The Victor Jones Memorial Lecture Series: Speaker Biographies

Friday, February 6, 2004

Lecture: 1:30 - 2:30 pm

Reception: 2:30 - 3:00 pm

Location: UC Berkeley Alumni House

Directions to the Alumni House

Senator Tom Torlakson
California State Senator (D - Antioch)

Tom Torlakson represents the 7th Senate District, which includes most of Contra Costa County. He is Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee and Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Bay Area Infrastructure. His legislative achievements include improving the transportation system, strongly supporting public education, promoting consumer protection and safety, improving fitness and nutrition, and protecting the environment.

Tom is also a strong supporter of promoting regional leadership and collaborative decision-making in California, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tom has served as a Commissioner and Board Member on two of the Bay Area’s regional organizations: the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

He was also a founder of the Delta Protection Commission, a state-local regional partnership authorized by the Legislature to coordinate planning in the Delta region. The region includes five counties: Solano, Yolo, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Contra Costa. He has spoken about regional leadership at numerous events, including the 2003 Civic Entrepreneur Summit in Sacramento, hosted by the California Center for Regional Leadership.

Tom cares for and works on behalf of our children. He authored innovative legislation to create state-funded after-school programs. In 1998, his legislation dedicated $50 million to elementary and junior high schools for these important programs. His bill in 1999 increased the allocation to $85 million annually. He was a key architect of the plan for school facilities funding, which became Proposition 1A and authorized $9.2 billion for school construction and modernization. Tom also promotes better fitness and nutrition. In 2002, Tom authored SB 1868, which increased accountability in K-12 physical fitness classes and testing. In 2003, he authored SB 65, which mandates public hearings and increases requirements for school districts that make contracts with soda companies to place vending machines at campuses.

Tom has championed consumer and public safety causes including successful passage in 1999 of AB 850, The California Permanent Amusement Rides Safety Act. Tom in 2000 authored AB 2928, which implemented the Traffic Congestion Relief Plan and made a major new commitment to ongoing transportation funding. Tom in 2002 authored SB 849, which expanded the state program to prevent and clean up oil spills.

Several organizations including the California Chapter of the American Planning Association, the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions, the California Redevelopment Association, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission have recognized Tom as their Legislator of the Year.

Tom’s career in public service began as a science teacher in 1972. After building a strong reputation as an effective community leader, he was elected to the Antioch City Council in 1978. He was elected to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in 1980 and achieved a 99.9% attendance record at Board meetings during four terms spanning 16 years. Tom was elected to 11th Assembly District in 1996 and was re-elected in 1998. Tom was elected to the Senate in 2000.

Tom was born in San Francisco in 1949. He earned a BA in History in 1971, a Life Secondary Teaching Credential, and an MA in Education in 1977 from UC-Berkeley. He served in the Merchant Marine during the Vietnam War. He lives in Antioch with his wife of 31 years, Diana, and their daughter, Tamara, 16. The Torlakson’s other daughter, Tiffany, is 24 and a UC-Berkeley graduate.