Candidate for
Director; Santa Clara Valley Water District; Division 1

Supervisor Don Gage serves on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. He was elected to the Board on March 18, 1997 and represents District One, which has a population of over 330,000 and encompasses 70 percent of the County's land area. It includes Almaden Valley, Santa Teresa, Blossom Valley, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, San Martin, as well as the Mt. Hamilton Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

As Chairperson of the Board's Housing, Land Use, Environment, and Transportation Committee (HLUET), Supervisor Gage reviews all land use issues as well as large road projects such as the Measure B Transportation Project. He also serves on the Valley Transportation Authority, Pajaro River Watershed Flood Prevention Authority, Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Habitat Conservation Plan, and the Santa Clara County Valley Water Commission. Supervisor Gage is Vice Chair of the Public Safety and Justice Committee. He also serves on the Caltrain Joint Powers Board, and represents the County on the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).

Supervisor Gage began public service in 1981 when he was elected to the Gilroy City Council, where he was well known for his support of law enforcement and youth programs. He served on the Council until 1991 when he was elected Gilroy's Mayor. In 1993, Don was honored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for his exceptional community service and also was the recipient of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year Award. In recognition of his leadership role in creating the Gilroy Youth Center, Don accepted the Helen Putnam Award from former Governor Pete Wilson at a ceremony in Sacramento.

Born April 18, 1945, Don grew up on a small farm outside of Gilroy and has been a lifelong resident of Santa Clara County. He attended local schools and earned his degree in Law Enforcement. Don and his wife Jeanne, live in Gilroy and have three children and 6 grandchildren.