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Phil Baldwin Has Died

A former Ukiah city councilman, Baldwin, noted for his liberal stands on a range of inland issues, was a retired teacher who worked for years at Potter Valley High School. Prior to his years as a resident of Ukiah, the affable Baldwin had been a member of the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors.

Baldwin was first elected to the Ukiah City Council in 1998 and was reelected in 2002, 2006 and 2010. He served on the city council until 2014. He worked on a variety of issues, including securing Ukiah’s groundwater supply, protecting farmland, and supporting environmental sustainability.

11 Comments

  1. Igor Zbitnoff December 14, 2019

    I knew and appreciated Phil as a friend and a person involved in Ukiah politics.

  2. Kathy December 14, 2019

    Sad news

  3. Laura December 14, 2019

    Loved the man! He was my daughter’s teacher snd very supportive. So sad to hear this but what an impact he left.

  4. John Sakowicz December 15, 2019

    Oh no! Sad news!

    I loved Phil Baldwin. I loved his politics. And I loved the man. Rest in peace, good buddy. Rest in peace.

  5. Jim Mastin December 15, 2019

    I will miss Phil. We served together on the Ukiah City Council for several years and supported each other on issues such as banning leaf blowers and limiting jet skis on Lake Mendocino. We also worked well together as county co-coordinators for Norman Solomon’s congressional run in 2011. The AVA nicknamed him “Red Phil” much to his surprise, but I think he enjoyed the moniker. I always appreciated his directness, his depth of understanding and his wicked sense of humor. He was also a proficient player of charades. Phil Baldwin will be missed.

  6. Donna Marvel December 15, 2019

    A sincere thank you to Phil for how he challenged my children to do more and think more. God he made me laugh!

  7. Paul Andersen December 15, 2019

    Super sad to learn that Phil Baldwin passed away. I enjoyed my brief time with him on the Ukiah City Council. He was a political ally and a good friend. It was largely with his encouragement that I ran to begin with. One of my favorite memories was us blitzing apartment buildings with door hangers the night before the election in 2002. We both won. He was an advocate for the poorest among us. I always admired him for leading the charge on keeping mobile home rents low and advocating for reduced electrical rates for low income households. He was a political mentor and an iconoclast. I will miss him. ¡Hasta la victoria siempre Felipe!

  8. Gary Patton December 15, 2019

    A SALUTE TO PHIL
    I have just heard that Phil Baldwin has died. Phil and I served together on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors from January 1977 to June 1978, when Phil and another colleague on the Board, Ed Borovatz, were recalled. Phil brought incredible energy to the Board and was one of the three votes that put Measure J on the June 1978 ballot. Enacted by the voters in that election, Measure J fundamentally transformed land use policy in Santa Cruz County, providing absolute protection to all commercially viable farmlands, and mandating one of the earliest inclusionary, affordable housing ordinances in the State of California. More than anything, Phil was a tireless advocate for his constituents in Live Oak and Soquel, a tradition carried on by Supervisors Jan Beautz and John Leopold.

    I am sorry to learn that Phil is gone. A warm and affectionate tribute to this political activist who I am so happy to have known!

  9. Stan & Carli Stevens December 15, 2019

    Carl and I knew Phil as a neighbor on Plum Street from his early days. We feel honored that he called us on his last visit to Santa Cruz and invited us to join him to remember those good times. Our heartfelt condolences are offered to his extended family, and to Alexa, Jesse, and Erin. We know that Ukiah, Potter Valley and Santa Cruz will not be the same. RIP

  10. Irv December 16, 2019

    Would that Phil had won his north coast congressional bid years ago. I remember taking a trip with Phil and the editor to scope out the Eel River water theft tunnel outside Potter Valley.

  11. Dawn December 16, 2019

    I am shocked and so sad.

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