Hello District 4 Residents,
While I realize life may not yet feel different from the year left behind, I am optimistic that the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and the change in federal administration may soon bring physical, emotional and economic recovery to our community. Locally, we have much work to continue to do.
Please click on the COVID banner above for updates relating to case numbers, vaccine rollout, re-openings and more. You can view my 2020 Year In Review by clicking on that banner, also above. Following is a summary of the latest actions taken during the January Board of Supervisors meetings:
At the Jan. 12 Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Cindy Chavez and I requested that Administration establish a subcommittee of the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, of which I am a member, that will include community members who can help us develop a plan for appropriate healing and rehabilitation for youth leaving the State’s Division of Juvenile Justice after its impending closure by the Governor. Read the referral here: http://ow.ly/eXps50D6Iry
A budget should show:
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How much is the County planning to spend on the programs and services the County offers the public?
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How much is the County planning to spend on the processes and operations needed to effectively deliver those programs and services?
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How can we measure whether money spent is achieving the stated goals of programs/services?
Extreme transparency is our responsibility because we ask our community for extreme trust. You are entitled to know how public dollars are being spent.
Applications for the Santa Clara County Small Business Loan Program are open. Good news on a previous update: Supervisor Simitian and I had previously requested that the County invest funds in the California Rebuilding Fund earmarked for Santa Clara County small businesses that are still impacted by the pandemic and the public health orders. The Board, at the January 12 meeting, unanimously approved the first appropriation to that end in the amount of $6 million, which is a big win for our small business community which has sacrificed so much for all our health. I will support further investment in the program going forward. For more information, please visit this link: http://bit.ly/SmallBizLoanProgram
In addition to the first responders and health providers who have stood on the front lines of this pandemic, so too have the restaurant workers, grocery store employees, pharmaceutical aides, and others who have gone to work every single day – truly in the line of fire of an invisible enemy – to keep our economy functioning and to meet our daily needs while so many of the rest of us, including elected officials, stayed largely sheltered in place in safety.
Santa Clara County strives to be a leader in equity and social justice, and in the delivery of high quality, accessible health care for all residents. Despite strengths in each of these areas, more work is needed to assure our values as a County are represented in the care of each patient in our health system. This will require an honest and explicit recognition of the impact of race as a driver of health inequities. For that, we need your help.
Your lived experience with the county health system would benefit the Race and Health Disparities Community Board. This 11-member board, initiated by myself and Supervisor Simitian, seeks to address issues of race and race-based health disparities within the County health care delivery system.
Nearly a year into this pandemic we continue to move toward a safe reopening of the County. We cannot move forward without each of us taking all necessary precautions and steps to protect our community -- wearing a mask, social distancing, washing/sanitizing your hands, staying home to the extent possible. I will continue to advocate for a quicker and safe reopening of our County. As I do so, please reach out to my office to let us know how we can continue to be an advocate for you.
I am on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor. There you can find resources, news and events.
As always, if you have questions, comments, and/or concerns, email me to [email protected].
I and my team are here for you.
Be well,
Susan
