Former Los Angeles City Councilman and Assemblyman Richard Alatorre has died at age 81, it was announced Tuesday.
Details of his death were unclear, but representatives for City Councilman Kevin de León's office indicated that Alatorre may have been battling cancer. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez announced Alatorre's death during Tuesday's council meeting.
Alatorre, who was born in Boyle Heights but raised in East Los Angeles, worked as an aide to Assemblyman Walter Karabian before winning the election himself in 1972. He served in the Assembly until 1985, when he won a special election to represent the Los Angeles City Council's 14th District.
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His victory in that race was seen as a major boon to Los Angeles' Latino community, since the council had not had a Latino member since the 1962 departure of Edward Roybal.
"Councilman Alatorre was an icon in Los Angeles who blazed the trail for generations of Latino leaders in Los Angeles and California,'' Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement Tuesday.
"His fervent advocacy served as a beacon of hope for millions, and his dedicated advocacy has resulted in a legacy that will benefit millions more in the years to come. I had the honor of knowing the councilman and the great benefit of receiving his counsel and guidance based on his prolific experience. My thoughts are with his family on this sad day and with the so many Angelenos whose lives were made better from his service.''
Kevin De León, who now represents the 14th District, also lauded Alatorre in a statement issued Tuesday.
"Today, Los Angeles mourns the loss of one of its most formidable and influential leaders, Richard Alatorre,'' de León said. “Richard was more than just a public servant, he was a friend, a constituent, and a transformative leader whose impact will be felt for generations. His passing marks the end of an era, but his legacy will endure in the hearts and lives of countless Angelenos.”
De León went on to say, "Richard's tenure in the California State Assembly and on the Los Angeles City Council was marked by an unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and opportunity. He was the principal author of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act, giving collective bargaining rights to farmworkers who had long been denied a voice. His leadership in the 1981 legislative reapportionment was a turning point for Latino political power in California, ensuring that our community would finally have the representation it deserves.''
Alatorre remained on the council until 1999, including stints as chairman of the council's Public Safety and Budget and Finance committees.
He also served on the Los Angeles Regional Transportation Commission, which later evolved into the current county Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro. He was the first MTA chairman, leading the charge for the creation of the Metro Gold Line and its extension into East Los Angeles.
