A message from Das:

I would like to cordially invite you to join myself, friends and supporters at a special reception in support of my campaign for California State Assembly District 35. The reception will take place in the beautiful Santa Barbara Riviera on September 18th 2009 from 5:30 to 7:30PM. The address will be provided upon RSVP.

Please RSVP to das.williams2010@gmail.com

I would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support:

Adrianne and Andrew Davis
John Bahura
Mike Getto
Oreana Winery
Fernand and Ingrid Sarrat
Jan and Joanna Von Yurt
Judy and Rob Egenolf

Sponsor: $1000 Co-Sponsor: $500 Guest: $100

If you would like to make a contribution, but are unable to attend please click:

Das Campaign Donations via Act Blue

Contributions can also be mailed to:

Das Williams for Assembly 2010
PO Box 22557
Santa Barbara, CA 93121
FPPC # 1316591
Sincerely,

Das

Paid for by Das Williams for Assembly 2010 FPPC# 1316591

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "AD-35: Williams Emphasizes Local Fundraising, Goes on the Offensive," by: David Atkins (thereisnospoon), CALITICS, Mon Aug 03, 2009 ]


Full disclosure: I have endorsed Das Williams, but do not have any official involvement in the campaign. I am attempting to cover this race as evenhandedly as possible.

In my previous analysis of the AD-35 primary race, I included the competing press releases between the Williams and Jordan campaigns. The gist of the issue was that while Jordan's release emphasized a $10,500 advantage in cash on hand and $1,600 advantage in total funds raised, the Williams campaign emphasized the $12,500 personal loan made by Jordan to her own campaign to give those numbers a boost. Also noted was the attempt by the Williams campaign to portray Jordan, despite her having held no elected office in the past, as a Sacramento pol, even as the Jordan campaign painted Williams as untrustworthy, opportunistic and overly aggressive and ambitious.

Williams' latest press release is already doubling down on this campaign theme, emphasizing the comparatively large number of donations coming to Jordan from outside the district, compared to Williams. And it is a staggeringly wide discrepancy to the tune of 85% to 22%:


Santa Barbara, CA - Following recent reports of strong early financial numbers, Assembly Candidate Das Williams today released the following comments regarding a breakdown of contributions that shows 85 percent of his campaign's donations come from within the 35th Assembly district, while his main opponent, Susan Jordan, received only 22 percent of her contributions from district sources:
"I'm humbled by the outpouring of local grassroots support and enthusiasm about my candidacy," said Williams. "Voters are ready for a new vision, new direction and new priorities."

As of the June 30th reporting deadline, Das Williams for Assembly raised over $120,000 - with no personal loans and no unpaid debt to report.

Das Williams is running to succeed Assemblymember Pedro Nava who will be termed out in 2010.

Das Williams grew up on the Central Coast and is a product of local public schools. In 2003, he became the youngest person ever to be elected to the Santa Barbara City Council, and was re-elected in 2007. Das has worked as a teacher, a policy aide for former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, and a community organizer who worked to stop the development of a Wal-Mart in Ventura and enact local living wage laws in Santa Barbara and Ventura. Das serves on the Peabody Charter School Board and is a national board member of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Das received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a graduate degree in Environmental Science & Management from the University of California at Santa Barbara.


This is a risky strategy for Williams. The numbers are impressive, certainly, and reinforce the idea that Jordan is leveraging statewide connections rather than local chops. But it's also the second aggressive release from the Williams campaign in a couple of days, and will do nothing to dispel the negative image helpful to the Jordan campaign of Mr. Williams as a back-climbing career politician. At this early stage, the question seems to be: will the Williams campaign gain on substance from surprisingly good fundraising and strong local support, or lose on tone from negativity?

With no publicly available poll numbers yet, only time will tell.

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

Both Das' and Susan Jordan's campaign war chests are basically even at present time. Although Ms. Jordan has slightly more cash on-hand, Das raised more funds per day since entering the race for the 35th Assembly District and without taking any loans out. The exact figures for the mandatory reporting period are as follows:

Susan Jordan for Assembly 2010
Reporting period: 01/01/2009 - 06/30/2009
Contributions from this period: $124,129.00
Expenditures from this period: $11,006.82
Ending cash: $119,228.07

Das Williams for Assembly 2010
Reporting period: 01/01/2009 - 06/30/2009
Contributions from this period: $122,656.08
Expenditures from this period: $13,988.46
Ending cash: $108,767.62


Please read on, below. An article by David Atkins is followed by campaign statements from both Das' campaign staff and Susan Jordans:


[ From: "CA-35 Update," by David Atkins (thereisnospoon), posted at Calitics.com, Sat Aug 01, 2009 ]

