His name was Ross Johnson, and he served in the state legislature in the late 1970's until 2010.
He was part of the class that helped bring in Prop 13.
Here are some comments I found online about this state senator, who passed away earlier this week:
Though derided by liberals as “cavemen,” the Prop. 13 class as a group was in fact much better educated and versed in classical governing theory than most Democrats. They could talk about Jefferson, Friedman and Cicero, and know that they weren’t referring to Sherman Hemsley (look him up!), a local Deli owner and a town in Illinois.
In a class full of exceptionally bright and thoughtful people, Ross stood out as a star. He was better than anyone I’ve ever met at analyzing a problem or situation and coming up – usually on the spot – with the best way to deal with it. His political instincts are as good as anyone I’ve ever worked with. In the interests of modesty and avoiding a laundry list, let’s just say that covers a lot of ground.
Ross was a courageous man who followed his political gut rather than going with the consultants' head.
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| Ross Johnson (Credit: OC Register) |
He fought for what was right, and helped property owners stay in their homes.
Great stuff.
Here's another obit from the Sacramento Bee:
Johnson served 26 years in the Legislature representing
portions of Orange County. He was first elected to the Assembly in 1978, along
with a group of Republicans who became known as “Prop. 13 babies” because of
their support that June for the historic property-tax-cutting initiative,
Proposition 13. Though the GOP never held majority control in the house in
which Johnson served, he was caucus leader to both the Assembly and Senate
Republicans during his stints there.
The leadership job sometimes launched him into the role of
mediator between fellow conservatives and emerging moderates in the party. It
gave him great authority over many legislative matters, particularly the state
budget, which then required Republican support to pass each year.
Compromising was worthwhile in those days, I suppose ... or was it?
Is that why the Republican Party of California faces the harsh straits now?
Though it would be a decade before he actually became leader of the Assembly Republicans, Ross was always one of the prime movers for the innovative policy ideas, political stratagems and anti-Democrat guerrilla warfare that helped the GOP wield influence far beyond anything their numerical strength would justify. His core principals were sacrosanct and unchanging, and his refusal to support Pete Wilson’s huge tax increase in 1991 cost Ross his post as Assembly GOP leader.
Now that's what I am talking about!
We need more Ross Johnsons in the state legislature, not just glowing obituaries about former lawmakers.
Today, California Republicans are at their lowest ebb yet, with no constitutional offices and superminority status in the state legislature. We need more people with incredible wit and wisdom, who are not afraid to fight back and even take a stance against fellow party members to ensure that the state of California protects the rights of its citizens as opposed to doing the bidding of the Deep State of Sacramento.
RIP Ross Johnson
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