Hewlett Committee forwards department reduction proposals, asks admin to explore alternatives to retain agricultural liaison

The Santa Clara County Housing, Land Use, Environment and Transportation (Hewlett) Committee voted to forward departmental budget reduction proposals for fiscal year 2026–27 to the full Board of Supervisors and directed county administration to explore alternatives to preserve an agricultural liaison position and to add measurable performance indicators for departments.

Chair Margaret Abe-Koga moved the recommendation after listening to an extended public comment period focused on South County agriculture; Vice Chair Sylvia Arenas seconded the motion. The committee approved the motion by roll call (recorded: Vice Chair Arenas “Yes”; Chair Abe-Koga “Aye”). The motion asks administration to identify trade-offs if the liaison is retained, and to propose measures the board can use to evaluate service-level impacts within a year.

County staff framed the agenda as an early step: a deputy from the County Executive’s office emphasized these were the departments’ raw reduction proposals and not a final recommended budget. The office expects the recommended budget to be released around May 1, with county budget workshops beginning May 11 and a Hewlett Committee workshop on May 13.

KJ Kaminski, director of the Office of Supportive Housing, described OSH’s approach to meeting reduction targets while protecting program capacity. “Our goal is to keep people that we have housed housed, and to continue to prevent people from becoming homeless,” Kaminski said, noting proposals include shifting some case management to community-based organizations and pursuing revenue sources such as a proposed loan origination fee and CalAIM revenue projections.

Committee members and several public speakers from South County pressed for clarity about a proposed reduction affecting an agricultural liaison position and related UC Cooperative Extension supports. Multiple farmers, vintners and local officials told the committee the liaison provides critical navigation and trust between small agricultural operators and county permitting and grant programs; speakers said eliminating the role would harm economic viability.

Chair Abe-Koga also asked for greater transparency around “object 2” line items — funds the chair said should be broken down between supplies and direct services so the board can assess constituent impacts — and asked staff to return options for how to preserve service levels if certain positions are retained.

What happens next: the administration will incorporate the committee’s direction into the budget process and the county will release the recommended budget in early May. The committee’s request for performance measures and for alternatives regarding the agricultural liaison is advisory to the full board; any final staffing or budget decisions will be made when the Board considers the county executive’s recommended budget.