One of the many flaws of California's term limits law is that it creates needless conflict and enmity between would-be allies each vying to do their part to make the State a better place, as each candidate is forced to abandon a job they have just barely learned, to campaign for a different job. Conflicts arise in this perpetual game of musical chairs, accountability is minimal, and activists are left in a jam deciding whom to support.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in AD-35, where Assemblymember Pedro Nava has been termed out, forcing a run at the Attorney General job. The power vacuum left by in Nava's absence has opened the field for two impressive candidates, both of whom are well-liked in the district: Susan Jordan, Mr. Nava's wife and co-founder of the California Coastal Protection Network (CCPN) and Vote The Coast, and Das Williams, Santa Barbara City Councilman and longtime community activist through CAUSE as their legislative analyst. Williams also serves as a national board member of the National Organization for Women, and is on the Peabody Charter School Board.

The Republican banner will be carried by former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Mike Stoker. However, given the 20-point voter registration advantage favoring Democrats in the district, the winner of the Democratic primary is almost certain to hold this safe Democratic seat.

Most activists here in the Ventura and Santa Barbara areas know each of these individuals well, and have worked with them on multiple issues. As the race intensifies, it is painful for many to make a choice between them, and many have avoided doing so to date. I personally have endorsed Mr. Williams, having worked with him on a number of different issues here already in less than a year of local activism, while my contact with Ms. Jordan has been more limited.

Each candidate has amassed a long list of endorsers (in-fighting remains about who exactly has endorsed whom at this point, adding to the confusion), and a large number remain on the fence. Ms. Jordan's biggest ally, obviously, is Assemblymember Nava; Mr. Williams, however, counters with the almost equally hard-hitting support of Hannah-Beth Jackson, whom he served as Chief of Staff in the SD-19 2008 election.

On a personal level, there is already significant rancor between the two sides: while both have promised a positive campaign, and neither candidate has made overt attacks on the other, various operatives have been busy attempting to earn support with some negative charges. Williams is extremely active in the community and had expected to be next in line for the spot; his backers have hinted at nepotism between Nava and Jordan; Jordan backers paint Das as overly ambitious and opportunistic because Williams previously ran unsuccessfully for Supervisor, because of his comparative youth at 34 years of age, and because many say that Williams had told them earlier in the year that he would not run for the seat. Williams is in his second term on the Santa Barbara City Council, and will be termed out -- needlessly adding increased stakes under the guise of "reform" through term limits.

Also an issue in the race is the vaunted PXP drilling: during the early days of the proposed deal, Williams backed a variety of local environmental organizations in supporting the deal. Jordan and Nava were opposed, due to precedent and the belief, later reinforced by various agencies, that the deal's sunset provision would be unenforceable. The deal eventually became the famous statewide issue it is today. It will sure to be a major attack avenue against Mr. Williams by Ms. Jordan.

To date, the race is playing out similar to the Clinton-Obama primary war in a battle between youth/change and experience/responsibility -- but with an added wrinkle. While Mr. Williams is young, he also boasts greater experience in elected office, particularly in the field of balancing budgets, an issue particularly crucial to Assembly candidates. Mr. Williams has repeatedly referenced Santa Barbara's continued balanced budgets as proof of his ability to make difficult budget choices in a progressive fashion in a tough economic environment, and contrasted his record in Santa Barbara with that of the legislature in Sacramento (somewhat unfairly, as the SB city council is not hamstrung by a 2/3 rule). Ms. Jordan, meanwhile, will be running ostensibly (and probably unfairly) to the left of Mr. Williams on environmental issues, will be leveraging her longstanding statewide activism, and will portray herself as something of an outsider to the political process despite her connection with Mr. Nava, while attempting to frame Mr. Williams as a career politician.

It is in this somewhat unpleasant context that the Williams campaign released their surprisingly strong fundraising numbers yesterday evening (the Jordan campaign released its own press release this afternoon.) While it was expected that Ms. Jordan would outraise Mr. Williams due to greater large-scale institutional support and an earlier head start (including a high-profile fundraiser at the home of Pierce Brosnan), the campaigns are essentially even in terms of fundraising, with each campaign spinning the numbers as coming out in their favor: the Williams campaign is emphasizing Jordan's $12,000 loan to her own campaign to even up the numbers, while the Jordan campaign is emphasizing its $10,000 advantage in cash on hand.

The full text of the competing press releases follows below the fold:


Local Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams Outraises Main Opponent In Campaign for Assembly District 35

Santa Barbara, CA - Showing that local residents are looking for a new kind of elected leader in Sacramento, local Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams today reports having raised over $120,000 in his campaign for Assembly District 35 as of the June 30th reporting deadline. In significantly less time, Das Williams outraised his main opponent Susan Jordan - wife of the District's current Assemblymember Pedro Nava - who raised $110,000.

