Description
Assembly Member Dion Louise Aroner, Democrat, was elected to the Legislature in 1996 and served three consecutive terms representing
Assembly District 14. The Dion Louise Aroner Papers consist of 5 cubic feet of records reflecting Aroner's activities during
her time as an Assembly Member from 1997 to 2002. The bill files document her legislative activity during her term as a member
of the California State Legislature.
Background
Assembly Member Dion Louise Aroner, Democrat, was elected to the Legislature in 1996 and served three consecutive terms. She
represented Assembly District 14, which runs along the eastern side of San Francisco and San Pablo Bays and is a mix of industrial
and residential communities. Cities in the district include Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, San Pablo, most of Richmond,
and about one fourth of Oakland. Education and high-tech industry are major economic factors in the district, with the University
of California, Berkeley acting as a strong magnet for other businesses.
Dion Louise Aroner was born on June 6, 1945 in San Francisco. She received a bachelor's degree in political science from the
University of California, Berkeley in 1966 and worked in Alameda County as a social worker from 1967 to 1972. From 1972 to
1976 she joined the staff of Alameda County Supervisor Tom Bates. In 1970 she served as president of the Alameda County chapter
of the Service Employees International Union Local 535, and in 1971 the union elected her statewide president, the first woman
and youngest person to hold the office. After Bates was elected to the Assembly in 1976, Aroner continued working on his staff
for the next twenty years, eventually becoming his chief of staff until he was termed out in 1996. With the support of Bates,
Aroner successfully ran in 1996 for the Assembly District 14 seat left vacant by Bates and served until 2002, when she was
termed out of office. She and her husband David Aroner have two children, Joshua and Danielle.
Restrictions
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.