Last Thursday, former Assemblyman Ira Ruskin, D-Redwood City, passed away. He was 70. In addition to his time on the Assembly, Ruskin served on the Redwood City Council for a number of years. He was first elected in 1995, and served as council member until 2004. He also served a stint as Redwood City Mayor from 1999 to 2001.
Ruskin was well-known for his work in environmental affairs. He made great strides for the California environment as chair of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials.
After he termed-out of the Assembly in 2010, Ruskin planning to run for a seat on the state Senate in 2012, but had to withdraw from politics when undergoing a surgery for a brain tumor, which eventually claimed his life.
Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego issued a statement commemorating Ruskin’s life, saying he was a “consummate public servant.” “The leadership, intelligence and compassion Ira Ruskin brought to public service will be sorely missed. My Assembly colleagues and I send our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Cheryl, and to all their family and friends,” continued Atkins.
Read more about Ruskin’s passing here.