Political Philosophy for Theodore "Ted" McElhone

Candidate for
Councilmember; City of Campbell

Without a vision our council's decisions for building high density housing developements are encroachments on the town's character. Past and present councils have built 8000 rental units with 8000 home owners units, large and small shopping areas, speedy through streets, all without a keeping in mind the Town's character. The present council is driven by bottom line money concepts, not by quality of life needs. Creekside was built in 1996 and on the edge of the Los Gatos Creek, without any landscape buffer. The self maintaining crreek is the adjacent park. The old Winchester site has four acres of city maintained park adjacent to the industrial campus being built after the election

Small towns do more for themselves than big Cities and this is the reason why the quality of life is better. It takes a vision of the character of the Town we wish to have for our families and awareness of potential to decide matters on a community level.

Community empowerment begins with honest, forthright communications between the town residents voters, and the city council. Town people know when they are being treated openly and fairly by the local government. We can start through Town Hall meeting after the election to decide on the Town we wish to build and to live inside. This time using a facilitator to organize and record our citizen's demands.

The best town is a place with satisfied residents who take ownership of their town