Message from Mike
As a dog owner and the County Supervisor from Los Gatos (“The Cats”), it’s fitting that I am an animal lover, which is why I am a strong advocate for Santa Clara County’s “no kill” shelter philosophy. I am proud that all 2,309 healthy animals that came through our shelter last year were either adopted, placed with fosters, or reunited with their owners. Additionally, at last month’s pet clinic in San Martin, the Shelter vaccinated over 100 animals and installed 71 microchips. Last weekend, the Shelter also participated in the nation’s largest free adoption day. Our County Shelter alone adopted out 110 animals in one weekend! I encourage anyone considering pet adoption to visit our Animal Shelter at 12370 Murphy Ave. in San Martin. For more information please visit www.countypet.org
My goal on the Board of Supervisors continues to be to provide County services as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. A large part of the County’s responsibility is to provide federal and state-mandated safety net services in addition to public safety, animal control, parks, and roads maintenance. We also collaborate regionally on emergency preparedness, economic development, sustainability, and public health. I am supporting several initiatives as part of the County’s proposed 2014 budget:
• Prevention measures to reduce traffic-related fatalities and injuries in neighborhoods.
• Comprehensive care for sexually exploited children.
• A new economic development initiative to grow jobs throughout the county.
• Preventative medical and dental services for the homeless.
• Transportation assistance for homeless individuals actively reintegrating into society.
These (and other) budget proposals will be discussed and voted on during the County’s budget hearings which take place the week of June 17 at the County Government Center – 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose. All budget hearings are open to the public and I invite you to attend or watch the broadcast live online.
I support government openness. Back in September 2011, the Board of Supervisors adopted an Open Government Ordinance to ensure public access to information. More recently, there have been discussions about publishing the calendars of County Supervisors online. I support this type of disclosure and look forward to seeing how this can be implemented when it comes back to the Board in August for a vote. Read more about how we are making County government more open and accessible here: www.sccgov.org
Like many jurisdictions around the state, Santa Clara County is dealing with an unfunded retiree health benefit that has grown over a decade. In order to begin paying down the liability, the County will need to start making more than the minimum payment each year. I support a solution that includes using a combination of revenues such as: employee contributions, ongoing set-asides, and using the money currently in our retiree health trust fund. The County didn’t get into this situation overnight and it’s not going to get out of it overnight, but it must be addressed now.
The 2013 Summer Photo Contest is here! I want to see your favorite photos that show why Santa Clara County District 1 is the #1 place to be in the summer. (Click here for a map of District 1). I will frame and proudly display the winning photos in my office. Grab your camera and show us your favorite images of landscape, farmers markets, parades, county parks, neighborhood BBQs, pets, and other fun images of summer! Deadline: August 1, 2013. Simply email your photo to Kevin.Maitski@bos.sccgov.org along with your name, address, and where you took the photo. More information on the photo contest including rules and photos of past winners can be found on my website.
As always, you can reach my office at (408) 299-5010, or you can email me at mike.wasserman@bos.sccgov.org with your comments and concerns.
Mike Wasserman
Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 1
www.supervisorwasserman.com
