlier served as a consultant to the Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee. He also served on the board of Capitol Public Radio.

Hodson’s death was announced by his wife, Ruth Holton-Hodson, in an email Tuesday morning. She is a former ranking official in Common Cause and currently serves as deputy state controller for health and consumer policy.

Hodson served as the top executive of the Center for California Studies since 1993 and his role included the development of the Capitol Fellows Program, which provides interns for public service. Former Capitol Fellows include a number of legislators and others in government. Hodson came to the Center after a 15-year stint in the Capitol, which included six years as staff director at the reapportionment committee.

“Tim was an interesting combination of somebody who had serious academic skills but really liked real-world politics,” Ted Lascher, the center’s interim executive director, told the Sacramento Bee. “He really believed in public service.”

“Tim was a consummate public servant whose brilliance was belied by his dry wit and down-to-earth personality,” Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said in written statement. “Most importantly, he maintained a lifelong commitment to sharing his knowledge and his insights, leaving an indelible mark through mentoring and training the next generation of leaders.”

Timothy Alan Hodson is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, and earned master’s and doctoral degrees in political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.