[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3441]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               TOM MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 7, 2007

  Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, every once in a while, someone great comes 
along who flawlessly fills a position and epitomizes the role he or she 
performs. Tom Martin, long-time aide and Field Representative to Los 
Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, is such a person.
  Tom spent almost 35 years working in state and local government, 
retiring only after a serious health condition forced him from the job 
he loved. These many years of public service earned him the well-
deserved nickname ``Godfather of Field Deputies.'' It's widely 
acknowledged that few people in the region have done as much as Tom has 
for so many. And his upbeat demeanor is always matched with seemingly 
effortless action. For Tom, helping people has always been second-
nature.
  I do not think I have ever seen Tom without a smile on his face, or 
heard him say ``no'' to someone. From 1969 until his retirement in 
2005, Tom worked to improve the lives of his neighbors and enhance the 
community. During that time, the South Bay saw many changes, but one 
thing remained constant: Tom was always there to listen and to assist 
those who came to him with their problems, concerns, and ideas.
  No item was too small for Tom when it came to helping others and he 
seemed to involve himself in everything. He ensured that the lights 
would be promptly fixed in Marina del Ray. He made limiting growth at 
LAX and its modernization a priority. And he was instrumental in 
engineering the land swap that saved Los Angeles Air Force Base in the 
most recent base closure round. Over the years, Tom worked closely with 
me and my office and grew to be a personal friend.
  But I never saw `working' with Tom as work. Each meeting, each 
conversation was more of an interaction with an old friend than 
official business. His personal generosity integrated itself into the 
way he approached his job and how he lives his life.
  Today, I honor his career and his service to the community. And I 
wish Tom improving health and Jeri and Tom many, many more years of 
happiness together.

                          ____________________