Das' strong financial showing complements his already strong grassroots network and growing list of local endorsers and supporters.

"Das Williams raised more money than Susan Jordan in just half the time," said campaign spokesperson Josh Pulliam. "Loaded with a $12,500 personal loan and strapped with unpaid debt, Susan Jordan's financial report comes straight out of the same Sacramento playbook that brought us a historic budget crisis. These financial reports illustrate that voters in the district are ready for change. As a local councilmember, Das already represents nearly a quarter of the Assembly District, and today's numbers prove that he's going to have the necessary resources to mount a successful campaign."

Das Williams is campaigning to succeed termed-out Assemblymember Pedro Nava.

Das Williams grew up on the Central Coast and is a product of local public schools. In 2003, Das Williams became the youngest person ever to be elected to the Santa Barbara City Council, and was re-elected in 2007. Das has worked as a teacher, a policy aide for former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, and a community organizer working to stop the development of a Wal-Mart in Ventura and enact local living wage laws in Santa Barbara and Ventura. Das serves on the Peabody Charter School Board and is a national board member of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Das received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a graduate degree in Environmental Science & Management from the University of California at Santa Barbara.


Jordan Shows Strong Support for Assembly District 35 Race

"Never before has it been so important that we make fundamental changes to the way of doing business in Sacramento. The voters know that fixing the problems won't be easy, and it will take someone with experience, integrity and determination to stand up to the special interests," said Assembly candidate Susan Jordan. "The people in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties who encouraged me to run have backed up their encouragement with campaign contributions. In my first run for elective office, I am inspired by their early show of support."

Jordan leads fundraising for the primary election, which will be held June 8, 2010, with an impressive $124,129 raised between January 1 and June 30. Jordan notes that she is very fiscally conservative, spent little during that period, and has $119,228.07 cash on hand.

Jordan added, "I am deeply honored to have the help of so many local and statewide leaders who have placed their trust in my abilities to get the job done, including Santa Barbara County Supervisor Janet Wolf, Oxnard Mayor Tom Holden, Oxnard City Council members Bryan MacDonald and Dr. Irene Pinkard, Former State Senator Sheila Kuehl, Former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Susan Rose, Former Santa Barbara Mayor Harriet Miller, and many more."

Jordan is an award-winning environmental leader, a successful business woman, health advocate and mother with 15 years of experience working to protect the coastline of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties - and for all of California. As a former Chair of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission, Jordan tackled regional planning concerns with an analytical and balanced approach. After leaving her business career, Jordan founded the California Coastal Protection Network (CCPN) in 1999 and serves as its executive director. CCPN is considered one of the most effective environmental advocacy organizations in the state and Jordan has received numerous awards for her precedent-setting work.

Jordan is being challenged by Das Williams. Williams initially supported Jordan, and stated in the Santa Barbara Independent that he would not run and that his own personal ambitions would have to take a back seat for the "greater good of the community," while praising Jordan's environmental credentials and statewide connections. Williams and Jordan split largely over the issue of offshore oil drilling, with Williams supporting a proposal to open the coast to new drilling, while Jordan opposed it. Jordan is leading a statewide coalition of more than 60 groups who oppose the governor's efforts to approve the first new offshore oil lease in state waters in 40 years.

"As I walk this district, people tell me that they want someone in Sacramento who has life experience and can be trusted to stand up to special interests and address the serious challenges facing our state, our economy and our livelihoods. This is a responsibility I take to heart. I will not let them down," said Jordan.

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

Some of Das' Campaign Kick-off pics can be found at:

Pictures From Das Williams' Campaign Kick Off Events - Brian Dennert here

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

Video of Das' Announcement:

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Local Elected Leaders Endorse Assembly Candidate Das Williams
Supporters include several of Santa Barbara's county supervisors and City Council members ," By Christopher Patterson | Published on 07.15.2009


Only a little more than a week after officially announcing his candidacy for the 35th Assembly District, Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams announced Wednesday that he has received a number of early endorsements from local elected leaders, including:


» Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal

» Santa Barbara County Supervisor Doreen Farr

» Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum

» Santa Barbara City Councilman Roger Horton

» Santa Barbara City Councilman Grant House

» Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Helene Schneider

» Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett

» Former Ventura County Supervisor Susan Lacey

» Ventura City Councilman Brian Brennan

» Carpinteria City Councilwoman Kathleen Reddington

» Carpinteria City Vice Mayor Al Clark

» Goleta City Councilman Ed Easton

» Goleta City Councilman Michael Bennett

» Goleta City Councilwoman Margaret Connell

» Oxnard Mayor Pro Tem Andres Herrera

Supporters cited Williams’ history of experience on a variety of key issues such as education, protecting the environment and balancing city budgets, as well as his deep roots in the district and his track record for leadership.

