When Hill moves into the position, it opens up a big wheel of fortune at various levels in the county with a number of politicians aiming for new positions. Not only will Hill’s seat on the Board of Supervisors be filled, whoever fills that seat will likely leave a vacancy where they are now. Depending on who takes the seat, there may be a new councilmember in either San Mateo or Foster City and maybe a new member of the San Mateo County Office of Education. And whoever fills one of those seats may leave a vacancy somewhere else. Term limits were designed to keep the state Legislature fresh, but it also serves to keep seats in local government fresh, too — in more ways than one.

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Hill already has the Sacramento routine down. He is planning on introducing legislation on his first day in office Dec. 1, but he doesn’t want to say what it is. He’s afraid another legislator may steal his idea.

Hill, who has seven years experience on the San Mateo City Council and 10 years on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, was getting to be a pretty big fish in the San Mateo County pond. Known for his responsiveness, action and ability to listen and learn, Hill will soon get a quick lesson in the difference between being one dominate voice out of five and one freshman voice out of 80 members of the state Assembly.

Still, it is a challenge Hill is eager to take and he is meticulously preparing for the transition. That means Sacramento trips to meet with lobbyist groups like insurance companies, doctors groups and firefighters that did not endorse him in the June Democratic primary. It also means looking for a place to live and establishing a district office. Former Millbrae Mayor Marc Hershman will be the district director but Hill will be interviewing staff in the state Capitol. Hill is angling for spots on natural resources, environmental and budget committees. Health care is also a big interest for Hill as finding ways to provide additional health coverage for more county residents was one of his pet projects. In addition, Hill said he is getting a wish list from many in the county and will likely try to help the city of Half Moon Bay with legislation that will ease the pain of the $18 million the city owes a developer.

Though Sacramento is teeming with special interest groups and lobbyists, Hill sees himself as immune to the lure of their influence since he does not necessarily see politics as a career path. If anyone can stick to his principles in Sacramento, it is Hill and it will be interesting to see what he can do for both the county and the state in his time in the Assembly.

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With Hill’s ascension to the Assembly, the Board of Supervisors is facing a sticky issue in how to fill his soon-to-be vacant seat. Hill plans to resign on the last day of November and his seat is up for re-election in 2010. A special election would cost the county $1.7 million so the four remaining members of the Board of Supervisors may look to appoint a replacement until Hill’s seat is up. The board could ask someone to act as a placeholder with the unwritten agreement that the person not run again. But that agreement would not be binding.

Appointing someone to a vacant board seat is not without precedent. In 2001, the board selected Rose Jacobs Gibson to complete the last two years of the term of Ruben Barrales when he was appointed as deputy assistant to the president and director of Intergovermental Affairs in the White House by President George W. Bush.

And there are already likely candidates lining up for the chance. The frontrunner is San Mateo Mayor Carole Groom, who has proven herself in seven years on the City Council as an active listener who does a lot of work behind the scenes. Also said to have an eye on the seat are former county clerk Ric Silver, Rod Hsiao, member of the San Mateo County Office of Education, Foster City Councilman John Kiramis and possibly Ted Lempert, former assemblyman, county supervisor and current member of the San Mateo County Office of Education. But Lempert would have to move back into the district to run or be appointed. He would also have to give up his education board seat.

Another possibility is that the board could appoint someone to the seat then hope the state calls an election in June, which would reduce the cost for the special election. Word in Sacramento is that the governor may put some budget reform items on the June ballot. That way, whoever is appointed would only have a few months advantage over any challenger.

If the board does go through with an appointment process, which is likely, look for the candidate pool to grow since there would be no campaign cost and only the interviews with members of the board. The board is set to discuss Hill’s replacement at its Nov. 18 meeting. My money is on Groom.

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If Groom is appointed to Hill’s seat, that would also open a seat on the San Mateo City Council. With Councilwoman Jan Epstein termed out in November 2009, that means there would be two open seats within a year. Planning Commissioner Kelly Moran has been rumored to be considering a run, but said she is too busy with work to think about 2009 though she has not ruled out a run in the future. Instead, she is placing her support behind fellow Planning Commissioner Fred Hansson. Rich Hedges, former union organizer and aide to congressman Tom Lantos, may also be eyeing one of the two seats.

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All this will play out soon enough, but it just proves the domino effect of politics. When one seat opens, many are drawn to the opportunity. That may not have been the intention of state-level term limits, but they are now keeping government seats fresh at all levels. And that just might be a good thing. At least it keeps it interesting. ...

Jon Mays is the editor in chief of the San Mateo Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com.