Dave Cortese’s public life has included service with the East Side Union High School District, the San Jose City Council, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and regional transportation and government organizations. He spent eight years as a school trustee, eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor, and 12 years as a county supervisor before serving in the California Senate. His leadership positions have included board presidencies and chairmanships involving schools, transportation, county government and regional associations. He also ran for San Jose mayor, winning the primary before losing the general election to District 3 councilmember Sam Liccardo. His career has encompassed elected office and leadership roles in local, county, regional and state institutions.
ROOTS
David Dominic Cortese was born June 3, 1956. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory from 1970 to 1974, received his bachelor’s degree from UC Davis and attended Lincoln Law School from 1991 to 1995.
Public office was already present in the family. His father, Dominic L. Cortese, served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and in the California Assembly. His maternal grandfather, Ed Donovan, was a Santa Clara city councilman in 1949 and 1950. His paternal grandfather, Vince Cortese Sr., was an immigrant farmer from Sicily.
Cortese’s professional experience has included agriculture, property, construction and law. In 1986, following work as a professional financial manager, he became general manager for a collection of ranching and real estate enterprises. His work has also included the sale of agricultural produce, stewardship of a real estate portfolio, construction, ownership of a dining establishment and a private law practice. Cortese and his wife, Pattie, have four children.
THE LOCAL LADDER
Cortese served eight years on the East Side Union High School District board, including service as board president. The school board was one of several local institutions in which he held office.
He also served for eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor. His 12 years on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors included a term as board president. His record therefore includes service in a school district, a city and a county.
Cortese ran for San Jose mayor and won the primary, then lost the general election to Sam Liccardo, then the District 3 councilmember. His other leadership positions have included roles in county and regional institutions and the chairmanship of a California Senate committee.
THE GOVERNING MAP
Cortese’s leadership positions include several transportation and regional government bodies. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. Those roles included leadership positions in transportation agencies and associations of regional and local governments.
Cortese is also the founder of the Joint Policy Collaborative for Economic Development. Outside his government roles, he was president of the San Jose East-Evergreen Rotary Club and served on the boards of the East Valley YMCA, The Tech Interactive, Parents Helping Parents and several other nonprofits. He is also a founding member of East Valley Girls Softball.
These positions document work in elected bodies, transportation agencies, government associations and community organizations.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
At the state level, Cortese chairs the California Senate Labor, Public Employment & Retirement Committee.
His broader record includes transportation agencies, regional organizations, schools, economic development and county government. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. His eight years with the East Side Union High School District and 12 years on the county Board of Supervisors add school and county government to that record.
His listed leadership roles span labor, public employment and retirement, schools, transportation, county government, regional and local government associations, and community organizations.
- State Senate · Senate District 15 · 2020–present
Dave Cortese’s public life has included service with the East Side Union High School District, the San Jose City Council, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and regional transportation and government organizations. He spent eight years as a school trustee, eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor, and 12 years as a county supervisor before serving in the California Senate. His leadership positions have included board presidencies and chairmanships involving schools, transportation, county government and regional associations. He also ran for San Jose mayor, winning the primary before losing the general election to District 3 councilmember Sam Liccardo. His career has encompassed elected office and leadership roles in local, county, regional and state institutions.
ROOTS
David Dominic Cortese was born June 3, 1956. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory from 1970 to 1974, received his bachelor’s degree from UC Davis and attended Lincoln Law School from 1991 to 1995.
Public office was already present in the family. His father, Dominic L. Cortese, served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and in the California Assembly. His maternal grandfather, Ed Donovan, was a Santa Clara city councilman in 1949 and 1950. His paternal grandfather, Vince Cortese Sr., was an immigrant farmer from Sicily.
Cortese’s professional experience has included agriculture, property, construction and law. In 1986, following work as a professional financial manager, he became general manager for a collection of ranching and real estate enterprises. His work has also included the sale of agricultural produce, stewardship of a real estate portfolio, construction, ownership of a dining establishment and a private law practice. Cortese and his wife, Pattie, have four children.