“I am endorsing Das Williams for Assembly because he will be this community’s strongest and most effective advocate in our state’s Capitol,” Blum said. “As somebody who has worked with Das on many key issues affecting our region — from balancing city budgets to protecting the environment, from public safety to education — I know firsthand that Das Williams has the right balance of experience, innovative leadership and is focused on finding solutions to our toughest challenges.”

Carbajal added: “Hardworking Californians here and everywhere are struggling right now. Das Williams understands our community and what people are going through. He is exactly the type of leader we need in Sacramento, he will fight for us.”

“I am truly honored to have earned the support of so many of our area’s local elected leaders,” Williams said. “These endorsements show that this community is ready for new leadership that will put California back on the right track by bringing a new energy, a renewed commitment to Democratic values, innovative problem-solving and personal responsibility that is missing in Sacramento’s broken political system.”

Assembly District 35 is currently represented by Assemblyman Pedro Nava, who is termed out in 2010.

Williams grew up on the Central Coast. In 2003, he became the youngest person ever to be elected to the Santa Barbara City Council, and was re-elected in 2007.

He has worked as a teacher, a policy aide for former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, and a community organizer working to stop the development of a Wal-Mart in Ventura and enact local living wage laws in Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Williams serves on the Peabody Charter School Board and is a national board member of the National Organization for Women.


— Christopher Patterson represents the Das Williams Campaign for Assembly District 35

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

SB Independent coverage of Das' announcement is at: http://www.independent.com/news/2009/jul/09/williams-makes-it-official/

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Race For 35th Assembly District Heats Up," KEYT-TV, July 7, 2009 - SEE VIDEO ]


Ventura, CA-- There are now two democrats in the primary race for the 35th District Assembly.

Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams formally announced his candidacy on Monday morning in Ventura and in Santa Barabara.

Williams, who is no stranger to politics believes his time is now "because the decisions being made in Sacramento are putting our state and region in dire straits."

Also running on the democratic ticket is Susan Jordan, wife of current 35th Assemblyman Pedro Nava. Term limits prevent Jordan's husband, Pedro Nava from running for the same seat.
.
Williams says he wants to fight for education, the environment and labor. He also says he wants to stop the gridlock in Sacramento.

The winner of the June primary in 2010 will likely run against former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Mike Stoker. The republican announced his candidacy in May.

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Williams makes assembly run official," By Eric Lindberg, DAILY SOUND, July 7, 2009]


Das Williams made official yesterday what had been presumed for months in local political circles — he is running for the 35th District State Assembly seat next year.

The Santa Barbara councilmember hopes to beat out challenger Susan Jordan in the Democratic primary and face off against the Republican nominee in the race to succeed termed-out Assemblymember Pedro Nava.

“I am running for the State Assembly because I believe we can no longer follow this same broken path and expect real change,” he said in a campaign statement. “We need to reprioritize and refocus, holding true to our progressive values of creating educational opportunities for our kids, protecting our coastline and ensuring that the burden of our economic recovery isn’t shouldered on our most vulnerable citizens.”

He kicked off his campaign with two official announcements, one at a school in Ventura and another at a fire station in Santa Barbara. Williams has served on the council since 2003 and was re-elected to another term two years ago.

He has already secured the endorsements of Hannah-Bath Jackson, a former assemblymember who employed Williams early in his political career as a policy aide, and Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett.

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Santa Barbara City Councilman makes run for Assembly," Reported by Melissa Mecija, KSBY-TV, Tuesday, July 7, 2009 ]


Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams officially declares his candidacy for State Assembly in the 35th District.

In 2003, Williams became the youngest person ever to be elected to the Santa Barbara City Council. He says his main priorities include protecting public education and fixing the state's fiscal crisis. Williams is a Democrat who grew up in the Santa Barbara area.

"This is my home. It's in my blood. I can't just go to Sacramento and disappearing and having an understanding that when you make decisions up there in Sacramento, it has effets for kids and people here at home. I think that's really fundamental," Williams said.

Williams will be running against longtime businesswoman and community advocate, Susan Jordan, the wife of current Assemblyman Pedro Nava. He will also square off against Republican Mike Stoker, an attorney and former Santa Barbara County Supervisor.

The 35th District covers part of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Das Williams Kicks Off Campaign for 35th District Assembly Seat - The candidate says that despite tough times at the state level, there is still a way to 'get things done'" written by Giana Magnoli, Noozhawk, 07.07.2009 ]





Das Williams, with Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum and county Supervisor Salud Carbajal by his side, announces his candidacy on Monday for the California 35th District Assembly seat. (Giana Magnoli / Noozhawk photo)


Williams, a second-term member of the Santa Barbara City Council, announced his candidacy for the Assembly on Monday. Surrounded by a group of supporters at Fire Station No. 3 on East Sola Street, he started his second news conference of the day at least 15 minutes early and quickly got down to business.

