John L. Burton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Lowell Burton (born December 15, 1932 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American politician who served as a Democratic California State Senator from 1997 until 2005. From 1998 until he was forced out of office by term limits in 2005, he served as the President pro tempore of the State Senate. Prior to his time in the Senate, he served in the California State Assembly from 1965 until 1974, and again from 1988 until 1997. He was originally elected to the Assembly to succeed his brother Phillip Burton, who had been elected to Congress. He was returned to the Assembly in a 1988 special election to succeed Art Agnos, who had been elected Mayor of San Francisco. Burton also served in the U.S. House of Representatives, alongside his brother, from 1974 until 1982, when he resigned, citing addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
As a legislator, Burton was known for expanding the Cal Grant scholarship program, and passing a law (subsequently defeated in a referendum) that would have required California businesses to pay for health coverage for their workers. The magazine California Journal said about Burton's departure from the Senate in 2005: "Gone will be the Senate's most vehement partisan for social services for the poor, the Senate's angriest voice against tax breaks for businesses and the wealthy, its loudest voice for protection of workers, its fiercest pro-labor advocate and its disciplinarian."[1]
After leaving the Senate, Burton formed the John Burton Foundation, an organization that, according to its web site, is "dedicated to improving the quality of life for California’s homeless children and developing policy solutions to prevent homelessness."
Burton is a graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- John L. Burton at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- "Our Man in Sacramento": San Francisco Chronicle article on Burton from 2002
- San Diego Tribune article on Burton from 2004
- John Burton Foundation
- Clint Reilly on John L. Burton
- John Burton faces sexual harassment suit
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Phillip Burton |
California State Assemblyman, 20th District 1965-1974 |
Succeeded by Dixon Arnett |
| Preceded by William S. Mailliard |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 6th congressional district June 4, 1974–January 3, 1975 |
Succeeded by Phillip Burton |
| Preceded by Phillip Burton |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 5th congressional district 1975–1983 |
Succeeded by Phillip Burton |
| Preceded by Art Agnos |
California State Assemblyman, 16th District 1988-1992 |
Succeeded by Barbara Lee |
| Preceded by Tom Bates |
California State Assemblyman, 12th District 1992-1996 |
Succeeded by Kevin Shelley |
 |
This article about a California politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
