Candidate for
Member; Menlo Park Fire Protection District

Political Philosophy

My career has seen an opportunity in public service with the Fire District, seen my video project go into production this October in Redwood City and the East Bay hills and seen the best wages of my entire career through a full year of work with the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 617. I am thankful that I live in a country where this kind of life is possible.

Public service in local politics can be a very rewarding proposition if one understands the game, has the political skills, enjoys the work and has a well defined constituency to serve. I have already served four years on the MPFD Board, I have a degree in Political Science, I'm making a major contribution to the community through an innovative fire safety video and I'm seeking to represent the interests of my neighbors in East Palo Alto on the Fire District Board.

Local politics can sometimes be a rough and tumble game. I have known a handful of firefighters and officers within the Fire District since high school and junior high. They were rascals then and they are rascals now. I'm not saying that they wouldn't have graduated without my help. I'm just saying that they would have gotten into a lot more trouble if I hadn't been there to keep an eye on them.

Every day on construction sites I install fire alarm systems that make the firefighter's traditional skills obsolete. When I come home from work I put in hours working on a fire safety video that does more of the same. I don't expect that all of my work will make me popular among all firefighters.

Like our national government, there is a balance of power within the Menlo Park Fire District that reminds me of the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The Firefighter's Labor Group is the Rock. The Fire Chief is the Paper. And the Board of Directors is the Scissors. That is the political environment in which the Board of Directors operates and my philosophy in dealing with it. A successful term in office requires an understanding of this balance of power and the ability to maneuver among the various blocks and their factions.

I have already been on the campaign trail for several weeks, educating myself on the issues, getting campaign signs up around the neighborhood and inspiring the video project crew while working full time and trying to have a gentleman's social life. I've already selected a labor intensive (low budget) campaign strategy, without the full endorsement of labor, but aided by friends, family, and supporters in East Palo Alto and the environmental community.

I have announced a few legislative priorites, but my stand on the issues is free to evolve until I cast my vote. For example, if I, as a candidate, had made promises to the Firefighter's Labor Group to win their endorsement for this race and won the election, then I'd be distracted for weeks or months from functioning as a legislator leading up to the expiration of existing labor agreements, and have few bragging rights at the end of my term. So I declined to make a blanket promise to step in to break a deadlock in labor contract negotiations on behalf of labor.

We all would wish firefighters to have enough money to buy homes inside or close to the District where the firefighters would be available in the event of a major emergency. The long commute times of our firefighters is a strategic concern since collapsed freeway overpasses and electrical grid failures could turn a three hour commute into a day long nightmare.

I suspect that my hesitancy to make this blanket campaign promise to labor is one reason that the endorsement of the Firefighter's Association and the Labor Trades Council went to other candidates. The candidates who made this campaign promise will have to plan to butt heads with the Chief or his designee as both sides maneuver for advantage on the next labor contract. And then they'll need the support of their colleagues on the Board to solidify their gains.

If the Chief caves in to labor demands for a better contract then he'll have less money to spend on fire equipment, training and capital improvement projects and he'll jeopardize his chances for a second term or a temporary extension of his employment contract. So he has an interest in making as few concessions as possible. I can't imagine a rookie Director with no Board experience and no knowledge of contract negotiations making any headway with him.

This is the political environment that I, if successful in my quest for a seat on the Board, will find myself in. I trust that my political savvy, education and experience will see me through. Please support me with your vote for a seat on the Fire District Board of Directors.

Your Public Servant,

Steven P. Kennedy