“As a local City Council member and activist in Ventura, I have seen firsthand how the state’s displaced priorities and budget cuts have wreaked havoc in our communities,” he said. The 35th District includes parts of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Working in “that madhouse in Sacramento” would be his opportunity to protect public education, fair wages, safety, the environment and the economy on a local level, Williams said.

“I know all too well that Sacramento is broken,” he said. “When Sacramento is broken, bad things happen to real people.”

Though Williams’ core issues of education, the environment and the economy are repeated in many candidates’ campaigns, he said he relies on his experience to do most of the talking.

On the City Council, he helped balance the city’s budget to enact $10 million worth of changes. Councilmembers tried to protect “basic” programs and services such as public safety, parks and recreation and education without creating the need for layoffs, he said.

“Even in the most challenging of times, there is still a way to get things done,” he said. “There’s no reason we can’t get them done in Sacramento as well.”

Though state government has given tax breaks and loopholes to corporations “so big oil and tobacco can get richer while everyone else gets by on less,” Williams believes that one person can make a difference in resolving state budget issues and representing local areas one vote at a time.

“Now is the time for action, for new ideas and for new energy,” he said. “Now is the time for leadership that puts local communities first and has renewed focus on just getting some basic things done.”

His first priority, if elected, would be to contain the damage to the public education system, he said. His education experience, outside of politics, includes years as a local teacher and involvement with the Peabody Charter School board.

Williams hopes his history of environmentalism will contribute to his votes in the Capitol, as well. He said the difference between a 20th- and 21th-century environmentalist translates not only to saying no to things such as offshore drilling, but saying yes to opportunities such as alternative energy, green jobs and transportation issues.

Campaign plans for Williams include strong fundraising, much like his second-term City Council run, and a mixture of new media and more traditional methods. While he has profiles on Twitter and Facebook, walking miles of sidewalk to meet local residents face to face is his main goal.

“I know I look younger than I am, so it makes it more important to talk to people face to face so they know that I have experience, that I’m not just some kid,” Williams said.

Former Assemblymember Hannah-Beth Jackson introduced Williams with strong words of support, emphasizing his “right mix” of experience, energy, leadership and commitment to his local community.

“He has an independent and no-nonsense approach to issues affecting the community,” she said.

Williams is running against fellow Democratic candidate Susan Jordan, wife of incumbent Pedro Nava, and Republican Mike Stoker.

Many people have drawn comparisons between the two Democrats, especially in their priorities of education and environmentalism, but Williams said his experience gives him the edge.

“You can tell everybody anything you want until you actually have to vote on a budget; that proves the priorities that you have,” he said. “To me, it’s more than talking about an issue; it’s about having background dealing with an issue like education, budgets or public safety.”

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

NEWS RELEASE, City of Santa Barbara, Contact: Nina Johnson, Assistant to the City Administrator, Phone: 805-564-5307, NJohnson@SantaBarbaraCA.gov

CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS BALANCED BUDGET

SANTA BARBARA, CA – 6/24/09

After two months of deliberations, the City Council unanimously adopted a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2010 on June 23, 2009. The budget includes a total operating budget of $238 million and a capital budget totaling $22 million. The General Fund operating budget is $104 million, providing funding for police, fire, parks, recreation, library, community development, and administrative services.

The City faced an estimated $10.8 million deficit in the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009, representing approximately 10% of the General Fund operating budget. The budget was balanced with a combination of reduced costs and enhanced revenue, involving the following measures: 1) department budget reductions; 2) citywide labor measures; 3) increased fees and charges; 4) structural budget changes; and 5) delays to capital improvements.

While most programs and services will continue, the public can anticipate some service changes. All departments will reduce spending on supplies, services, and training. With a hiring freeze in effect and employee positions reduced through attrition, 41.9 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee positions will be eliminated in the upcoming year. Delays in processing and longer wait times may be noticed at public counters.

Significant cost savings will be achieved through citywide labor measures. These measures include a 104-hour furlough or unpaid leave for managers, supervisors, and general employees over the December holiday and five other dates throughout the year. As a result, administrative offices and non-emergency facilities will close to the public on specified dates.

To generate additional revenue, the City will pursue collection of the transient occupancy and business license taxes for vacation rentals and begin a late payment fee for utility payments. Fee increases are planned for parking citations, vehicle release, building permits, land development applications, dog licenses, and park and facility events hosted by commercial businesses. When appropriate, General Fund costs will be shifted to Enterprise Fund operations where user fee revenue should support such expenses.

