Anne Rudin left Sacramento a better city. We owe her our respect and gratitude

Courage, integrity and leadership are the qualities I think of when I think of the late Sacramento Mayor Anne Rudin.

In 1983, after serving 12 years on the City Council, Anne became Sacramento’s first elected woman mayor. She was the sole woman on the council until Lynn Robie joined her several years later.

When I was elected in 1989, I became the fifth woman on the council, joining Anne, Lynn, Lyla Ferris and Kimberly Mueller. That was the first and only time Sacramento had a female majority on that body. It lasted two years.

We supported Anne in many of her efforts — establishing light rail, banning indoor smoking and allowing domestic partnerships.

Anne, who died last month at 97, wanted a more peaceful world. She advocated for the conversion of our military bases to serve a peacetime economy. She and her husband, Ed, were strong supporters of Physicians for Social Responsibility. And she showed tremendous courage when she introduced a ban on assault weapons and supported Sacramento being a sanctuary city despite personal and public threats of harm.

Anne also showed courage in voting against the development and business communities on opening the farmlands of North Natomas to sprawl. She was advocating for infill and improving the neighborhoods and older commercial corridors of Sacramento that still need investments to make them safe and attractive.

Her worldly views led her to develop strong friendships with residents of Matsuyama, the Sister City she helped establish with Japan. She joined Mayors for Peace, led by the Mayor of Hiroshima, and laid wreaths at their memorial. She was a gracious host to visitors from around the world, creating international goodwill for our city and country.

Her staunch support of the arts, including negotiating a labor agreement that kept the Sacramento Symphony operating, was also obvious from the number of performances she attended. Unlike most of us, Anne rode the bus to City Hall, and she purposefully chose to live near a bus stop. Her support of public transit included her advocacy for a light rail system to provide affordable and clean energy transit.

She ran a tight meeting, chiding us if we talked among ourselves or laughed, welcoming all speakers and treating them with respect. She listened. And she led us to better decisions.

Despite growing up on the East Coast, she embraced what is wonderful and unique about Sacramento. She was at ease with the diverse population we have; she walked alone and regularly engaged with people who approached her. She regularly shopped at the Wednesday Farmers Market she helped start across from City Hall.

In her “retirement,” she focused her energy on environmental and human rights issues, as she had as mayor. She led the infant Natomas Basin Conservancy to stability while serving on its board. She continued to advocate for the Sacramento River Parkway. She stayed engaged in civic life. And she remained a patron of the arts.

Anne was a visionary but had both feet planted solidly on the ground. She was progressive before we used the term, and she led this city to be more just, green, inclusive and vibrant. She endured the disdain of many in the business community, including local media and others not used to seeing women with the power of the pulpit and gavel.

The training she received as a nurse, mother, instructor and local and state president of the League of Women Voters helped prepare her for the role of mayor. She was thoughtful and principled and led by her actions and deeds. She set a great example for others like me to follow.

She left Sacramento a better city, and we owe her our respect and gratitude.