Alfred E. Alquist (August 2, 1908 – March 27, 2006) was a California politician.

[edit] Biography

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a Swedish immigrant who worked for the railroads, he was barely a teenager when he started carrying water to railroad work crews. He became a timekeeper, switchman, brakeman and conductor, before serving with the Army Air Forces during World War II. He was a yardmaster for the Southern Pacific Railroad when he and his first wife moved to San Jose, California in 1947.

Alquist was elected to the California State Assembly in 1962, and four years later, the State Senate, where he served for 30 years. A forceful and savvy state legislator, he chaired the powerful Senate Finance Committee for 15 years. He also routinely chaired the two-house conference committee that wrote the final version of the state budget before it went to the Assembly and Senate floors.

He was perhaps best known for his co-authorship of the landmark 1974 law, a national model, which created the California Energy Commission. In the legislature, Alquist also helped to establish the Santa Clara County transit system, the state's earthquake safety programs OSHPD and Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act, HSSA, and the state Energy Commission. A pragmatic New Deal Democrat, he earned a reputation for helping the poor and representing the interests of labor. When term limits forced him to retire in 1996, he was the Legislature's ranking member.

Alquist died in Sacramento, California at age 97. A state office building in downtown San Jose, which he had advocated to get built, is named for him. His wife, Elaine Alquist, is currently a state senator who now represents much of the same district her husband did.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

• Longtime state-Senate power Al Alquist dies at 97
• Al Alquist -- 34 years in state Legislature

Political offices
Preceded by Edward M. Gaffney	California State Assemblyman, 24th District 1962 – 1966	Succeeded by John Vasconcellos
Preceded by John F. McCarthy	California State Senator, 13th District 1966 – 1996

Persondata
NAME	Alquist, Al
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	United States Army soldier
DATE OF BIRTH	August 2, 1908
PLACE OF BIRTH	Memphis, Tennessee
DATE OF DEATH	March 27, 2006
PLACE OF DEATH	Sacramento, California

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