Several capital improvement projects will be delayed to curtail spending in the upcoming year. The City’s planned capital improvement program for General Fund facilities was reduced to $600,000, providing funds for the Shoreline Park Safety Improvement Project, Lower Mesa Lane Steps Replacement, Oak Park Restroom Renovation, and other major projects.

Department budget reductions comprise the largest portion of the balancing measures. These cost reductions will result in limited purchases of library books and materials, decreased efficiency in zoning enforcement, and less frequent tree pruning and park maintenance activities. While school crossing guard services will no longer be provided by the City, the Police Department will work with the School District, parents, and volunteers to continue the service.

Recreation opportunities will be scaled back with fewer Concerts in the Park events this summer, cancellation of the Senior Tour Program, and closure of the Lower Westside Center. The 1235 Teen Center will be closed on Saturdays and the Oak Park Wading Pool will remain closed. Thanks to a fundraising commitment by the Friends of Los Banos, the planned elimination of the free recreation swim program at Ortega Park Pool and Sunday lap swim at Los Banos Pool will be restored.

Financial assistance to community organizations will decrease by 8.4%, the same percentage adjustment as City departments. By Council action, the Conference and Visitors Bureau and New Beginnings will continue to receive funding at current levels.

The City Council adopted the budget and acknowledged that the future of the City’s financial condition remains uncertain, as major tax revenues continue to decline and the state budget deficit is unresolved. The Council expressed an interest in becoming a smaller, more efficient organization and revisiting the adopted budget in upcoming months to make modifications if needed.

Videos of Council budget discussions are available on the City’s website at: www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov. When completed, the final budget document will be made available to the public at the City’s website, the City Clerk’s Office at 735 Anacapa Street, and the Public Library at 40 E. Anapamu Street.

--------------------------

See also:

SB Independent: Leaking Budget - "It’s a budget that already has a $1.4 million hole in it." City finance czar Bob Peirson

DAILY SOUND: Budget Balanced For Now - “I’ve never seen it like this. This is my 14th year on the council and it’s never been like this. It’s very worrisome. We don’t see an end to the recession. I don’t think we’ve bottomed out yet.” Mayor Marty Blum

NOOZHAWK: Deficit Looms - “Tonight is not the time to start putting things back in the budget when we don’t even know what the deficit is,” Councilmember Roger Horton - “All the departments have made their best recommendations as to what services to keep to the public as a whole, and I think we should honor that.” Councilmember Grant House - “I think what we’re all saying is that as hard as this year was, we’re nowhere near over trying to figure out the full structural deficit of the city’s budget.” Councilmember Helene Schneider

Labels: 2010, budget

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, over the course of the past few months I have been considering whether to become a candidate for the California State Assembly.

After talking with many of you, I experienced a great sense of urgency and responsibility. I know many of you feel it too. Now, more than ever, we need to take action, stand up for our beloved community and progressive principles and lead our state in a new direction.

I'm blessed to call the Central Coast home. I was raised here and attended our public schools. Growing up here, I developed a deep respect and passion for the environment. And it was my time working with folks here on dozens of efforts to protect the environment and better the lives of working families that has inspired me to run for the State Assembly in 2010.

Politicians in Sacramento have put our state in dire straits. For too long, problems have been brushed aside and quick fixes have been favored over long-term solutions. As a Santa Barbara City Councilmember, I have come to know the consequences of Sacramento's failures all too well. Never-ending budget deficits force cities to struggle to provide for even the most basic of needs. Teachers and local schools face the prospect of debilitating layoffs--year after year. Too many hard working families struggle to make ends meet -- juggling skyrocketing health care and college tuition costs, while trying to survive in a shrinking economy. Our environment is threatened and our state has yet to meet its renewable energy potential.

Yet, in the face of all these challenges, we have accomplished so much in our own community. We have managed to hire needed police officers and expand youth programs to meet the challenge of gang violence. We've fought hard to ensure our brave firefighters have the tools they need to keep our city safe. At the same time, we have done the hard work of balancing our budgets through shared sacrifice. We continue to do our utmost to minimize or avoid layoffs at local schools. I've worked with many community leaders up and down the Central Coast to protect local businesses, jobs and ensure working folks get fair and equal pay. Santa Barbara has become a model green city--we've taken bold steps that will ensure 30% of our energy is from renewable sources by 2011.

We've proven that we can overcome the challenges we face here at home. With the right energy, passion and hard work, we can overcome the challenges in Sacramento.

Real progress and change will not come easily and it will certainly not come from one person alone. That is why I need your support in this campaign. Over the course of the next year, I intend to speak personally with people all over the Central Coast, to listen and learn more about the challenges we face and what we can do to overcome them. In the coming months, I will discuss more of my plans and ideas to put our state on the right track.

