Candidate for
Supervisor; County of Mendocino; District 1

I believe strongly in democracy and direct public participation in government.

In a representative democracy, the political philosophy of a member of a public board must be secondary to the collective will of the board member's constituents. Elected officials are public servants, not independent agents or masters of the community.

An elected representative has a responsibility to actively seek input from all members of the community, not just from contributors and supporters. If no consensus exists, it is the first responsibility of an elected representative to build as great a consensus as possible before acting.

While I don't enjoy paying taxes, I believe they are the price we pay to live in a safe and civilized society. Unlike socialists I know, I don't believe that government is the answer to every problem; and unlike Libertarians I know, I do want most of the government I pay for + and further, I believe I have a personal responsibility to make our government function effectively and efficiently so as to ensure we get the government we pay for.