As the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose is at the heart of the innovation economy. But are we creating enough opportunities for upward mobility?

Things could not only be better in Silicon Valley; we have the power to set a path for other regions to follow.

I recently voted to use $1.2 million of the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s budget to keep 170 low-income children in Head Start programs this school year. The program had been cut due to the federal sequestration. Each dollar put into quality early learning experiences returns at least $7 to society through increased productivity, while also reducing the need for federal assistance and fewer teens/adults entering the criminal justice system.

The neighborhood park is often taken for granted as part of the everyday American urban and suburban landscape. The primary value of our parks is economic, but there are also very important health benefits to citizens of all age groups.