Santa Clara County Assessor Lawrence Stone announced Friday that his right-hand-man, David Ginsborg, will retire on July 1.
Ginsborg, who has been with the assessor’s office for 24 years, joined the office in 1997, two years after Stone became assessor, after working as a policy aide to then-County Supervisor and future San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales.
He leaves to become Executive Director of a synagogue in a neighboring county. Stone says that Ginsborg’s retirement letter spoke of the opportunity to “grow professionally, establish my own voice and satisfy a desire to deepen my connections to Judaism.”
“David's contribution to me and the Assessor's Office have been monumental, and he leaves behind a tremendous legacy,” Stone wrote.
This legacy includes migrating more than 200,000 customers from in-person and telephone interactions to online and electronic services and leading efforts to create the department’s first website.
Ginsborg recently helped the office implement Proposition 19, a 2020 law that allows seniors, natural disaster victims and others to transfer their property tax value onto their new residence, Stone says.
Ginsborg was equally effusive. “I love the office, I love the work, and I love what I do,” Ginsborg said, explaining that he left because “I’d outgrown my role.”
Stone, 80, has won reelection in mostly unopposed elections for the past quarter-century. He plans to run for another term in 2022, and is expected to face water district director and internet company founder Gary Kremen.
Stone was recently censured by the local Democratic party after he made an offensive comment about his opponent.
Ginsborg, who lost a bid in 2012 to win a board seat on the Santa Clara Valley Water District and waited on the side while Stone sought successive terms, says it’s no secret he wanted the top assessor job. He says he would have done a good job at it if he was elected. But he says he is leaving with no bad feelings between himself and the assessor’s office.
“We have a great assessor, and I didn’t feel any need to step into that,” he said.
Instead, Ginsborg says he was ready to retire, and was looking for a new opportunity. He says he plans to stay in San Jose while his daughter finishes high school next year but is open to relocating after that.
Who believes this one?
Stone promised henchman Davie-Boy a share of wealth from Developers who wanted to pay lower taxes and then Stone refuses to step down as us workers brave COVID. Explain dat
This is a direct quote from Assessor Stone’s letter to staff – “As many of you know, in December I announced my decision to seek re-election in 2022. In light of that decision, Deputy Assessor David Ginsborg informed me, at that time, of his desire to consider new opportunities to grow and learn, as he felt he had outgrown his current role at the Assessor’s Office,”
That sounds like the Octogenarian wants hold onto his office like a baby on a TIT.
So to quote ““I love the office, I love the work, and I love what I do,” – why would he leave?
Sounds like Stoned screwed him by running in a way that if he wins he will be 85!!
I would vote for Crockett or Kremen.
Who else came here after Larry’s secretary sent the link out to staff?
Who else is just now finding out about these weird sexual comments that he made about his opponent?
Frankly, as someone who works for him, I don’t know how I’m supposed to defend this if someone asks about it. I’m a little creeped out myself.