Political Philosophy for Jack McKellar

Candidate for
Council Member; City of Eureka; Ward 3

POLITICAL PHILOSPHY: JACK MCKELLAR

Chronologically, I am part of a generation that prides itself on solid, dependable social values, work ethics, and personal commitment, and those values extend into my work as an elected official. I know what it means to work hard for a living, and I have a keen appreciation of the needs of the citizens and business owners of this community.

I have always been an advocate of small business, and of keeping small business alive, and here in Eureka. I believe we need to focus attention on attracting and encouraging new small business entities to locate in this area. I believe I have played a part in keeping small business here, in the form of voting for small business rehabilitation and financial assistance programs. I strongly support redevelopment projects.

It is my hope that local governments will be successful in our legislative quest to regain property tax and other monies -- commonly referred to as "State take-aways" -- back into our local coffers. Over the years, the compounding effect of State take-aways has made it extremely difficult to maintain General Fund based infrastructure. This is just one example of the growing number of difficult social and economic issues the Eureka City Council must face. In my eight years on the Council, I have made a concerted effort to achieve a healthy balance of those concerns.

If re-elected, my top priorities include: Public Safety, Humboldt Bay Harbor and Waterfront Improvements, and City Infrastructure. My thoughts on those issues are detailed in a separate section on this website.

I am a registered Republican. I have the political endorsements of the Eureka Fire Department, and the Eureka City Employees Association.

I am sensitive to the needs of the homeless and the mentally ill citizens of Eureka. I support the concept of helping disadvantaged individuals to seek opportunities to become self-sufficient. I do not, however, support programs that in my perception simply enable individuals to remain in a less-than-desirable state of health and/or financial welfare. I believe in the age-old philosophy of "honest pay for honest work". In my lifetime, I have had personal experience with these issues. I know how it feels to be both physically and financially challenged, and I also know how much discipline and self-motivation it takes to climb out of the hole. I know that the motivation must come from within -- it is not strengthened or encouraged when we rely on the taxpayer to provide for all our needs.

I believe in accessible government. I make myself available to my constituents – which include ALL the citizens of Eureka – all day and every day. My home and business telephones are available to anyone, anytime. I listen to what people have to say. I consider and weigh their opinions in my decision-making process. I try hard to gather all the facts and factors before taking a position on any issue.

I believe we are extremely fortunate to live in this community. Eureka is a beautiful place to be. It can be made even more beautiful with the continued enhancement of cultural, recreational, and economic attributes. This is YOUR city. I believe that a responsible City Councilmember never loses sight of that fact.