Freshman Silicon Valley lawmaker makes his mark

Silicon Valley’s newest assemblymember has hit the ground running in his first four months, with a hefty bill package supporting economically disadvantaged Californians.

District 26 Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens was sworn into office Dec. 8, and since then he’s met with thousands of residents, community leaders and local officials. The freshman state lawmaker is carrying 17 bills ranging from broadening financial support for community college students to raising minimum tax credits for low-income residents.

Among Ahrens’ promises on the 2024 campaign trail was to be accessible — and so far he’s been able to help more than 120 residents or families needing support from state agencies. The top worry for residents he’s heard has been the economy, he said, and he’s focused on finding ways to lessen various cost burdens.

“It’s always been about the economy, it’s always been about economic opportunity, access to higher education, access to health care, access to affordable housing, meeting people’s basic needs,” Ahrens told San José Spotlight.

Ahrens ran on supporting disadvantaged residents, after serving as district director for former Assemblymember Evan Low for a decade. On the campaign trail, he promised to address various statewide affordability crises, from health care to housing to education.

Many of his bills aim to alleviate cost burdens in those fields, such as Assembly Bill 537, which would make part-time community college students eligible for the College Promise Program by waiving their fees for up to two academic years. The program only covers full-time students, but Ahrens said low-income students are often part time and working multiple jobs.

The state’s tight budget cycle may make it difficult to move some of the bills forward. Ahrens sits on the Assembly’s Budget Committee, which gives him a vantage point to see the state’s dire financial circumstances, he said. Ahrens said the federal government’s cuts to various programs will compound the pain felt by Californians.

“I’m all for efficiency, but not on the backs of hurting people,” Ahrens said. “We need to be hand-in-hand when it comes to making sure we’re more efficiently with our taxpayer dollars. That is what the public is entrusting us to do, but doing it in a way that slashes critical programs that will hurt people, is unacceptable.”

Ahrens grew up in the foster care system and experienced homelessness as a youth, which supporters said give him a unique perspective in addressing issues for Californians.

Former Cupertino Mayor Dolly Sandoval supported and informally advised Ahrens’ campaign throughout 2024, and commends him for the work he’s accomplished to date.

She’s been surprised by how energized Ahrens is in his first term, having more than 1,000 meetings with various stakeholders while getting situated in the Assembly. She looks forward to that momentum continuing throughout his time in office.

“In my view, he’s really looking at people who struggle the most and trying to give them a stepping stone so they can be productive,” Sandoval told San José Spotlight.

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at [email protected] or @SakuCannestra on X.