Counties perform the dual roles of acting as an agent of the state and of acting as a local government entity, responsive to the needs and preferences of the community. As a local government entity Santa Clara County provides services such as law enforcement, correctional institutions, road construction and maintenance, parks and recreation, libraries, and environmental resources. It also operates "enterprise" programs, which charge fees to users for services. Two such examples are the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and the County airports.

The County acts as an agent of the State in administering health, welfare, and criminal justice programs that are of statewide concern. These programs include many public health programs, adult and juvenile probation, and social services programs. The County is also mandated to provide General Assistance (GA) and health care for the indigent in our community. Since State funding is insufficient to cover the costs of performing these required functions, Santa Clara County uses a major part of its tax base to fund them; leaving control of a small margin of funds for programmatic or operational services. Due to constitutional and statutory restrictions, the County has limited ability to raise new revenues and must, therefore, constantly balance the service needs and preferences of residents as it administers both state-required and local programs.

For more information about what counties do, visit the California State Associations of Counties.

• California State Association of Counties