Current board president proud of accomplishments in first term
Published in the September 17-30, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Mike Wasserman
Mike Wasserman was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 2010. Prior to that, he served eight years on the Los Gatos Town Council including two as mayor. Before running for public office, Mike spent 10 years volunteering as a sports coach for 300 children on 25 youth teams.
He and his wife Kim got married 48 hours after graduating college, and he went to work for two years at Montgomery Wards. He later operated a payroll check company before becoming a registered tax preparer and a certified financial planner and, along with his wife, formed a tax preparation and commercial and residential property management company. Along the way, he owned a baseball card shop. His collecting of sports memorabilia and baseball cards is his passion, and when he retires from public service, he intends to return to coaching youth sports.
In the June 2014 primary election, Wasserman ran unopposed and currently serves as the president of the Board of Supervisors. Morgan Hill Life asked Wasserman about his interest in serving the county, especially the South Valley region.
Why did you decide to go for a second term as supervisor for District 1?
I was proud and thankful for what I was able to accomplish in my first term, but knew full well there was lots more to be done. Making a difference on such a large scale — Santa Clara County has more residents than 14 states! — is a tremendous challenge which motivates and excites me daily. And since the Warrior’s head coaching job isn’t currently available …
What would you describe as your main fiscal goal for the county — and especially for the South Valley region — when you start your second term?
Fiscal responsibility is a top priority. I’ve said that each year if the county breaks even doing what it is mandated to do — which is provide vital services to 1.9 million residents — then we are successful. This may sound too simplistic, but the reality is that when the county has to make budget cuts, people’s lives are affected. In the past four years, I’ve become very involved with the needs for county services in Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy, especially public health and safety.
You are a strong proponent of agri-tourism in the South Valley. Why is this a crucial issue for you?
Agri-tourism and South Valley naturally go hand-in-hand. I am proud of the recent collaboration to create the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail which puts our region on the map in a very positive light. It wasn’t until I became the District 1 County Supervisor that I came to appreciate fully all the unique assets we have. Frankly, all county residents should go to South Valley to buy produce, visit local businesses, and to taste and buy wine. It’s less than a 30-minute trip and the tax dollars collected locally pay for services for county residents. Seriously, why go elsewhere?
Helping the homeless is another major concern for you. What ideas and plans do you have to help this segment of society?
Homelessness is a heartbreaking and complicated reality in our county. We can’t lose sight of the fact that every homeless person is someone’s daughter, son, brother or sister. Currently, there is a massive collaborative effort underway to provide both permanent and temporary housing for the chronically homeless. I’m proud to be co-chair of Destination: Home, an organization that provides homeless housing and services. A housed person who relies on public services uses about 50 percent less services once housed. Housing is the right thing to do and it is saving taxpayer dollars.
In terms of public safety, what are some directions the county should take in improving its Sheriff department?
New improvements are underway. We’ve initiated programs that are reducing the recidivism rate. We added a rural crime deputy to the South County force. We moved fingerprint analysis to the Sheriff’s office to expedite processing. We formed the South County Youth Task Force. And we just opened the South County Family Justice Center in Morgan Hill, where any man, woman or child who is a victim of abuse can find the service needed.
