[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 5 (Tuesday, February 3, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E76]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING RICK TUTTLE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 3, 1998

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, my colleague Mr. Waxman and I want to bring 
to your attention, our close personal friend, Los Angeles City 
Controller Rick Tuttle (L.A.'s elected financial officer), will receive 
the L.A. City's ``Employee of the Year'' Award on December 10, 1997. We 
would like to take this opportunity to recognize, at a national level, 
what the people of Los Angeles have known for decades and we, 
individually, have known for all of our professional lives: Rick Tuttle 
is an extraordinary individual who has made a major mark by 
contributing his time and talents to elevate the quality of life of Los 
Angeles.
  The ``Employee of the Year'' award will be presented to Rick by the 
All City Employees Benefits Service Association (ACEBSA) for his 
outstanding achievements in a city career that spans 12 years. In 
announcing the selection, ACEBSA President, Jay R. Sloan said,

       Mr. Tuttle heads one of the City's most important and 
     largest departments. His record as an outstanding leader 
     speaks for itself. His career sparkles with achievement.

  Few people have been as dedicated, and have contributed so much time, 
energy and passion, as Rick has to the City of Los Angeles. He has made 
an enormous mark not only on the City but on the larger society as 
well. It would be impossible to list all of Rick's honors, but we would 
like to mention a few.
  Among the awards Rick has received are the Equal Justice in 
Government Award from the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; the 
Distinguished Public Service Award presented by the Pacific Southwest 
Region of the Anti-Defamation League; Lifetime Membership Award from 
the Los Angeles Business Council; the Distinguished Leadership Award 
for 1996 presented by the Association of Government Accountants. He has 
served as Director of the Los Angeles West Chamber of Commerce, a 
Director of the UCLA Religious Conference at UCLA and has been an 
active leader of the California Democratic Party for 30 years.
  As our immediate successor as statewide President of the California 
Federation of Young Democrats, as a friend and ally for over 30 years, 
Rick has an impressive commitment to community improvement. His awards 
and achievements have come over three decades of professional 
excellence: as a Dean of Students at UCLA, as an elected trustee of the 
Los Angeles Community colleges and as L.A. city's Controller since 
1985.
  We, of course, have a personal involvement with the entire Tuttle 
family. His wife, Muff Singer, served as campaign coordinator and the 
first Administrative Assistant to Howard Berman. Muff left government 
employment to pursue a career as a successful writer of children's 
books and to devote herself to raising a family. Rick and Muff's 
daughter, Sarah, has been raised with a respect for community 
involvement and is already a pride to her community.
  From his time of his courageous civil rights involvement in the early 
1960's (from Wesleyan University he went south to register voters and 
to fight for civil rights) to his courageous and fierce guardianship of 
L.A. city's budget as City Controller, Rick has been an exemplar of the 
best of public service.
  Each of us have known Rick, and his wife, Muff, personally and 
professionally for more than thirty years. He is a close personal 
friend, trusted advisor, and a model of what an elected official ought 
to be. Our admiration of him is indescribable.

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