

Sam Liccardo
Mayor / San Jose, CA
In the three years since Mayor Sam Liccardo took office in 2015, San Jose has thrived. Sam settled intense battles over pension reform with 11 unions, saving taxpayers $3 billion over three decades, and enabling the restoration of San Jose’s police force. He has led the most successful period of economic growth in the City’s history, announcing major expansions from such employers as Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Broadcom, Google, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, and Microsoft, and securing three dozen new routes at the nation’s fastest-growing international airport, San Jose Mineta. He is implementing innovative approaches to reduce homelessness—such as rehabilitating deteriorating motels, expanding work-first programs, and building “tiny home” villages—while working with community partners to house more than 1,000 homeless veterans. Sam has led a regional coalition to raise the minimum wage in Silicon Valley, partnered with employers to provide jobs to more than 2,000 teens living in gang-impacted neighborhoods, teamed with community colleges to eliminate tuition and fees for 1,600 low-income college students, and launched after-school learning programs in sixteen of San Jose’s least affluent neighborhoods. San Jose has become the largest city in the nation to rapidly decarbonize through a community choice energy program, and Sam has co-led the passage of measures to bring BART and other transit improvements to San Jose, and protect our hillsides and open spaces from sprawling development.
A native of the Santa Clara Valley and former criminal prosecutor, Sam is a graduate of Bellarmine, Georgetown University, Harvard University, and Harvard Law School. In 2018, San Jose residents overwhelmingly re-elected Sam, with 76% of the vote.
Sam Liccardo’s Ideas

Problem Youth unemployment remains as high as 20% in some San Jose neighborhoods while a troublesome trend shows an increase in the number of younger youth (14 – 16 year old’s) committing burglaries and other crimes. The City’s gang- and crime-impacted neighborhoods fall short in opportunities for youth to be […]
Jobs and Entrepreneurship | Sam Liccardo | Mayor | San Jose, CA

Problem Manufacturers consistently report a shortage of skilled workers as a key challenge to their operations in the U.S. As manufacturing today involves complex tools requiring technologically skilled operators, managers, and technicians, there is a strong need for increased access to the training and skills needed to fill these jobs […]
Jobs and Entrepreneurship | Sam Liccardo | Mayor | San Jose, CA

Problem San José is the largest city in Santa Clara County where nearly 110,000 Legal Permanent Residents reside who are eligible for citizenship but have not applied for naturalization. Obstacles such as language barriers, lack of reliable and accessible information, cost and fear are major barriers. Citizenship allows individuals to […]
Strengthening Democracy | Sam Liccardo | Mayor | San Jose, CA
Recent News


Press Release: Gov. Inslee & Microsoft President Brad Smith Join NewDEAL Forum to Launch Climate Agenda

NewDEAL Forum Urges Immediate Broadband Access Funding from Congress
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