Candidates to replace Simitian report donations

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer

Two former colleagues on Mountain View City Council have raised similar amounts of money in their race to replace Supervisor Joe Simitian on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

Councilwoman Margaret Abe-Koga raised $127,562 in the first six months of the year, according to campaign finance documents.

Sally Lieber, a new member of the state Board of Equalization, raised only $6,721. But she also loaned her herself $135,000 from a previous campaign, documents show.

Lieber resigned from council last year to join the state board, which deals with tax assessments.

She said in an interview on Monday that her experience running across the supervisor’s district will help her in next year’s election.

“People are already familiar with my name, but it really helps to reinforce that,” she said.

Lieber said she won’t accept any checks from corporations or developers.

“We’re focused on individuals at the grassroots level,” she said.

Abe-Koga didn’t respond to a request for an interview on Monday (July 31).

SummerHill Homes LLC ($500), developer Lund Smith ($249) and the California Apartment Association Political Action Committee ($1,000) donated to Abe-Koga’s campaign.

Abe-Koga is also getting a lot of support from local members of the Democratic Party, including Rep. Anna Eshoo ($1,000), state. Sen. Josh Becker ($1,000), and District Attorney Jeff Rosen ($500).

Mountain View council members Lucas Ramirez($100) and Lisa Matichak ($750) are also supporting Abe-Koga.
Liz Kniss, a former Palo Alto mayor and county supervisor, said in an interview that this support reflects Abe-Koga long track record.

“What you’re seeing in those endorsements is loyalty,” she said.

Abe-Koga worked for Eshoo in the 1990s. She was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Education in 2002 and to council in 2006.

Lieber was first elected to council in 1998 and was in the state Assembly from 2002 to 2008.

The voluntary spending limit in the race is $250,000.

Simitian is leaving the board after reaching his three-term limit. He said in an interview last week that he won’t endorse anyone until at least December, after the deadline to file.

This could be the first time in 28 years that the North County will be represented from someone outside of Palo Alto. Before Simitian, former Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss was on the board for 12 years.

The district covers nine cities in the north and west corners of the county.

Kniss, who is supporting Abe-Koga, said that being a supervisor is far more time-consuming than being on council, yet with less attention and accolades.

“This is probably one of the least-known of all the elected offices, but it has the most affect on human services that for many people can be their lifeline. It’s an important role,” she said.

Whoever gets elected this year will have a much easier path to re-election in 2028 and 2032, giving this race added importance, Kniss said.

The election is on March 5. If another candidate joins the race and nobody gets 50% of the vote, then the top two vote-getters would move on to the November election.