Letter: An outstanding leader

EDITOR,
Bruce McPherson has provided outstanding leadership for education, public safety, environmental and economic issues in the California political arena. The ability for a political figure to delve deeply into the issues, think critically, consider the overall public good and take decisive action is incredibly important in today’s political environment. Bruce McPherson has a well-deserved reputation for thinking beyond partisan party lines to the issues, good government and the best processes of a democracy.  In the mid-1990s, I was dean of learning resources at American River College in Sacramento. I served on the Association of California Community College Administrators Legislation and Finance Commission, tracking, analyzing and advocating legislation related to the California community colleges. During several legislative sessions, Bruce would sponsor legislation to ensure the stability for California community college funding. This decisive action allowed thousands of California community college students to enroll in courses that, without the stable funding, would have been canceled. Bruce McPherson received the Legislator of the Year Award on several occasions from the Association of California Community College Administrators.  As citizens in the Santa Cruz County, we are fortunate that Bruce has chosen to turn his attention to our local issues. Tip O’Neill said, “All politics is local.” Seeing an individual of Bruce’s personal and political stature focusing on local political activities becomes very refreshing in today’s often divisive political environment.
Dr. Henry J. Burnett, Felton