For six years in the State Assembly, and the last four years as State Senator, it has been an honor to represent Morgan Hill in the state legislature. Now that the election is over, the 17th Senate District boundaries move south, and Morgan Hill will no longer be in the Senate district I was just re-elected to.
When I was first elected to the Assembly in 2002, I worked hard to get to know Morgan Hill. I visited schools, businesses, mobile home parks, city hall and much more. I worked on the issues of perchlorate contamination, dam safety, school funding, agricultural land conservation and transportation. I welcomed Leadership Morgan Hill every year to the State Capitol, and honored Operation Freedom Paw’s Founder, Mary Cortani, as my 2022 Woman of the Year.
I worked with four mayors—Dennis Kennedy, Steve Tate, Rich Constantine and Mark Turner as well as many city council members—to address local issues.
Together we got millions of dollars in the state budget for flood control and for a railway grade crossing.
In addressing the perchlorate issue at one point, the Morgan Hill City Council actually had a noticed meeting in my Capitol office, so I could get them to meet face to face with state public health officials about the perchlorate contamination. I also partnered with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas as principal co-author of AB 271 to assist with the earthquake retrofitting and replacement of Anderson Dam.
I rode in many Fourth of July parades, attended chamber of commerce dinners and was the commencement speaker at Gavilan College.
I will truly miss regularly seeing the many friends I made in Morgan Hill. But while I no longer formally represent Morgan Hill, and I know Senator Dave Cortese and Assemblymember Gail Pellerin will do a good job of representing all of you going forward, I know I will still see you.
Leadership Morgan Hill already mentioned I’d be invited to next year’s Capitol visit.
Thank you for the wonderful partnership and the privilege of representing you.
John Laird
State Senator, 17th District
