Mike Rotkin, a five-time mayor of Santa Cruz and liberal icon of Santa Cruz County, died June 18 due to complications from leukemia. He was 79.
Rotkin was well-known for his progressive politics. He first ran for City Council in Santa Cruz in 1979 as a socialist. He taught Marxist theory at UC Santa Cruz for more than 40 years and served on the Santa Cruz City Council six times. He had served more time as mayor of Santa Cruz than anybody else in the city’s history. He first served in 1981-1982, then from 1985-1986, 1995-1996, 2004-2005 and finally, from 2009-2010.
Mike Rotkin
Rotkins’ leadership shaped Santa Cruz in many ways. During his 20 years in city government, city spending on social services and programs increased from $80,000 a year in 1979 to $2 million by 2000.
“Former Mayor Mike Rotkin was at the center of every important decision in Santa Cruz over the last four decades,” said Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley in a press release. “His valued-based advocacy for those less fortunate, and for community-based policy developments are now models for current and future elected officials. Our community is so much better because of Mike’s public service; and, sadder today because of his passing.”
Rotkin continued to serve his community after his final term as mayor. He was a current member of the county’s Regional Transportation Commission and volunteered for many efforts. Rotkin was also a union organizer and a board member for the Santa Cruz County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
In 2013, he was interviewed by Sarah Rabkin as part of a regional history project for UC Santa Cruz. He discussed his whole life, including the first time he was arrested at age 15 for protesting for civil rights. Throughout his life, he was arrested many times while protesting.
Rotkin was born in New York City, grew up in Maryland and graduated from Cornell University with a degree in English literature in 1969. Before he graduated, he spent a year as a community organizer in Florida, working with minority migrant workers. It helped shaped his views on politics, though his parents were socialists as well.
“This has a lot to do with who I am. I’m sure,”Rotkin told Rabkin. “My parents were community activists when I was growing up.”
He came to Santa Cruz right after graduating and began working as a teaching assistant. A few years later he dipped his toes into local politics, helping to thwart development of hotels, freeway expansion and getting involved in grape boycotts. From there, his activism grew into the legacy he left behind.
In honor of Mike Rotkin’s legacy, Santa Cruz lowered flags at City Hall.