Q&A with Sylvia Arenas, Santa Clara County District 1 Supervisor candidate

By Staff Report

Morgan Hill Life sent Sylvia Arenas, a San Jose City Councilmember, a set of three questions when she announced Jan. 6 that she was running for the Santa Clara County District 1 Supervisor position. (Current Supervisor Mike Wasserman who will be termed out in November.)  Here are her answers:

• When and why did you decide to get into the race for District 1?

When the Board of Supervisors, in December, voted to move my current City Council District into County Supervisorial District 1, I was thrilled. I have always been interested in continuing my service to our community through leadership at the County level. So many of the most impactful health and social services are run by the county, not through individual cities. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to continue my service and I would be honored for the chance to serve South County families — as well as South San Jose.

• How knowledgeable are you about the South Valley region and have you had much involvement with the people of Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Martin?

So many of my friends and family live in South County — I feel a very strong sense of personal connection to the area. However, I also know that representing a community is a very specific thing. I’m excited for the opportunity to earn the support of Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and San Martin voters.

• What is the primary local issue you see yourself addressing for the South Valley region if you are elected as supervisor and how do you hope to deal with it as a leader?

I’m passionate about making sure that our government services really serve those who need them most. Even before COVID, too many of our families were struggling to make ends meet. I know in South County in particular, sometimes there hasn’t been enough support to bring enough funding for services to the region — and that is something I’d be particularly focused on addressing if I have the honor to serve in this new role.