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Mountain View City Council member Sally Lieber currently leads a pack of three candidates vying for a spot on the state Board of Equalization. According to unofficial June 8 election results, she had captured more than half of the primary vote with 100 percent of precincts partially reporting. Results will be certified by July 15, and the top two candidates will move on to the general election this November.
The early vote count shows Lieber with 466,667 votes (51.5%), followed by Republican Candidate Peter Coe Verbica at a distant 260,212 votes (28.7%) and Democratic candidate Michela Alioto-Pier at 179,225 votes (19.8%).
If elected, Lieber would become the board’s District 2 representative. Under the California Constitution, the Board of Equalization is charged with regulating county property assessment practices across the state.
“It also hears appeals of the taxes that are levied by the state, the privately owned utilities,” such as PG&E, “and privately owned railroads,” Lieber said.
A registered Democrat who has nabbed endorsements from groups like the Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America in her past runs for office, Lieber called herself a pragmatic progressive and a corporate-free candidate.
“It means we’re not taking any money from corporations. Having been in the state legislature, I definitely saw how much money warps the process,” Lieber said. “So this is an important opportunity for me to be running corporate free.”
If successful in her bid for the board, it won’t be the first state elected position Lieber’s held. She’s a former state Assembly member, giving her experience that she believes will help her succeed if elected.
“It’s an area that I’ve always been interested in,” Lieber said in an interview as results rolled in June 7. “When I was in the state Assembly I served for six years on the Revenue and Taxation Committee. I think there are not a lot of people who find that interesting, but I do.”
She’s endorsed by the California Democratic Party, the California Teachers Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). She also nabbed the support of Santa Clara County Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Joe Simitian.
“It feels really good,” Lieber said on Election Night. “Looking at our text bank, it’s equally exciting to see one person that you’ve never met say ‘I’m for you, my whole family voted for you.’ To me it’s the magical thing about running for office.”
If elected, Lieber said she still plans to continue serving on the Mountain View City Council.
