01
Refocus City Resources
Palo Alto city government has grown far faster than the city it serves — nearly 50 staff members now earn more than $300,000 a year. Government should grow when residents need it to, not for its own sake.
For Palo Alto City Council
Brian
Hamachek
A residents first approach.
Palo Alto’s government has grown far faster than Palo Alto. I’m running to turn the city’s focus back where it belongs: on residents and the things that matter to them.
About Brian
A builder, not a career politician.
I’m a software engineer and entrepreneur, and Palo Alto is my home. I’ve spent my career building products and companies — which means hiring only when it’s justified, watching every dollar, and answering to the people who pay the bills. City Hall could use more of that discipline.
I’m not running to make government bigger, and I’m not running to climb a political ladder. I’m running because our city government has drifted from its actual job: serving the people who live here. Too much of the budget now goes to the organization itself, and too little attention goes to the residents and local businesses it exists to serve.
On the council, my test for every decision will be simple: does it make daily life better for the people of Palo Alto? If it does, I’ll fight for it. If it doesn’t, I’ll vote no.
Where I Stand
My commitments
02
Residents first
The city's customers are the people who live here and the local businesses that serve them. That means getting the basics right, such as safe streets, good parks, responsive services, and a permitting process that makes sense.
03
Put Caltrain underground
The rail corridor is the biggest physical decision Palo Alto will make this century, and we'll live with it every single day for the next hundred years. A tunnel is the most expensive option. It's also the right one: it reconnects the two halves of our city, ends the noise and the waiting at crossings, and returns the surface to the community. It won't be easy, but the right choices rarely are the most easy.
04
Thoughtful housing growth
Palo Alto should welcome new homes and new neighbors, thoughtfully. I support housing growth that is deliberate about scale, location, and character, and I'll push back on approaches that treat our neighborhoods as a spreadsheet problem. Growth should add to the life we've built here, not threaten it.
Get Involved
I need your help.
Palo Alto politics are insane. Some candidates are raising over $75K from real estate developers and interests outside of Palo Alto.
Volunteer
An hour of your time goes further than you’d think. Tell us how you’d like to help and we’ll be in touch.
Donate
Support the campaign
Yard signs, mailers, and reaching every Palo Alto voter — that’s what your contribution pays for. This campaign runs lean, the way city government should.
We will add a donation button soon. Please check back.
Contributions are processed securely through PayPal and are not tax-deductible.