[1] The organization was founded in 1978 by David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, and represents more than 390 Silicon Valley's firms.

SVLG is now a key partner along with the Bay Area Council and SPUR in proposing a $100 billion "mega tax" for November 2020 ballots, to pay for high-cost highway and transit projects[5] paid for over 40 years by a one-percent sales tax increase in all nine Bay Area counties.

[9] In June 2006, SVLG and the South Bay Labor Council outspent their opponents $1.2 million to $50,000 in an effort to raise the county sales tax further.

[12][13] At the same time SVLG was campaigning for increasing the local sales tax, they were en route to Sacramento on a lobbying junket to push for[14] two bills - SB 1291[15] and AB 2218[16] - that would have exempt companies from state sales taxes for purchasing equipment used in manufacturing and research.

[22] The Silicon Valley Leadership Group has worked in coordination with local leaders to fund the electrification of Caltrain.