David Dominic Cortese

Dave Cortese (pronounced Cor-TEH-zy) is vice mayor of the City of San Jose, who grew up in San Jose as part of a family that has been active in civic, cultural and business affairs for generations. He places high priority on transportation issues, housing, education, neighborhood business and traffic improvements, and has been a leader in promoting tougher ethical standards at City Hall. Cortese was first elected to the San Jose City Council in the Fall of 2000, and was the only councilmember re-elected without opposition to a second four-year term in 2004. He lives with his wife Pattie and four children, David, Jr., Gina, Angela, and Matthew in the Evergreen area of San Jose.
 
Prior to the city council Dave served on the East Side Union High School Board of Trustees where he was elected to two terms from 1992-2000. He served as President of the Board on two occasions. While there, Cortese chaired the Evergreen Valley High School “new school committee” and co-chaired a successful $80 million bond campaign which led to the completion of the first new high school in Silicon Valley in over twenty-five years. He was also a leader on school safety issues, new partnerships with parents, and innovative programs which required more rigorous curriculum and reduced the dropout rate.

Dave was educated at Bellarmine College Prep, Santa Clara University, the University of California, Davis, and Lincoln University Law School. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, and a Juris Doctorate in Law with certifications in Environmental Law and Mediation.
Soon after his swearing-in Cortese began establishing himself as a leader on the council. In Spring 2002 he mediated a compromise of one of the thorniest issues ever to face the City of San Jose, a dispute between landlords and tenants rights advocates triggered by a proposed “Just Cause Eviction” ordinance. In the end, tenants ended up with an innovative program and landlord’s walked away with an ordinance they could live with. Of the compromise, the San Jose Mercury News said, “ Perhaps Jimmy Carter should share this year's Nobel Peace Prize with Dave Cortese. The San Jose city councilman's shuttle diplomacy has helped end a year-long conflict between tenant activists and landlords over protections from eviction.”

Cortese has also led in other ways. He has authored new ordinances clarifying the city’s requirements for street trees, and protecting local businesses from the impacts of construction activities caused by local agencies. In addition he has risen to leadership positions in every organization he has served as well as been vocal as a reform leader in the City. As a councilman and a VTA board member he has chaired and co-chaired key transportation committees and has been a strong, vocal advocate for bringing BART to the South Bay--and for freeway interchange improvements along Highway 101 at Tully, Capitol, Yerba Buena and Hellyer. He was unanimously selected by 15 mayors from the entire county to serve as the President of the Santa Clara County Cities Association (SCCCA). In addition he is the current President of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), a 101 member city/county regional planning body for the entire Bay Area and has more recently been appointed by ABAG to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. A complete list of Dave’s professional affiliations is found below.

As a strong proponent of economic development and job creation he successfully spearheaded creation of a Joint Economic Policy Collaborative, a new regional body consisting of representatives of the fifteen cities in the county, fifteen business leaders in the county, and the CEO’s of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, and the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. He has also led the effort to bring professional baseball to San Jose and has been a strong advocate for re-establishing the Earthquakes professional soccer franchise in town.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Dave has been involved in a variety of civic/community activities, including the Police Activities League (PAL) Board of Directors, Board of Directors of the East Valley YMCA, the Italian American Heritage Foundation, the President of the Sons of Sicily Club, member of the CHW Community Advisory Council, the PTA, and the Board of Directors of "Rotacare."  He is or has been a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, the Santa Clara County School Boards Association, the San Jose Real Estate Board, the Tri-County Apartment Association, the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, the Cal Aggi Alumni Association, the Most Holy Trinity Church Development Committee, East Side Heroes and St. Francis of Assisi Parish. He has been directly involved with the Evergreen, East Hills, Alum Rock and Berryessa Little Leagues. He was one of the founders of East Valley Girls Softball (PAL) and formerly President of the San Jose (East-Evergreen) Rotary Club, and also a member of the Evergreen Business and Professional Association. He has also had the opportunity to work with his father, former Assemblyman Dominic L. Cortese over a political career that commenced in 1968. Dave has recently joined the board of trustees for Lincoln Law School. Over that time Dave has seen the rewards and hard work as well as the trials and tribulations of public service.