“Elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in 1966, he came to the Assembly in 1976 and was elected to the Senate in 1980…He carried 727 bills and resolutions as a state lawmaker, of which 456 were signed into law -- a record he was proud of just as he was his Portuguese heritage.  Throughout his time in the Legislature, Mr. Mello was a champion of senior citizens. He carried 120 bills dealing with seniors, including creation of the California Senior Legislature, which creates a legislative agenda on issues like aging.  Mr. Mello also carried a bill to make funding for the program one of the voluntary contribution options at the end of state income tax forms.  In 1982, he co-authored the Mello-Roos Act, a financing mechanism that allows localities or schools to impose an additional tax for a special purpose.”  He enjoyed playing the piano, and “Mr. Mello last took the stage in 2002 at the performing arts center in Watsonville named in his honor.”