Mike Roos Papers. CSLA-3. Biography

THE THOMAS AND DOROTHY LEAVEY CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LOS ANGELES RESEARCH COLLECTION

MIKE ROOS PAPERS, 1977--1991 (CSLA-3): BIOGRAPHY

Michael Roos was born on August 6, 1945 in Memphis, but later moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University where he earned a B.A. in political science in 1967. Roos then accepted a National Institute of Child Health Fellowship to study aging and public administration at the University of Southern California where he graduated in 1970 with a master's degree in Public Administration. Roos settled in the Los Angeles community of Silver Lake, the area which he would represent his entire legislative career.

For the next few years, Roos worked for various public affairs agencies and politicians, including serving on the State Finance Committee for President Jimmy Carter. Then in 1977, Roos joined the California legislature, representing one of the most diverse districts in California--the 46th Assembly District--where over 23 languages are spoken within its boundaries. This area encompasses the communities of Silver Lake, Mid-Wilshire, East Hollywood, Griffith Park, Los Feliz, Westlake, MacArthur Park, Pico-Union, portions of Echo Park, and portions of Downtown.

In 1979, Roos again worked with Jimmy Carter, this time serving as his California Campaign Coordinator. The following year, Roos was appointed Majority Floor Leader of the State Assembly--the youngest Majority leader in the history of the Assembly. (He also served the longest tenure--three terms, from 1980-1986. In 1986 he was appointed Speaker Pro Temporare-- the number 2 position in the State Assembly.) As a member of the Assembly, Roos actively served on many committees including Ways and Means, Human Services, Natural Resources, Aging and Long Term Care, International Trade and Intergovernmental Relations, and Policy Research Management.

Another committee that Roos chaired was the Olympics Oversight Committee--in preparation for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The committee was created to coordinate state planning and participation in the Olympics including arranging for dignitary security, traffic control, and use of state facilities. The Committee was also responsible for ensuring that the Games were funded privately, not through taxpayer liability. Roos was also interested in a more proactive role for the Committee--using the Olympics to promote California products and foreign trade, to showcase California's cultural and economic diversity, and to focus attention on "our youth."

In 1987, Roos took on the very heated issue of whether Irwindale would be allowed to build a stadium for the Raiders football team which was leaving Los Angeles after contract complaints with the Coliseum Commission. Legislation was finally passed which prohibited the City of Irwindale from selling bonds to finance a new stadium or to use redevelopment funds for such a purpose.

Other legislation authored by Roos included over 300 bills concerning issues such as crime, housing, toxic waste, education, landlord/tenant reform, health care, and gun control. Perhaps best remembered are those banning or restricting assault weapons, similar to bills authored by Senator David Roberti.

Roos was re-elected to the Assembly in 1990, but resigned in March of 1991 in order to accept a position as the first president of what has become Los Angeles's largest education reform movement--LEARN (Los Angeles Educational Alliance for Restructuring Now).