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 October 2025
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Dear Friends,
To say that October has been a tumultuous month would be an understatement. The government shutdown, ICE raids across the country, the deployment of federal agents to Alameda, the averted federal deployment to San Francisco, and the looming stop of CalFresh payments have caused anxiety and fear in our community. While we can’t control those federal emergencies, we can control how our county is responding to protect all residents. Let me assure you that we are doing everything possible to be prepared and provide resources to keep you safe. It’s important for all of us to stay peaceful and calm.
If you are part of our immigrant community, know your rights and make sure your family has a good preparedness plan. You can find many helpful resources on the county’s Community Affairs page.
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Food Insecurity
The federal government shutdown, now in its fourth week, is about to take food out of our residents’ mouths. If it continues into November, CalFresh payments for about 35,000 San Mateo County residents will stop on November 1. These humble payments of about $200-250 per person per month are lifelines for families. CalFresh is California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. To put this in perspective 86% of SNAP recipients are in households with a child, are elderly or disabled. Children represent 40% of recipients.
In anticipation of the cuts, the Board of Supervisors on October 21 at my request voted to approve an additional $888,368 in Measure K funding to our core agencies to provide protein for the holidays and additional funding for emergency food through October next year.
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The shutdown comes on top of H.R. 1, legislation resulting in massive health care and benefit cuts that could, once fully enacted, lead to an estimated 61,000 people in San Mateo County losing MediCal coverage. The legislation includes strict work requirements that will result in an estimated additional 3,700 people in our county losing their food assistance.
Thanks to generous residents and to Measure K, we are one of the better-funded county governments in the state. We have already provided $2 million in Measure K funding to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley Food Bank this year, but in the long run, even San Mateo County can’t sustain our safety net without federal dollars.
We are not isolated from the actions in Washington D.C., but we are not powerless. I especially encourage you to donate to our core agencies in San Mateo County, volunteer your time and help spread the word about the urgent need for help.
You can find a list of the eight county core agencies here.
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Finding the Good in People
During the same board meeting on October 21, two remarkable young men from San Mateo gave me reason for hope and optimism. I invited Philip Grele, 19, and Drew Diaz, 20, to be honored for their determination and humanitarianism that they demonstrated during a walk across America from coast to coast. They walked 3,600 miles from the shores of Delaware to our San Mateo County coast in seven months. They raised more than $90,000 for a charity that helps people in crisis situations. On their journey, strangers fed them, invited them into their homes, and gave them words of encouragement and donations. Philip and Drew said they found good people everywhere.
Watch their heartwarming description of their adventure:
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Removing the Sheriff from Office
A special board meeting on October 14 marked the end of a tragic, destructive, and grossly expensive chapter in San Mateo County’s history.
I had high hopes for Sheriff Corpus. I voted for her. I held a town hall with her on crime prevention. She had great ideas to modernize the office. So, it’s tragic to see her time as sheriff come down to this.
After 36 witnesses who testified under oath, 174 exhibits, and 55 hours of testimony, retired Judge Emerson determined there were four causes to remove the sheriff.
The first cause: Conflict of Interest. “The evidentiary record supports a finding that the Sheriff and Mr. Aenlle were in a close personal relationship outside the boundaries of a professional working relationship.” Judge Emerson concluded that “Sheriff Corpus elevated her own interests in the close personal relationship she held with Mr. Aenlle above her obligation to appoint, recruit, select, and/or retain based on merit and in conformity with the principles of equal opportunity.”
There was a stunning revelation in the hearing. The Sheriff asked the County Human Resources Department to create a position for Mr. Aenlle that had a high salary. When he was offered a salary of $73/hour, which is the equivalent of about a $150,000 a year, the Sheriff indicated that it wasn’t “good enough.” So, she continued to pursue a new title for Mr. Aenlle that put him at over $250,000 a year. Equal opportunity was flagrantly ignored further because the position was unposted, and only Mr. Aenlle applied.
In the arrest of Deputy Sheriff Tapia, Judge Emerson concluded that Sheriff Corpus lacked probable cause—that she had “No reasonable reason to believe that the Deputy Tapia was guilty of a charge of timecard fraud.” Further, Judge Emerson found that the Sheriff subjected Deputy Tapia to punitive action and imposed reprisals on him as the elected representative of the Deputy Sheriffs Association.
To abuse one’s office by filing false accusations and falsely arresting them is nothing short of repugnant and corrupt. We do not do that in San Mateo County—we are committed to equal justice under the law.
The question before the Board was: Has there been a violation of any law related to the performance of the Sheriff’s duties? Judge Emerson believed these and other violations were committed by Sheriff Corpus. I agreed.
In my view, Sheriff Corpus lost her sense of purpose and put Mr. Aenlle above the vocal opposition to him among the ranks of her deputies and in so doing permanently damaged her relationship with those she was charged to lead.
It’s a tragedy. A real tragedy. I voted to terminate the Sheriff.
You can view my full statement here:
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The Board is now in the process of deciding whether to request a special election to allow voters to select a new sheriff or whether to appoint one in a public and transparent process. Those are the two options defined in the County Charter. On Tuesday, October 28 at 6 p.m. we are holding a special board meeting allowing the public to express how they would like the process to unfold. Please attend in person or via zoom to share your input.
Nurturing Future Scientists
The Bay Area is one of the world’s largest biotechnology hubs. The industry generated more than $140 billion in economic output in 2023 and supports more than 300,000 jobs. Genentech, the company that gave birth to the industry in South San Francisco in 1976, continues to shape the future of this field. In a private-public partnership with the South San Francisco Unified School District, Genentech designed Futurelab, a program designed to address educational needs and provide students with high-quality STEM education, to equip teachers with essential tools, comprehensive curricula, advanced technology, dedicated lab facilities, and professional development opportunities, that enable them to deliver rigorous and engaging science instruction. This year Futurelab is celebrating its 10th anniversary and it was my distinct honor with Supervisor Lisa Gauthier to present them with a resolution acknowledging their success. More than 8,000 K-12 students in South San Francisco a year benefit from the exposure to hands-on science, mentorship, biotechnology concepts, and diverse STEM career pathways. A number of students have since become scientists employed by Genentech. Building on this success, the program has been expanded with Futurelab+ which has the ambitious goal to reach an additional one million high schoolers across California and the U.S. by 2026. I am confident they will succeed.
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Walking an Historic Trail
If you are looking to combine history and exercise, a hike on top of Sweeney Ridge would be your perfect choice. On November 4 at 10 a.m., San Mateo County Historical Association President Mich Postel will lead a history walk to the top of Sweeney Ridge. On that date in 1769 Gaspar de Portolá and his expedition of 63 men sighted the San Francisco Bay for the first time. It’s considered the most important Spanish discovery in North America during the 18th century.
Wear comfortable shoes and wear layers and meet Mitch at the West end of Sneath Lane in San Bruno. The hike is about five miles long and will take between two and three hours.
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Before I Go…
Did you know that San Mateo County has a program that offers hands-on training in commercial kitchens, helping people with little or no experience gain skills needed to find stable employment and receive a California Food Handler’s Certificate? Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) serves residents with disabilities and other barriers to employment. While the trainees learn how to prepare meals in a professional kitchen, they serve it to residents of the Navigation Center and to members of the community – and let me tell you, their food is delicious! I’ve had the pleasure of tasting it at some VRS catered county events. A true win-win program! You can find more information here.
I hope to see you at one of the events in our community.
All the best,
Jackie
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