We are currently in the beginning stages of the campaign and your support and input is critical. I am honored by the enormous outpouring of encouragement and support that I have received in our local community and it with this support that we can bring change to Sacramento.

This campaign can only succeed with your support and leadership.

Sincerely,

Das Williams



HOME FUNDRAISING EVENT - SATURDAY MAY 30TH

Please join Hosts: Stephen and Melissa Murdoch & Abe Powell

Co-hosts: Barney Bergland, Ken Fahn & Suzanne Perkins

Sponsors:

Bob & Carol Bason
Embody Dance
Max & Betsy Drucker
Nancy Goldsholl
Matthew Stotts & Carol Sacks Stotts
Councilmember Roger Horton


Saturday May 30th with live music, food & friends
from 2-4 PM at the home of Stephen & Melissa Murdoch

1564 Ramona Ln Montecito, CA

Co-Host: $1000 Sponsor: $500
Friend: $100 Guest: $75

RSVP: das.williams2010@gmail.com

Signup for Email: Send us an email so we can add you to our supporters list: das.williams2010@gmail.com

Become a Supporter on Facebook: Das Williams Facebook Page

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/daswilliams


To Make a Contribution to: "Das Williams for Assembly 2010"

Online: Das Campaign 2010 at ActBlue

Mail:

PO Box 22557
Santa Barbara, CA 93121

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Hewing and Hacking - City Budget Deliberations Get Underway," By Nick Welsh, SB INDEPENDENT, May 7, 2009 ]

There was no talk about rending of flesh, but plenty of verbiage devoted to the hacking and hewing of limbs Monday night, as the Santa Barbara City Council presided over a five-hour long public hearing on proposed budget cuts to the city’s library system and to its Parks and Recreation Department. It was the first of several such hearings the council will hold between now and June 23, when a final budget is scheduled for adoption. On the table are $10.5 million in budget “adjustments” citywide, which includes more than $7 million in actual cuts. The library department is slated for half-a- million dollars in cuts, while Parks and Recreation is eyeballing a funding reduction of $1.5 million. “It’s very painful to watch [Library Director] Irene [Macias] figure out which leg, which arm to whack off,” said Friends of the Library president Jeri Moulder.

“Well, the carnage begins,” said councilmember Das Williams, before exhorting his council colleagues and city administrators to keep an open mind and keen eye out for raising new revenues. “We need to have more than a ‘not cut-your-arm-off’ strategy,” he said. For example, Williams suggested that City Hall impose a new tax on medicinal marijuana sales as well a new 25-cent tax on retail customers who do not bring their own shopping bags.

In that same vein, councilmember Grant House wondered why the library department — which is proposing to shut down operations every Monday and axe its director of youth programming — did not have a development director on staff whose job it was to fund money. House was equally pointed in his praise for Parks and Recreation chief Nancy Rapp, who suggested creating a whole new bureau dedicated almost exclusively to fundraising. Rapp also unveiled new plans to fundamentally re-organize her department, merging many youth programs with community services. Such bureaucratic re-organization was much on the mind of councilmember Iya Falcone, who suggested that the city’s current budget crisis also provided an opportunity to embrace new and better ways of delivering services. Echoing some of the early rhetoric of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger — who pledged to “blow up the boxes” of state government — Falcone said, “We have some opportunity to blow up some old systems.”

... Despite the grimness of the enterprise, there were moments of levity. While discussing the library budget, Mayor Marty Blum asked Library director Macias about the new language used to describe overdue book fines, which have declined in recent years. “By the way, when did we change from ‘overdue fine’ to ‘extended use fee?” Blum asked. “We did that to reduce the stigma of overdue users,” Macias responded.

“People need to feel the shame,” objected councilmember Williams, who confessed to being a repeat offender when it came to overdue books. So, too, was councilmember House, who revealed that he’d kept a copy of “Winnie the Pooh” for 30 years. “Maybe you needed it for 30 years,” shot back Mayor Blum...

Behind the Power Point presentations and public testimony, it became evident that a power struggle is looming over the extent to which the Waterfront Department — and the downtown parking district — should be charged for maintenance services now provided at subsidized rates by Parks and Recreation workers. Under the proposed budget, Parks and Rec will charge the Waterfront Department nearly $200,000 for cleaning the waterfront restrooms and tidying up the city’s beaches. Two members of the city’s Harbor Commission have already initiated a spirited protest, reportedly gathering petition signatures. They are objecting the Waterfront be forced to increase the slip fees it charges oat owners to generate the extra funds.

