As Yan Zhao prepares to wrap up her tenure as mayor of Saratoga, she’s set her sights on turning into Santa Clara County’s subsequent assessor.
Zhao, who has served on the Saratoga metropolis council since 2018, mentioned she hopes to higher handle the wants of the county’s ever-growing immigrant inhabitants if elected as county assessor.
There’s some dissention as as to whether she’s outfitted to deal with the job, as she just lately sparred together with her metropolis council colleagues over the best way to enhance financial vitality in downtown Saratoga. Zhao’s competition that companies within the Saratoga Village alongside Large Basin Approach aren’t in want of those efforts led some residents say she’s disconnected from the lives of on a regular basis individuals.
The job that Zhao’s now campaigning to tackle in 2026, the identical 12 months that her second metropolis council time period ends, would make her primarily liable for setting property values within the county. Larry Stone, the present county assessor, has held the job since 1994. Stone hasn’t filed papers to run for re-election in 2026.
“I haven’t actually considered who I’m operating towards,” Zhao mentioned. “I don’t know who else will be jumping in and run for this position.”
Zhao formally kicked off her marketing campaign at an occasion in Palo Alto on Dec. 7, supported by different native officers like state Sen. Dave Cortese, who additionally named her “Woman of the Year” in his district in April, and has beforehand spoken publicly in favor of unseating Stone.
Zhao mentioned her background in each know-how and native authorities has set her as much as serve the county as assessor. She mentioned she hopes to prioritize new academic initiatives and outreach packages in a number of languages to assist residents higher perceive property tax legal guidelines and rules.
“This job demands critical thinking, analytical skills, proficiency in technology. I think I have all of that,” Zhao added.
However feedback Zhao made about the necessity to make investments town’s sources within the Saratoga Village have some questioning whether or not she understands the neighborhood she presently serves. After an advert hoc committee offered a collection of suggestions on bettering financial vitality at a council assembly final month, council members had been break up on approving a pilot program during which Hero Ranch Kitchen would self-fund an enlargement of the restaurant’s out of doors eating space. Zhao, one of many no votes on this system, mentioned she didn’t help taking away three public parking spots for a non-public enterprise to make use of.
“For me, our downtown is pretty vibrant,” she mentioned on the assembly.
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Saratoga resident Nedda Ashjaee mentioned she watched a recording of the assembly and was disenchanted by Zhao’s feedback. “I don’t know if I want that kind of person doing anything in any kind of government when they don’t care,” she mentioned.
Resident Ilaria Keogh mentioned Zhao’s feedback on the assembly gave her the impression that the mayor was disconnected from the neighborhood and didn’t perceive the significance of financial vitality within the metropolis, which Keogh mentioned doesn’t bode nicely for her bid for county assessor. She added that the Saratoga Village wants extra foot site visitors to be able to develop into vibrant.
Zhao “really should be working on connecting with her constituents and listening to the residents and listening to the constituents before she moves on to bigger things,” Keogh mentioned.
Zhao advised this publication that she wished she phrased her feedback at that assembly to higher convey that Saratoga’s gross sales tax income has elevated, which town’s 2024-2025 price range confirms. She mentioned she’s thinking about investing sources to make the Saratoga Village even higher.
“I should have said that downtown is not dying, but we are always trying to improve it,” she added.
Jim Cargill of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce cautioned neighborhood members to not choose the mayor’s efficiency primarily based on one assembly.
“I would recommend that people have that conversation directly with her to understand exactly where she stands,” he added.
