Steve Cohn papers, 1990-2014, bulk 1994-2014

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Summary

Creators:
Cohn, Steve, 1953-
Abstract:
The collection documents the civic activities of Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn during his time on the council representing District 3 from 1994 to 2014. Material is related to projects, organizations, meetings, and committees he participated in; news covering him and his subjects of interest; and correspondence he received. It covers a range of topics including residential, commercial, and industrial developments; gun control and water fluoridation; neighborhood associations, events, and public programming; public spaces and parks; and public services and infrastructure, including waste management and flood control.
Extent:
15 linear feet (14 cartons, 1 oversize folder, 1 artifact)
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Steve Cohn papers, CTY0011, Center for Sacramento History.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection documents Cohn's civic activities as a Sacramento City Councilmember representing District 3 from 1994 to 2014, including projects, organizations, meetings, and committees he participated in; news covering him and his subjects of interest; and correspondence he received. Material covers topics such as residential, commercial, and industrial developments; gun control and water fluoridation; neighborhood associations, events, and public programming; public spaces and parks; and public services and infrastructure, including waste management and flood control. The collection mainly consists of paper material, including emails, letters, notes, plans, reports, notepads, awards, posters, newspapers, and booklets. It also includes print photographs, CDs containing digital documents and photographs, and two artifacts.

Biographical / historical:

Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Yale University in 1975, then was a Fulbright Scholar in France from 1975 to 1976, where he received a diplôme from the Université d'Aix-Marseille. Cohn then graduated from the University of San Diego Law School in 1979. That same year, he and his wife, Catherine Travers, a high school teacher, moved to Sacramento. They have two children.

In 1992, Cohn began working as the chief assistant general counsel for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), a role he maintained until 2010. Cohn was elected to Sacramento’s City Council District 3 in 1994 and served until he stepped down in 2014. He was also elected vice mayor of Sacramento by the city council in 1996 and 2008. He made an unsuccessful run for mayor in 2000 and for the California State Assembly in 2014.

During his 20-year city council career, Cohn focused on promoting neighborhood programs, transportation, sustainable growth, and mixed development. He was involved with improving public safety and flood protection, promoted the green sector, and pushed for the enlarging of city parks.

Cohn served on many different boards and committees during his time on city council. He was the chair of the Council Audit Committee, Regional Transit Board, and Sacramento Regional Arts Financing Authority, and a board member on the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Sacramento Regional Sanitation District, Sacramento Transportation Authority, Capitol Corridor, Sacramento Metro Air Quality Management District, and Sacramento Human Rights/Fair Housing Board.

Because of his work, Cohn was the recipient of many rewards, including the East Sacramento Improvement Association Orchid Award for Community Service in 1993, Sierra Club Award for Civic Courage in 1997, Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce City Elected Official of the Year in 2001, Bob Holderness Award for Highway 50 Corridor in 2002, Urban Land Institute Transit Development Leadership Award in 2007, and Transit Action Elected Official of the Year in 2012.

In October 2016, Cohn published an autobiography, Citizen Cohn: Memoir of Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn.

Acquisition information:
Transferred from City of Sacramento Council District 3 in 2005 and 2014 (accession numbers 2005/084 and 2014/035).
Processing information:

Processed and finding aid by Kyle Hill, Laura Mele, Meagan Olson, and Cameron Padama-Travis, 2016. Finding aid edited by Kim Hayden, 2020.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 5 series:

  • Series 1. Organizations, committees, and meetings, ca. 1994-2014
  • Series 2. Projects and subjects, ca. 1994-2014
  • Series 3. Press, correspondence, and awards, 1995-2014
  • Series 4. Travel, ca. 1994-2014
  • Series 5. Digital media, ca. 1994-2014

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

All requests to publish or quote from private manuscripts held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Steve Cohn papers, CTY0011, Center for Sacramento History.

Location of this collection:
551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95811, US
Contact:
(916) 808-7072
csh@cityofsacramento.org
Website