Larry McCarthy, the long-time president of the California Taxpayers’ Association, died on Saturday in Sacramento from cancer, the organization announced today. He was 59.
McCarthy had worked at Cal-Tax since 1976, becoming president of the group in 1989.
“California’s taxpayers have lost a friend and ally,” said Cal-Tax Board of Directors Chair John Cmelak in a statement. “For more than 30 years, Larry provided an effective, articulate voice for lower taxes and greater government accountability, and he did so with unmatched integrity and grace. His voice has been silenced, but his legacy lives on. Larry’s friends and colleagues at Cal-Tax send our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Sandy, and his entire family as we mourn the loss of a truly great man.”
In 2006, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer and took a leave from his presidency at Cal-Tax, though the organization reports "he continued to work on behalf of taxpayers."
In mid-November, the California Taxpayers' Association organized an Irish-themed tribute to McCarthy. The group has already set up a Web site, compiling
"thoughts and memories" about McCarthy from those in the Capitol community.
Find the memorial site here.
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