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
4,741 events, each with its sourceAssembly 3rd Reading AB2561 Valencia By Jones
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2605 Arambula et al. By Cortese
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2613 Sharp-Collins et al. By Weber Pierson
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2619 Papan By Padilla
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2635 Celeste Rodriguez By Durazo
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2684 Nguyen By Wahab
Pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10, that the measure be re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations pursuant to Joint Rule 10.5
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2764 Ahrens et al. By Menjivar
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2764 Ahrens et al. By Menjivar Motion to Reconsider Reconsider
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2764 Ahrens et al. By Menjivar
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2765 Ahrens et al. By McNerney Urgency Clause
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2783 JUD. (Kalra) By Reyes Urgency Clause
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2788 TRANS. (Wilson)
Assembly 3rd Reading AB2795 B. & F. (Valencia) By Grayson
That the Assembly amendments be concurred in
That the Assembly amendments be concurred in
Unfinished Business SB608 Menjivar et al. Concurrence
That the Assembly amendments be concurred in
Unfinished Business SB633 Blakespear Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB865 Ashby Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB868 Wiener et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB908 Wiener et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB909 Smallwood-Cuevas Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB925 McNerney et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB937 Gonzalez et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB942 Caballero et al. Urgency Clause Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB988 Grayson Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB998 Gonzalez et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1014 Grayson Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1077 Gonzalez et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1114 Cabaldon et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1116 Caballero Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1125 Menjivar et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1135 Blakespear et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1237 Blakespear et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1244 Allen et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1250 Cortese et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1323 Rubio et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1371 Durazo Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1379 Cervantes et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1414 Reyes et al. Concurrence
Unfinished Business SB1425 Cortese Concurrence
Assembly 3rd Reading AB28 Schiavo et al. By Blakespear
Assembly 3rd Reading AB40 Bonta et al. By Arreguín
Assembly 3rd Reading AB302 Bauer-Kahan By Stern
Assembly 3rd Reading AB395 Gabriel et al. By Ashby
Assembly 3rd Reading AB502 Pellerin et al. By Blakespear Urgency Clause
Assembly 3rd Reading AB539 Schiavo By Weber Pierson
Assembly 3rd Reading AB550 Petrie-Norris By Becker