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Mike Rotkin

Rotkin c. 1982

Mike Rotkin (September 17, 1945 – June 18, 2025) was an American academic and politician who was a lecturer at the University of California, Santa Cruz, long-term city council member and a five-time mayor of Santa Cruz, California: 1981–1982, 1985–1986, 1995–1996, 2004–2005, and 2009–2010.[1]

Career

A former motorcycle mechanic with a Ph.D. in the History of Consciousness, Rotkin first ran for city council on a protest campaign as a "socialist-feminist" in 1979, taking first place among voters at a time when Santa Cruz was more Republican than Democrat. He was also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.[2] He taught Marxist theory at UC Santa Cruz for over 40 years, while serving six terms as a city councilman, including five terms as the mayor, longer than anyone in the city's history (the mayoral post of Santa Cruz passes yearly to a councilmember selected by a majority of other councilmembers). During his 20 years in city government, city spending on social services and programs increased from $80,000 ($200,000; 2000US) a year in 1979 to $2 million by 2000. However, in the 2006 election, he was criticized for supporting pragmatic pro-economic development positions.[3][4][5][6]

He served as president of the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) teachers' union.

Anti-war and anti-racism activism

Rotkin protested the Vietnam War, Apartheid, and racism, and was arrested for civil disobedience "about a dozen times".[7]

Death

Rotkin died in Santa Cruz, California on June 18, 2025, at the age of 79. He died of leukemia.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "Board of Directors Bio - Mike Rotkin". Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  2. ^ Fleischman, Harry (January 1983). "On The Left". Democratic Left. Vol. XI, no. 1. p. 14. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  3. ^ McCord, Shanna (January 1, 2006). "Rotkin in the middle of key Santa Cruz issues in 2005". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  4. ^ McCord, Shanna (October 4, 2006). "Election 2006: Veteran politician Rotkin wants another term on council". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  5. ^ McCord, Shanna (November 8, 2006). "Robinson wins most contested seat on S.C. council; Mathews, Rotkin stay on". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  6. ^ Bookwalter, Genevieve (May 5, 2009). "Community Studies takes first cuts: UCSC staffers get pink slips in wake of $13 million deficit". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
  7. ^ Rotkin, Mike (June 30, 2024). "Free speech and civil disobedience – let's get the differences straight at UCSC protests". Lookout Santa Cruz. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  8. ^ Beloved community member, former Santa Cruz Mayor Mike Rotkin dies at 79
  9. ^ Soergel, Allison Arteaga. "In Memoriam: Mike Rotkin". news.ucsc.edu. University of California, Santa Cruz. Retrieved June 1, 2026.

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