The Campbell Reporter

News

Candidates are new to race, but familiar to community

By Koren Temple

On Nov. 7, Campbell citizens will choose three city council members from a field of five.

This week, the Campbell Reporter profiles the three newcomers to the race--Tom Francois, Evan Low and Margie Mitchell.

Tom Francois

Tom Francois, 65, is running for city council for the first time, but he is no stranger to Campbell government. This is his ninth year serving on the Campbell Planning Commission.

Francois, a San Francisco native, has lived in Campbell with his wife, Carol, since 1962.

A retired businessman and motivational speaker, Francois said he's just "a bald-headed, one-legged guy looking to help others in his community."

If elected, Francois wants to address reducing traffic by encouraging people to get out of their cars and using alternative transportation. He also wants to maintain public safety and promote ongoing business development in the downtown area.

Francois owned and operated a butcher shop in Willow Glen; prior to that he was a butcher at the former family-owned market Food Villa on Bascom Avenue. Francois closed his business in 1997.

"I've been very sensitive to the needs of a small-business person because I know how hard it is," he said.

Francois calls small business the "fabric and backbone" of Campbell's economy.

"If people shop here, it increases revenue for the merchants and for the city as well," Francois said. "It's a win-win deal because it pays for city projects and personnel."

Francois said if the city continues to encourage business development, revenue will increase through the sales tax. This will help alleviate the citywide budget deficit, he said. But he thinks Campbell is heading in the right direction regarding its General Plan. He sees evidence of that in the revitalization of the downtown area. Now, he said, it's time to take it to the next level.

"I'd like to see downtown connected to the community center and the Heritage Theater, and then extended all the way to the Pruneyard," Francois said. "It could be pedestrian-friendly."

The plan would enable people to stroll from one end of the historic town to the other, while browsing through shops and dining at restaurants.

Francois said because Campbell is almost built out, developing businesses and mixed-used projects in downtown along the light rail corridor will be essential to solving the city's housing crunch and traffic problems.

He said people in Campbell can do their part to help with greenhouse problems by getting out of their cars.

In addition to his years on the planning commission, Francois has volunteered at Forest Hill Elementary School and helped address blighted property concerns. He wants to be the go-to guy for people in community.

"I look at a project and ask how would it affect me if I lived next door. Then I would put myself in the shoes of the applicant," Francois said. "I try to think within the box while still making it work for people."

Making it work for Campbell, Francois said, involves maintaining essential services, and cutting back on non-essential things such as streetscaping for the moment, as the city struggles with its tight budget.

"We can't go to Il Fornaio; we're going to have to have a Maui Zaui Pizza until we replenish our reserve account."

But Francois doesn't see this as burden for the city or for him.

"It's not just a job; it's something I chose to do," said Francois.

He was to make sure that 10 years from now the city has retained its strong sense of community.

Evan Low

Evan Low, 23, also wants to maintain Campbell's sense of small-town community.

Low has lived in Campbell for three years.

"I think we need to have a delicate balance of growth, but at the same time, we need to attract new businesses," said Low, who is employed as the director of government and public affairs for Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley.

Low has also worked as an administrative assistant for a 1 ¹/2 years at the Campbell Chamber of Commerce. He does volunteer work with the Santa Clara County on Senior Care and with the Campbell Education Foundation.

Low said the city should take into consideration residential areas that could be redeveloped and should take advantage of land in the corridor between the Heritage Theater and E. Campbell Avenue.

"We don't need to overdevelop in areas that have high traffic congestion," he said. "Instead, we should focus on developing specific, low-density areas that aren't encroaching in residential areas."

One way Low thinks the city can reduce its traffic congestion is by having businesses situated along easy-access transportation points, such as historic downtown.

"We need to educate our community so they make use of public transportation, and hopefully this would increase the capacity and use of our public transportation," Low said.

Beyond transportation issues, the San José State University alumnus said education is the heart of solving many citywide issues.

"Our libraries are closed on Sundays and Mondays, and many of our schools don't have school librarians," Low said. "That's not OK when we are trying to serve individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds."

Low would like Campbell to work with the private sector and individual donors to help fund additional hours for the library. He cites the city of Mountain View as an example, where Google now provides free wireless connection to the city.

"Campbell needs to be more innovative and proactive in developing these strategic partnerships," he said.

Low also sees a direct correlation between the economy and schools.

"The success of the economy is correlated to the quality of the schools," Low said. "So if you have high test scores within the schools, then the property values will go up because people are going to want to move to that area."

Low's goals are to see a continued increase in the school districts' Academic Performance Index (API) scores, more mixed-used development along the transportation corridors and a better public safety system. He acknowledges that public safety is not an issue in Campbell, but believes the city could do more.

"I would want the city to be known for the quality of life in our neighborhoods and in our schools," Low said.

Margie Mitchell

Margie Mitchell, 52, has been on the Campbell Union High School District board for eight years. Although she has two years left in her current term with the district, she has decided to run for a city council seat.

Mitchell has lived in Campbell for 12 years. She works as the supervisor of central attendance at the Palo Alto Unified School District. She is a graduate of Prospect High School and West Valley College, and has two children who graduated from Campbell Middle school and Del Mar High School.

"My platforms for this election focus on education, senior citizens and youth," she said.

Mitchell would like the city to work with the school districts in obtaining grants to support facilities, such as homework centers. She said it is essential for the city to help elementary schools, because they do not receive as many grants as high schools.

Mitchell would also like to address the needs of the Campbell's younger generation.

"I have a 19-year-old and a 23-year-old, and there is nothing for them to do in Campbell," Mitchell said.

After the closure of the teen-friendly Gaslighter Theater, Mitchell believes it is important to have an area designated for youth, where they can feel safe and where there is adult supervision.

"Maybe we can have a Friday night dance at the community center," she said. "If we have those places in the city for kids, it would decrease crime among youth."

Mitchell would also like to focus her attention on meeting the needs of seniors.

Mitchell, whose mother is a Campbell senior citizen, would like to have a process in place that obtains grants to fund additional adult programs for seniors at the Campbell Community Center.

Obtaining funding to solve budget crunches is Mitchell's field of expertise. Mitchell worked to pass CUHSD's Measure M, a $90 million parcel tax to restore and maintain current programs, reduce class sizes, enhance campus safety and recruit and retain qualified teachers.

She said her experience as a school board member will serve her in working with the city to overcome its budget problems.

"We can look at automating some things and combining work forces," Mitchell said. "If at all possible, some things can become technology-based in order to streamline."

Another way to resolve the city's budget constraints might be to increase sales tax countywide, she said.

"Our downtown is very much like Santana Row, and we need to maintain that in order to maintain our tax base. At the same time, we need to take residential needs into consideration, and this means we need smart growth."

Mitchell also wants to see the Pruneyard Shopping Center connected to the historic downtown area.

"Since the overpass is a problem, it would be nice to get a local artist to construct historical murals on the side of the overpass walls," she said. "That way the city can take pride in it. This will join the two areas, and it wouldn't cost us a lot of money."

Mitchell wants to make sure these future changes won't intrude on Campbell's small-town feel. She said a future traffic analysis would help in the city's preservation. It would aid in determining efficient ways to reduce traffic through downtown city streets.

All five candidates share the belief that maintaining Campbell's identity as a small town on the cusp of a greater Silicon Valley is essential to the city's history and future.