John Burton

Former President of the California State Senate and Former Congressman

Spring 1950 Graduate

        John is one of San Francisco's most distinguished public servants. After graduating from Lincoln, John attended San Francisco State College from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954. After two years in the army, John attended USF Law School , where he received the American Jurisprudence Award for outstanding scholarship. He was awarded his Juris Doctor degree in 1960. After law school, John became a Deputy attorney General. During this period, he served as President of the San Francisco Young Democrats which, under his leadership, supported civil rights and opposed the Vietnam War.

        In 1964, John was elected to the California State Assembly, serving until 1974. In 1970, he became President of the California Democratic Council. In 1973-74 he was Chairman of the California Democratic Party. In 1974, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving until 1982. As a congressman, John was a member of the Government Operations Committee, chairing that committee's Subcommittee on Transportation and Government Activities. He also served on the Select committee on Aging, chairing that committee's Subcommittee on Income and Retirement. He returned to the California State Assembly in 1988. Currently he is Chairman of the Assembly's Rules committee and a member of the following committees: Health, Public Safety, and Ways and Means.

        Among John's legislative achievements: Establishing the renters' tax credit; leading the override of Governor Reagan's veto of a bill to fund hospitals for the mentally ill; creating special education programs for autistic children; authoring the rule requiring that all assembly votes be recorded and all committee meetings be open to the public; creating the Point Reyes Wilderness Area; establishing the marine sanctuary area off the coast of San Francisco; and requiring the Central Intelligence Agency to be more accountable to Congress and limiting its ability to mount covert operations. As to future legislation, John will continue to be concerned about the environment, animal rights, and the underprivileged and insurance reform.

        In recognition of his many accomplishments, John was selected as one of the eight initial inductees into the Abraham Lincoln High School Wall of Fame.