[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 103 (Thursday, June 18, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING LAWRENCE E. ``LARRY'' STONE LIFETIME OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SAM T. LICCARDO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2026

  Mr. LICCARDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise alongside my colleagues 
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Congressman Jimmy Panetta, and Congressman 
Ro Khanna, to honor a widely-respected community leader, mentor, and 
friend. Lawrence E. ``Larry'' Stone served more than three decades as 
Santa Clara County Assessor, among his 47 years in public office. As 
Santa Clara County's longest-serving elected official, we celebrate his 
contributions upon his recent retirement.
  First elected to public office in 1975, Stone served on the Sunnyvale 
City Council for 16 years, including two terms as mayor. In 1994, 
voters elected him to the role of Santa Clara County Assessor. As 
Assessor, Stone supervised $8 billion in properly tax revenue and 
managed a roll of more than 500,000 properties, which incurred a 500 
percent increase in value during his time in office. During his tenure, 
he returned $35 million to the county's general fund while adding only 
one person to the payroll. For thirty years--through economic booms and 
downturns alike--he consistently delivered complete, on-time assessment 
rolls within budget, earning stellar audit results and strengthening 
confidence in the office's performance. His work ensured transformative 
funding for our region's schools and communities.
  A tireless and deeply dedicated public servant, Stone was among the 
first to arrive at work and last to leave, often remarking that he 
preferred workdays to weekends. He instilled a strong sense of urgency 
within the office, pushing for efficiency, responsiveness, and customer 
service. In his final years in office, he modernized the Assessor's 
Office's outdated software and database, ensuring its ability to 
continue serving Santa Clara County into the future.
  As a leader, Stone welcomed discussion on major decisions, but once 
resolved, he acted decisively and expected others to move with equal 
urgency. While relishing the independence of elected office and 
enjoying the political process--never losing an election in his decades 
of service--he remained grounded in results, believing that strong 
performance was the best campaign. He stood up publicly for good 
government and reliably spoke out when powerful figures misused 
resources or misled the public.
  Among local elected officials, Stone is known as a political 
``godfather.'' Politicians routinely ask him for advice and for 
support, and he became the go-to leader on dozens of commissions, task 
forces, and nonprofit boards. In 1990, he convened Silicon Valley power 
brokers to help Bill Clinton learn about tech and the innovation 
economy, which transformed into support for Clinton's winning 
presidential campaign. Later, Vice President Al Gore drew inspiration 
for ``reinventing government'' from reforms that Stone helped implement 
in Sunnyvale.
  Stone's forthrightness, quotable humor, and keen insights continue to 
attract reporters seeking someone who will say what nobody else has the 
courage to utter publicly. Stone and his gracious wife, Carmen, are 
sought-after guests at nonprofit events and generously support local 
causes, particularly the arts. Larry invests heavily in affordable 
housing projects throughout the region and repeatedly champions the 
region's efforts to build stadiums and land professional sports teams. 
Stone also continues to drive the Downtown San Jose Rotary Club, one of 
the largest and most actively philanthropic clubs in the Nation, where 
he served as a past president.
  Larry Stone spent his career elevating public service, and local 
government. He leaves his own service to Santa Clara County knowing 
that he made his community stronger than when he found it. His legacy 
of principled public service will benefit our community for 
generations.

                          ____________________