THE LOCAL LADDER
Cortese served eight years on the East Side Union High School District board, including service as board president. The school board was one of several local institutions in which he held office.
He also served for eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor. His 12 years on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors included a term as board president. His record therefore includes service in a school district, a city and a county.
Cortese ran for San Jose mayor and won the primary, then lost the general election to Sam Liccardo, then the District 3 councilmember. His other leadership positions have included roles in county and regional institutions and the chairmanship of a California Senate committee.
THE GOVERNING MAP
Cortese’s leadership positions include several transportation and regional government bodies. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. Those roles included leadership positions in transportation agencies and associations of regional and local governments.
Cortese is also the founder of the Joint Policy Collaborative for Economic Development. Outside his government roles, he was president of the San Jose East-Evergreen Rotary Club and served on the boards of the East Valley YMCA, The Tech Interactive, Parents Helping Parents and several other nonprofits. He is also a founding member of East Valley Girls Softball.
These positions document work in elected bodies, transportation agencies, government associations and community organizations.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
At the state level, Cortese chairs the California Senate Labor, Public Employment & Retirement Committee.
His broader record includes transportation agencies, regional organizations, schools, economic development and county government. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. His eight years with the East Side Union High School District and 12 years on the county Board of Supervisors add school and county government to that record.
His listed leadership roles span labor, public employment and retirement, schools, transportation, county government, regional and local government associations, and community organizations.
The record
4,628 events, each with its sourceAssembly 3rd Reading AB435 Wilson By Cortese
Assembly 3rd Reading AB581 Bennett By Ochoa Bogh
Assembly 3rd Reading AB583 Pellerin By Menjivar
Assembly 3rd Reading AB1523 JUD. (Kalra) By Becker
Assembly 3rd Reading AB503 Mark González By Pérez Urgency Clause
Unfinished Business SB391 Laird Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB543 McNerney et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB697 Laird Concurrence
Assembly 3rd Reading AB571 Quirk-Silva et al. By Archuleta Urgency Clause
Assembly 3rd Reading AB238 Harabedian et al. By Grayson Urgency Clause
Assembly 3rd Reading AJR5 Lee et al. By Gonzalez
Unfinished Business SB98 Pérez et al. Urgency Clause Concurrence
Assembly 3rd Reading AB1369 Ramos By Laird
Consent Calendar 2nd AB1142 Hoover
Special Consent ACR70 Pellerin et al. By Caballero
Special Consent SB440 Ochoa Bogh et al
Consent Calendar 2nd AJR15 Alanis et al
Special Consent SB598 Durazo
Consent Calendar 2nd AB1457 Bryan
Senate 3rd Reading SCR104 Valladares et al
Special Consent ACR104 Wallis By Ochoa Bogh
Special Consent SB611 Richardson et al. Urgency Clause
Special Consent SB392 Grayson et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR62 Valladares et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR102 Caballero et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR60 Rubio et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR91 Alvarado-Gil
Special Consent ACR103 Addis et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR21 Archuleta et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR63 McNerney et al
Special Consent ACR83 Wilson et al. By Cabaldon
Senate 3rd Reading SR56 Weber Pierson et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR64 Cabaldon et al
Special Consent SB858 L. GOV. (Durazo)
Senate 3rd Reading SR65 Wahab
Senate 3rd Reading SR51 Becker et al
Consent Calendar 2nd AB457 Soria et al
Consent Calendar 2nd AB815 Ortega
Special Consent SB459 Grayson
Special Consent SB602 Cortese
Consent Calendar 2nd AB521 Carrillo
Consent Calendar 2nd AB385 Ramos
Consent Calendar 2nd AB875 Muratsuchi et al
Consent Calendar 2nd AB1495 Valencia
Consent Calendar 2nd AB1375 Hoover et al
Consent Calendar 2nd AB1155 Fong By Umberg
Senate 3rd Reading SCR100 Arreguín
Consent Calendar 2nd AB920 Caloza et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR96 Wahab et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR95 Choi et al