Santa County supervisor explains county government, tells REALTORS(R) schools are important to buyers
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
More often than not, Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss finds herself explaining to taxpayers what county government does. In fact, she refers to the county as “the invisible level of government.”
“Most people know much about their city, but not the county,” said Kniss told members of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® early this month.
Kniss herself has served on different levels of government. A former Palo Alto Union school board member, Palo Alto council member and mayor, Kniss was elected in 2000 to the county Board of Supervisors to represent Santa Clara County’s Fifth District. The district includes the cities of Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Saratoga, Stanford, Sunnyvale, West San Jose and unincorporated areas of the county. She was re-elected in 2004 and again in 2008. 2012 will be her 11th and last year in county government, she told the REALTORS®.
Most people don’t realize it, but in one way or another, they are touched by county government, said Kniss. County government takes care of mental health services, social services, housing, public safety, health and welfare, assessments, the trails and the parks. The county runs the public justice system, the huge library system, and all the expressways.
Kniss explained the county’s budget totals $4 billion and is divided into two parts – the General Fund, which takes care of core issues, such as public safety, the justice system, medical and social services, and the Enterprise Funds, which take care of parks and other special services. She indicated the public has long supported funds for parks and since the 1970s, Santa Clara County has maintained over 100,000 acres of preserved land.
Kniss, who is a registered nurse, said she is fully committed to and supports the federal government’s efforts in improving health care. She indicated the county spends $1.6 billion a year on health care. As chair of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors’ Health and Hospital Committees, she is intent in making sure more measurements are in place so there is no misuse in the system and that taxpayers “get their money’s worth.”
While she underlined the importance of transportation, particularly the long-term viability of trains, Kniss, who sits on regional boards of Joint Venture Silicon Valley and the Valley Transportation Agency, acknowledged chances of high speed rail coming to Silicon Valley “are slim to none” because its cost has escalated dramatically. However, she is very concerned about the future of Caltrain.
“We need to upgrade our trains,” stressed Kniss.
The Fifth District supervisor indicated she is upbeat about the future, noting, “positive things are happening.” She pointed to more traffic on roads, a marked increase in ridership in Caltrain, and more people riding the shuttles, which is “the best sign that the economy is improving.”
The future especially looks bright for her district, which has many amenities, including excellent medical facilities, and especially public schools that provide top education. Schools are important to buyers, Kniss told the REALTORS®.
“Schools are the bottom line of every community. In this area, you get a lot of your money because of the schools,” said Kniss.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, e-mail , or phone (408) 200-0109.
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