About Jim Beall

Supervisor James T. Beall Jr. (pronounced "Bell") was elected to the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors in June 1994. In June of 1998 he was re-elected without opposition to his second term. As the representative of District Four, Supervisor Beall serves residents in the cities of Campbell, Santa Clara, and west San Jose. The District also includes Burbank and the Cambrian neighborhoods where Jim grew up and lives today. Many residents are familiar with Jim's fourteen years of service on the San Jose City Council, where he was first elected in November 1980, and reelected without opposition in 1982, 1986, and 1990.

Supervisor Beall is the Chair of the Children and Families Committee, Chair of the Legislative Committee, and Vice Chair of the Finance and Government Committee.

As a Supervisor, Jim has made a commitment to promoting affordable housing and providing high quality transportation, superior health and human services, an efficient and maintained infrastructure, a clean and healthy environment, and safe neighborhoods for the residents of Santa Clara County.

This past year, Supervisor Beall focused his efforts on action and affordability. In healthcare, housing and transportation the crisis of affordability has serious consequences for our quality of life and the continued economic vitality of the valley.

Supervisor Beall is committed to addressing the issues of affordability and its impact on the health, social, and economic opportunities for youth in Santa Clara County. He serves on the Santa Clara County Health Authority responsible for implementing the Children's Health Initiative. In less than a year the Children Health Initiative has enrolled over 25,000 children in health insurance programs.

As Supervisor, he has sought over the past several years to redefine the County's role in housing issues. He served as the driving force behind the County's commitment of $2.5 million to the Housing Trust. He also created the Santa Clara County Housing Task Force, an intensive, community planning effort that has identified solutions to the housing crisis.

Supervisor Beall is a nationally recognized expert in the field of transportation planning and has served on local, state, regional, and national transportation committees. In this capacity, Jim has served on the Traffic Authority Board, Paratransit Coordinating Council, and Californians for Better Transportation Board. He currently serves on the Valley Transit Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. He served as Chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission from 1998-2000. Supervisor Beall was appointed to the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Policy Advisory Board in January 2002. This body is responsible for bringing BART to San Jose.

Supervisor Beall serves on the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, and has sought to reduce youth violence and promote accountability to victims of violence through Restorative Justice.

Supervisor Beall attended San Jose State University, where he received a BA in Political Science. He has taken courses in Urban Planning and Public finance at San Jose State University.