Supervisor Keith Carson visits Albany High School Government Class

Supervisor Keith Carson, President of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, visited an Albany High School Government and Economics class on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 to hear from young people about how local government is working for them.

The class of approximately 30 students is taught by Mr. David Garcia, a young teacher who began at Albany High School in 2012. In the course, students learn about the intersection between government and the economy – how government protects property rights, creates and implements regulations and promotes economic well-being.

Supervisor Carson first described the basic operations of the “mysterious” county level of government, which is responsible for the health, safety and well-being of residents in California. He then spoke about the network of clinics and hospitals that supports the health of county residents, the challenges of operating a $2.7 billion budget in the midst of cuts from the state and federal governments, and ways that young people were involved in making decisions about the construction of the Juvenile Justice Center in San Leandro.

Students inquired about the impact of budget cuts on County operations. “We contract out some of the work in health care, social services and probation to community-based organizations that are located in cities and neighborhoods,” Supervisor Carson explained. “In some cases due to budget cuts, we had to cut back on funding to those organizations, which forced us to negotiate with them to form partnerships to reduce overhead costs.”

One student asked how the county gets involved in the legislative process in the U.S. Congress and the State Assembly and Senate.

“Some of the bills at the state and federal level actually come from counties,” Supervisor Carson said. “We work with community-based groups, universities, our county departments and others to craft proposals to solve problems we see in the community. We write up a draft of a bill, find a legislator to champion it, and often testify in committee to help persuade legislators to pass the bill.”

The legislative process highlights the close collaboration that takes place between city, county, state and federal officials.

As a county official, Supervisor Carson and his staff regularly connect with Albany Mayor Peggy Thomsen, city council members and the city manager to offer support for the schools, the senior center, the county-run library, the Chamber of Commerce and regional planning initiatives.  At a Town Hall meeting on April 23 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at the Veteran’s Memorial Building, representatives from all levels of government will discuss the ways they collaborate on issues impacting Albany residents. For more information, please call (510) 272-6695.