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
4,223 events, each with its sourceConsent Calendar 2nd SB1447 HEALTH (Weber Pierson)
Senate 3rd Reading SR111 Padilla et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR111 Padilla et al. Reconsider
Senate 3rd Reading SCR163 Ochoa Bogh et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR170 Grayson
Senate 3rd Reading SCR174 Pérez et al. By Wiener
Senate 3rd Reading SR95 Niello et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR97 Wahab et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR110 Grove et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR148 Padilla et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR156 Dahle et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR168 Jones et al
Assembly 3rd Reading AB108 Gabriel By Laird
Consent Calendar 2nd SB880 Wahab
Consent Calendar 2nd SB916 Ashby
Senate 3rd Reading SB949 Becker et al
Senate 3rd Reading SB965 Blakespear
Senate 3rd Reading SB1038 Laird
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1055 Laird
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1165 Caballero
Senate 3rd Reading SB1175 Rubio et al. Urgency Clause
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1187 Durazo
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1207 Laird
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1267 Allen
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1388 Durazo
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1389 Dahle
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1405 Smallwood-Cuevas
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1410 Limón
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1431 E. & C.A. (Wiener)
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1432 E. & C.A. (Wiener)
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1436 REV. & TAX. (McNerney)
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1443 ED. (Pérez)
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1444 L., P.E. & R. (Smallwood-Cuevas)
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1445 B., P. & E.D. (Wahab)
Senate 3rd Reading SR106 Cortese et al
Special Consent ACR130 Ta et al
Special Consent ACR141 Ta et al
Special Consent ACR150 Michelle Rodriguez
Special Consent ACR152 Davies et al. By Rubio
Special Consent ACR160 Sharp-Collins et al
Special Consent ACR161 Addis et al
Special Consent ACR170 Wallis et al
Special Consent ACR171 Celeste Rodriguez
Special Consent ACR172 Macedo et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR84 Blakespear et al
Special Consent SCR144 Seyarto et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR153 Grove et al. By Jones
Senate 3rd Reading SCR162 Umberg
Senate 3rd Reading SCR165 Grayson
Senate 3rd Reading SCR167 Ochoa Bogh et al