Meet the California Democratic Party's new chairman, John Burton
On April 26 the California Democratic Party elected John Burton as its chairman. Burton has a long resume of serving Californians in the State Assembly, State Senate and the House of Representatives. Via the California Democratic Party's website is this bio on John Burton;
John Burton is widely considered one of the most effective and experienced legislative leaders in the State of California - if not the nation. He began his career as a Deputy Attorney General, served as the President of the Young Democrats, and won election to the County Central Committee. He then served as a State Assemblymember, President of the California Democratic Council, Chair of the California Democratic Party, U.S. Congressmember and as President pro Tem of the California State Senate. After being termed-out of the Legislature, he created a foundation which has raised millions of dollars to assist homeless and foster care children across California.
With a consistent 100% voting record throughout his career from environmental, labor, and human rights organizations, the California Journal wrote: "Burton is trying to do right by some of the least among us.... There’s a sense that he’s not wielding or exercising power for the sake of power itself; the things he’s trying to do have a real purpose behind them."
John Burton wrote the laws that make California better:
- Established landmark farm mediation for farm workers and the UFW;
- Achieved DNA testing to free the wrongly convicted and help identify guilty parties
- Secured prevailing wage rates for construction and building trades and restored the 8-hour day;
- Guaranteed CalGrant college scholarships for every student with financial need;
- Led the effort in the State Senate to pass the nation's first state law requiring automakers to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from cars;
- Increased aid for the elderly, blind and disabled;
- Facilitated agreement to save Headwaters Forest Preserve and Farallones Marine Sanctuary; prohibited offshore oil drilling along the Point Reyes seashore;
- Enacted historic levels of support for mental health and juvenile crime prevention programs;
- Overhauled the state’s flawed child support collection system;
- Increased affordable housing and helped fight homelessness with a $2.1 billion bond issue; and
- Set tough campaign contribution limits and increased public disclosure of contributions.
You can learn more about the California Democratic Party at their website http://www.cadem.org.
You can read more about John Burton and the state party at calitics.com one of the credentialed blogs from the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
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