Henry J Mello

Former state Senate Majority Leader Henry J. Mello, 80, who represented California's Central Coast in the Legislature for two decades, died Saturday of kidney failure at his home in Watsonville, Calif. Mello was elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in 1966, to the state Assembly in 1976 and to the state Senate in 1980. He was forced to leave office in 1996 because of term limits.

Former state Senate Majority Leader Henry J. Mello, 80, who represented California's Central Coast in the Legislature for two decades, died Saturday of kidney failure at his home in Watsonville, Calif. Mello was elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in 1966, to the state Assembly in 1976 and to the state Senate in 1980. He was forced to leave office in 1996 because of term limits.

For Bob, Henry and Dan, three powerful male incumbents who collectively have 70 years of experience in the Legislature, the usually trouble-free highway to reelection has detoured into a double danger zone. First, in what is supposed to be a Year of the Anti-Incumbent, Sens. Robert G. Beverly (R-Redondo Beach), Henry J. Mello (D-Santa Cruz) and Daniel E. Boatwright (D-Concord) are running scared.

A ban on the treatment of potatoes with potentially deadly sulfites has been defeated by the Senate after opponents argued that the legislation would damage California agriculture and destroy the state's potato processing industry. The proposal, by Assemblyman Burt Margolin (D-Los Angeles), would have ended the practice of treating freshly cut, non-frozen French fries and hash-brown potatoes for use in restaurants, hospitals and schools with a family of chemical preservatives called sulfites.

After pioneering the use of hard-hitting direct-mail advertising in political campaigns, conservative state Sen. H.L. Richardson (R-Glendora) says he believes he has found something better--video cassettes that voters can view at home.

For Bob, Henry and Dan, three powerful male incumbents who collectively have 70 years of experience in the Legislature, the usually trouble-free highway to reelection has detoured into a double danger zone. First, in what is supposed to be a Year of the Anti-Incumbent, Sens. Robert G. Beverly (R-Redondo Beach), Henry J. Mello (D-Santa Cruz) and Daniel E. Boatwright (D-Concord) are running scared.

Reacting to public outcry over Mello-Roos taxes, which are paid by homeowners in many emerging communities to finance roads and other public facilities, a state commission is recommending changes to give home buyers more protection against abuse. The California Debt Advisory Commission has proposed limiting future Mello-Roos tax increases to 2% per year compared to 4% now.

Special tax-cut legislation for farmers designed to aid California's economically distressed agriculture industry has been signed by Gov. George Deukmejian. The bill by Sen. Henry J. Mello (D-Watsonville) will allow farmers, ranchers, citrus growers and other farming enterprises to carry over financial losses into future tax years.

The state Senate next week is expected to confirm Gov. George Deukmejian's appointment of Henry R. Agonia, formerly director of the Glendale Parks and Recreation Department, as state parks director. The Senate rules committee last week endorsed Agonia's appointment by a 4-0 vote. A vote on the recommendation was postponed in February after Sen. Henry J. Mello (D-Watsonville) requested more time to study Agonia's plans for parks within Mello's Northern California district.

Reacting to public outcry over Mello-Roos taxes, which are paid by homeowners in many emerging communities to finance roads and other public facilities, a state commission is recommending changes to give home buyers more protection against abuse. The California Debt Advisory Commission has proposed limiting future Mello-Roos tax increases to 2% per year compared to 4% now.

After pioneering the use of hard-hitting direct-mail advertising in political campaigns, conservative state Sen. H.L. Richardson (R-Glendora) says he believes he has found something better--video cassettes that voters can view at home.

A ban on the treatment of potatoes with potentially deadly sulfites has been defeated by the Senate after opponents argued that the legislation would damage California agriculture and destroy the state's potato processing industry. The proposal, by Assemblyman Burt Margolin (D-Los Angeles), would have ended the practice of treating freshly cut, non-frozen French fries and hash-brown potatoes for use in restaurants, hospitals and schools with a family of chemical preservatives called sulfites.