County Supervisor & Former State Senator
Feb 24, 2023
Joe Simitian
County Supervisor & Former State Senator

Joe Simitian is the County Supervisor for the Fifth District of Santa Clara County. The district includes Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Cupertino, Stanford, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills, along with portions of San Jose. He was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. 

Joe's public service over the years includes serving as a member of the California State Senate, the California State Assembly, Mayor of Palo Alto, President of the Palo Alto School Board, and an earlier term on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. 

Joe brings to his work a wide-ranging perspective and background -- service at all levels of state and local government, hands-on experience in the private sector, as well as professional education and training particularly applicable to his work in public service. 

During his tenure on the Board, Joe has worked to protect vital services in Saratoga. He partnered with the City of Saratoga and the Hakone Foundation on much needed repairs at Hakone, including repairs to the Mon Roof, the Tea Ceremony building, and the koi ponds. 

He has championed expanded community access to the Montalvo Arts Center through free community events, scholarships, and new programs. He has led the County’s ongoing support for the West Valley Community Services mobile food pantry that stops in Saratoga, benefitting seniors, students, and families.

Joe has also supported the expansion of the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District’s Pre-Fire Management and Wildfire Resilience program, which serves a portion of Saratoga. And he pushed for the County’s support for ADA-related upgrades at the Los Gatos-Saratoga Adult Recreation Center to improve access to the center's continuing education, health services and nutrition referrals, counseling, and volunteer and socialization opportunities.