SENATOR ALBERT S. RODDA JULY 23, 1912 - APRIL 3, 2010..........

Former State Senator Albert Rodda, 97 years old, died on last Saturday as quoted by his son, Steven, "of complications of old age". Senator Rodda, a native Sacramento was a teacher by profession first at Grant Union High School, then at Sacramento Senior Senior High School. Then he became a Professor of History at Sacramento Junior, now City College, where he was highly esteemed as an educator. The current Administrative Halls of Sacramento City College were named in his honor, Rodda Hall. Elected to represent the Sacramento area in the California State Senate in 1958, he served there for 22 years and rose to the leadership of the Senate Education Committee, Senate Finance Committee, and was Dean of the Senate, when he was defeated for re-election in 1980. A political leader of integrity, called by his colleagues and others, "Mr. Clean", and "Mr. Humility", Senator Rodda fathered educational legislation for the good of the students and teachers in California, authoring bills for the state university system, collective bargaining, and a fairer distribution of state educational funding to poor as well as affluent school districts. His leadership over the state budget he also excelled at enacting with fairness and fiscal responsibility. Following his twenty two year legistative career, he returned to teaching part-time, and served until he was 80 years old, for nine years 1983-1992, on the Los Rios Community College District Board of Trustees. My personal connection to Senator Rodda, is linked to my own candidacy as a 20 year college student for the Los Rios Board in 1977. Al Rodda, was succeeded at Sacramento High School and Sacramento City College, by my most stellar professor, Dr. Gerald G. Smith. He and his fellow professors encouraged me to be a candidate for the Los Rios Board and Dr. Smith persuaded to meet with Senator Rodda to discuss my candidacy. Senator Rodda was congenial, constructive, and very affirming of my candidacy as a college student for the Los Rios Board of Trustees, stating the need for fresh insight into the issues facing the district and its three community colleges at that time : Sacramento City College, American River College and Cosumnes River College, (and now including Folsom Lake College.) As one of five candidates for the seat in Area 2, that included the incumbent Tom DuHain, of Channel 3; and Harold Wrenn, a sixteen year member of the San Juan School Board, I held my own. It was a district-wide vote and DuHain, garnered two thirds of the total vote, leaving the other four of us just one third of all votes cast. I won 8.25%, 4,638 votes, but doing something no one else had accomplished in DuHain's two Los Rios elections, defeating him in two precincts of the district in Yolo County near UC Davis !! The onset of term limits and the election of legislators less dedicated to the common good and more to their own ends, make Senator Albert Rodda an even greater and upstanding political leader, as well as an outstanding educator. Thank You Senator Rodda, as you are now reunited with your beloved wife, Clarice, and your brother, Richard, and our mutual friend Jerry Smith.....Your contribution to the governance of California and the betterment of education in the Golden State, will continue to shine.....Farewell Until Forever..........Fr. Troy David Powers