State representative opens new office

By Alina Ta ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

State Assembly member for California’s 28th District, Gail Pellerin, celebrated the opening of her new office on Thursday in Almaden.

According to the city’s website, Almaden Valley and New Almaden are neighborhoods located on the southwestern edge of San Jose.

Pellerin said she decided to open her third office in Almaden because she wanted people in the community to have easy access to her office and staff.

“We want to be in the neighborhood, we want to be easily accessible to our constituents that we’re representing,” she said.

Pellerin was first elected as the state assembly member eight months ago.

“I got this incredible job thanks to the voters in this 28th Assembly District,” Pellerin said.

Pellerin said one of her responsibilities as a state assembly member is to help develop a budget for the state, and to pass different laws and bills with her voter’s interest in mind.

She said her visits to Sacramento to vote on different bills and potential laws emphasize the value of making difficult decisions that impact her district.

“Those decisions are looking at what is best for this incredible assembly district that

I have been given the honor of representing,” she said.

San Jose City Councilmember, Pam Foley, who represents District 9, where Almaden is located, said she is excited to have Pellerin’s new office be so accessible to her district.

“I feel accessibility will be really wonderful with Assemblywoman Pellerin,” Foley said. “I look forward to working with her on any issues, local and state… [and] move the district and the city forward and the state in a positive way.”

Foley said she looks forward to partnering with Pellerin on solving different issues including San Jose’s housing and mental health crisis.

In 2023, San Jose has 6,266 unhoused residents, according to a webpage on the city’s website.

In California, 1 out of 7 adults is reported to have some type of mental illness, while 1 out 26 adults has a serious mental health condition that stops them from doing daily activities, according to a July 29 article from the California Health Care Foundation.

The California Health Care Foundation is an independent, nonprofit philanthropy that works to improve the health care system for all Californians, according to its website.

“[I] look forward to where we can partnership in all areas,” Foley said. “We have a huge housing crisis and we could use the state’s help in building more housing.”

President Nina Chuang is Pellerin’s newest hire, and is serving as field representative for her.

Chuang said joining Pellerin’s gives her the opportunity to further serve the San Jose community.

“It’s really amazing to work for a member that is an alumni of the CSU system,” she said.

Chuang said one of her goals as Pellerin’s field representative is to work on increasing her outreach to the San Jose community.

“I think the biggest thing is outreach, so it’s really getting connected into the San Jose community as we are opening up a new district office,” Chuang said. She said she would encourage students to familiarize themselves with their local representatives outside of election season.

Chuang also said students can reach out to their local representatives to receive guidance around working with state agencies.

“Get to know your representative,” Chuang said.

She said most students are not aware state representatives and their staff members can help community members navigate working with state agencies and accessing financial aid.

San Jose State political science alumnus Lawrence Dang, said he decided to take the opportunity to come to Pellerin’s open house to learn about who she is as a politician.

“[I] also want to make sure that we get an opportunity to learn about what the progress of the bills that she’s working on and what political actions she’s taking to ensure that she gets the job done,” Dang said.

He also said he wants to make sure Pellerin not only focuses on her work in Sacramento, but remembers to listen to her constituents and their concerns.

“We really need to do our parts to really come together and continue our work to build a community where we can take on the bigger challenges,” Dang said.

SJSU political science alumnus Jim Beall and member of the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors for District Four said it’s important for Pellerin to have an office in San Jose.

“It’s very important for her to have an office here for her constituents,” Beall said.

Beall said he and Pellerin are currently working together on a bill to help finance projects that would fund the city’s ability to recycle water and to do flood control.

He also said he is also hoping to work with Pellerin on decreasing houselessness next to San Jose’s creeks and to build more affordable housing.

“You have [alumni] like me that want to do something about it. Just put it that way,” Beall said. “Let people know that we’re trying. We’re working hard to get more housing for students.”