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Published on 08/28/1995 All articles from this issue

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Election code of ethics a good idea

With the recent passage of candidate filing deadlines, campaigns for council and school board are in full swing for the November election.

There are six candidates vying for two open Los Altos City Council seats, and four challengers for three spots on the Foothill-De Anza Community College District board.

Historically, the vast majority of local campaigns have been honest and above-board, with the focus on issues and not personalities. But some campaigns have been downright nasty. The most recent example was the anonymous mailers attacking candidate Barbara Tryon during the 1994 Los Altos Hills City Council election. Tryon, an incumbent, was defeated in a tight race. In 1987 and 1989, Los Altos City Council races became name-calling slugfests that left some bad feelings among the participants.

That's why we applaud the inclusion of ethics guidelines in the campaign packets the city of Los Altos is providing candidates.

The guidelines are not mandatory, and not endorsing them doesn't mean a particular candidate plans on a dirty campaign. But we are pleased that all six candidates for this year's Los Altos City Council race have signed the code of ethics.

The code of ethics includes: conducting campaigns openly and truthfully; repudiating outside support that resorts to unethical tactics or methods; refraining from leveling charges at opponents so close to the end of the campaign that they don't have time to respond; and refraining from attacks on opponents based on race, gender, religion, physical health or age.

The code of ethics serves as a reminder that the best campaigns stress the candidates' strengths and not opponents' weaknesses. Here's to clean campaigning.

Diocese plan the best compromise

Next Tuesday, the Cupertino City Council is set to approve final plans for a massive 178-unit housing development that appears to be the best compromise, by far, in this highly controversial situation.

The plan calls for 65 percent of the 208-acre property, owned by the Catholic Diocese of San Jose, to be public open space. Another 10 percent would be private open space. That's good news for open space lovers and the surrounding residents, many of whom live in south Los Altos.

St. Joseph Avenue residents are also getting their wish: Their street will remain closed to outside traffic.

That leaves Cristo Rey Drive, where residents are still unhappy with the lack of another access road. However, two environmental impact studies showed no significant traffic increase on Cristo Rey generated by the new development.

For the vast majority of those involved, this plan appears the best way to go.