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Many may remember former state Sen. William Joseph Goodman Sr. for his authoring of the Tax Reform Initiative by Marylanders, a public referendum in 1978 that made it more difficult for Prince George's County officials to raise property taxes.

But state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said Goodman, who died Monday at age 79 at his home after suffering from Alzheimer's disease, left his mark in another way.

"He was really one of the first elected officials in the state who recognized the need to preserve and protect the environment," said Miller (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach.

A Democrat who served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1963 to 1971 and the state Senate from 1971 to 1974, Goodman worked tirelessly on TRIM. Due to the effort, the county tax rate can only be changed by referendum or by enabling legislation from the state.

"[TRIM is] one of the things that has made Prince George's County a little more of an affordable place to live in," said TRIM activist Judy Robinson of the legislation.

Goodman also made a name for himself working on environmental legislation such as the Tidal Wetlands Act of 1970, before there was a widespread understanding of comprehensive environmental policy, said his son, Mike Goodman.

"He was considered a maverick in his time," Mike Goodman said.

The former senator worked expeditiously to protect environmentally sensitive areas in the state, Miller recalled. "Now, 40 years later, we've preserved more agricultural land than any state in the union," he said.

Goodman was born Jan. 22, 1930, in Hot Springs, Ark., and only completed school through the seventh grade, his son said.

From early on, he compensated for his lack of formal education with an outgoing personality to accomplish his goals, Mike Goodman said.

Goodman served in the U.S. Merchant Marines from 1944 to 1947 and the U.S. Marines from 1947 to 1951, before moving to New Carrollton.

He was employed by C and P Telephone Co. from 1952 to 1986.

Goodman is survived by his wife of 35 years, Sue Goodman; eight children, 22 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Matthias Catholic Church, located at 9475 Annapolis Road in Lanham.