Todd R. Klein, District 3

Todd R. Klein was first elected to the City Council in a runoff election in June 2007, and was re-elected to the seat in an uncontested race in May of 2010. Located in central to south Lubbock, District 3 has 32,519 residents (74.9 percent Anglo, 18.6 percent Hispanic, and 4.4 percent African-American).

Family Life
A Lubbock native and fourth generation "Lubbockite," Todd is a graduate of Lubbock High and Texas Tech University where he received a BA in Political Science, a BA in Philosophy, and performed graduate work. Todd is married to Manda Klein and they are the proud parents of John Francis, who is 3 years old.

Professional Life
He owns and operates The Todd Klein Show in which he produces, programs, sales, and hosts. The show airs each week day from 4 to 6pm on locally-owned AM 580, KRFE. Todd also occasionally does grant and political consulting.

Public Service and Political Philosophy
Todd is a progressive leader with a history of public service. Having served the citizens of District 3 since 2007, Todd is committed to what is often referred to as good governance or open government with a pragmatic approach to ensuring accountability, transparency, accessibility, and responsiveness in the way government operates and interacts with the public. Todd's political philosophy is essentially that, particularly in local government, elected officials should seek results based on board principles and priorities and consultation with constituents rather than some rigid "ideology." Todd is a strong believer in investing in our local citizenry to fully develop the economic assets for a vibrant economy based on what he refers to as economic opportunity over the approach of so-called economic development, which relies much more heavily on importing talent into the local economy and picking economic winners and losers through government funding to this or that particular business. Under an economic opportunity approach the focus of government is on fostering an environment that is conducive to business creation through government investment in education, job training, and public infrastructure as well as maintaining streamlined and efficient regulation along with retrained, consistent, and predictable taxes and fees. Todd believes that the role of the public sector is to fill in the "gaps" where the private and civic sectors are not able to do so.

Community Service and Vision for the Future
Todd has participated in: the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, the Rape Crisis Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Campaign, the CASA Run for Kids, Hombres Nobles and the Humane Society of West Texas. Todd is a former board member and past President of the Humane Society of West Texas, current board member of City Wide Pride, and Lubbock Community Theatre. Todd is also involved in a local mentor program aimed at providing strong, positive male role models for local fifth graders.

As a proud Red Raider, Todd is a member of the Texas Tech Alumni Association and the Red Raider Club. Todd has been a strong advocate for the establishment of a local community college and Texas Tech University. Todd has long sought the expansion of student enrollment at Tech to at least 40,000 not only as a means of enhancing the Lubbock campus to state designated Tier 1 status, but also as a means of exponentially increasing the economic growth and development in Lubbock. Todd envisions a Lubbock where Tech graduates can find good paying jobs and remain in Lubbock, and a city powered by a strong 21st Century economy that lures people from all across the state and beyond to locate in our fine city.

Areas of Interest
Todd has a personal commitment to addressing the issues of individual responsibility and respect for the rights of others; homelessness; food insecurity; birth defects; animal abuse, neglect, and open-population; breast cancer; AIDS and HIV; equality of opportunity and treatment for persons with mental challenges; and preserving the rights enshrined in the US Constitution. Todd is an avid reader and enjoys spending time with his family and four dogs. Todd also enjoys cycling. Todd promotes physical fitness and personal well-being and the local arts. In his spare time Todd takes great joy in acrylic painting.