Kou: Rishi Kumar offers a forward-looking vision for residents

Public trust in government isn’t maintained through slogans or longevity or staying in an echo chamber — it depends on results. The Democratic Party can only remain strong when it listens to fearless voices — and one such voice is Rishi Kumar.

Kumar — a C-suite technologist, former executive board member of the California Democratic Party who served three terms and two-term Saratoga councilmember, with deep experience in technology turnarounds — sees the Assessor’s Office as an opportunity to restore public confidence and make the office work for the people.

Santa Clara County should not function like a feudal system. Residents deserve an assessor chosen for competence, not by the preferences of entrenched political players and old guards. We cannot continue to see the same failures of the past three decades — outdated IT systems that crash, payment portals that fail and taxpayers penalized for mistakes not their own. We don’t need a lawyer in charge — we need a leader who understands modernization, who has led large teams and who has a reputation of getting things done. Kumar fits that shoe.

Kumar’s vision includes using automated technology to spot market declines, proactively reducing property taxes and streamlining the appeals process so refunds reach residents faster. And importantly, he is the only candidate with a concrete property-tax reform plan that puts money back into people’s pockets, starting with the 60-plus age group. He has pledged to save millions of dollars in the assessor’s office and put the money back into our county’s essential services.

Neysa Fligor, by contrast, has voted to raise taxes and proposed nothing to cut waste or cut taxes. She supported multiple major regional and county tax increase proposals. She voted “yes” for a regional housing bond measure to be placed on the 2024 ballot — a $50 billion tax plan that, according to public analysis, would have raised property taxes in Santa Clara County and added about $716 a year to a home assessed at $2 million. Fligor has emphasized her certification, her five months of experience as assistant assessor and her endorsements as qualifications for assessor, but voters deserve more than this.

Kumar independently challenged the basic premise of Measure A. He opposed the sales tax increase as the No on Measure A chair, while Fligor supported the county sales tax hike. Today, Measure A is mired in controversy — DA Jeff Rosen, who once backed it, is considering investigating the county over it. The fiasco is a public spectacle. “Tax Hawk” Kumar’s approach was simple: audit the county, cut waste and only then consider new taxes. We need more of such leaders, not the ones like Fligor who will rubber stamp tax increases.

A major challenge today is supporting seniors as living costs skyrocket, with this population becoming one of the fastest-growing groups falling into homelessness. Kumar’s 60-plus Property Tax Exemption Act of 2026 provides a statewide solution modeled after Proposition 13 and reforms in 16 states. It eases the burden on older homeowners without creating deficits, raising taxes or reducing funding for schools, public safety or essential services.

Kumar’s approach to public service is rooted in innovation, integrity and measurable results. He believes accountability strengthens — not weakens — public institutions, reflecting a core Silicon Valley value. Progress comes from questioning systems, understanding data and constantly improving. Kumar offers a forward-looking vision that our residents will truly benefit from.

Lydia Kou is a registered Democrat, former mayor of Palo Alto and former Assembly candidate.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this op-ed misstated that the FPPC is investigating Measure A.