Councilmember Williams insisted without this “cost shift,” the Parks and Rec Department would be forced to make even more draconian cuts. Councilmember Iya Falcone, however, countered that the Waterfront should only have to shoulder a portion of these costs. She suggested that the beach clean up costs should be passed on to the Creeks Division of Parks and Recreation. The Creeks division is funded by a bed tax surcharge approved by city voters eight years ago to keep the city’s waterfront free from e-coli and other bacterial scourges from the voters. Falcone acknowledged hers is a novel interpretation of what the voters approved, but said, “It’s worth having this conversation.”

Labels: 2010, budget

Das' newsletter is emailed periodically. If you are not already on the distribution list and would like to be, please email: das@legendarysurfers.com (Das' email address for the newsletter only).


DAS WILLIAMS Newsletter # 7, April 2009


Contents:

1. Outer Continental Shelf Oil Drilling
2. Westside Cleanup - April 25
3. Townhall Meeting on Education - May 1
4. Recommended 2010 Available for Review


Dear Friends and Family,

It's been crazy busy for me lately and I'm excited to share some updates about the positive things that have been going on. Jennifer had her cartilage graft surgery this past weekend and has been such a trooper through this entire process. She's on the path to recovery and we couldn't be more thrilled.


1. Last week, I had a small group meeting with President Obama's new Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in San Francisco, and even had the opportunity to talk to him one-on-one for one minute. I made that 60 seconds count, telling him we are willing to look at alternative energy, but that new oil drilling is unacceptable. As part of a delegation which spoke against the issuance of new leases to drill oil on California's Outer Continental Shelf, we asked that all areas off the California coast be left out of the plan for new drilling leases, particularly Santa Barbara due to its immense biodiversity and the fact that it is already burdened by more than its share of oil operations.


2. [from the Daily Sound] "Santa Barbara city and community leaders are organizing a cleanup of the Westside neighborhood designed to pick up litter, remove graffiti, and document broken sidewalks and damaged signs.

"Participants will meet at the Westside Community Center parking lot at 423 W. Victoria St. at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Organizers will put together cleanup teams, hand out materials and supplies, and assign volunteers to various designated areas throughout the neighborhood.

"Most of the work is expected to take place within the boundaries of Castillo, Micheltorena, De la Vina and Figueroa streets. More information is available by calling Antonio Velasquez, the city's community services supervisor, at 963-7657."


3. Over the past couple months, I've had several conversations with teachers and school board members who are all wondering how they are going to properly educate our children without adequate state funding. As a school board member myself, I'm very familiar with their concerns. It is for this reason that I invited Senator Gloria Romero, Chair of the California State Senate Education Committee, to attend a townhall meeting in our community. Together, we can use this forum to inform state leaders about the damage that budget cuts are doing to our public education system, and therefore to our kids. I'd love it if you could attend and help defend public education funding. Here are the details:

Place: Foothill Tech High, Spirito Hall (100 Day Rd, Ventura)

Time: Friday, May 1st 4-6pm

RSVP/ send statement to: Das.Williams09@gmail.com


4. The balanced, but not yet fixed draft budget for the City of Santa Barbara is now available for review.

[from the city's press release, 4/21/09] "The City of Santa Barbara released its Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2010, initiatingCity Council and public review of the proposed plan. The budget includes a total operating budget of $253.2 million and a capital budget totaling $29.2 million. The General Fund operating budget is $104.7 million, providing funding for police, fire, parks, recreation, library, community development, and administrative services.

"Due to declining revenues, the City estimates a $10.8 million deficit in the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009, if no actions are taken. This represents approximately 10% of the General Fund operating budget. The budget balancing strategy involves a combination of the following measures: 1) department budget reductions; 2) increases in various fees and charges; 3) citywide labor measures such as a mandatory furlough; 4) structural budget changes; and 5) delays to capital improvements.

"During April and May, each department budget will be presented to Council with an overview of revenues, expenses, balancing strategy, service impacts, and proposed work plan for the upcoming year. The City Council will adopt a budget by June 30, 2009.

"According to City Administrator Jim Armstrong, "I am proud of the professionalism in which the organization dealt with these difficult decisions, and the strong emphasis on maintaining services, while trying to minimize employee layoffs."

The budget document, a schedule of public review meetings, frequently asked questions, and videos of Council budget discussions are available on the City's website at: www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov. The budget document is also available at the City Clerk's Office at 735 Anacapa Street and the Public Library at 40 E. Anapamu Street."

For more information, Contact: Nina Johnson, Assistant to the City Administrator
Phone: 805-564-5307 | Fax: 805-897-1993, NJohnson@SantaBarbaraCA.gov

Thank you for reading my periodic newsletter. Please share with family and friends.


DAS

Labels: 2010, budget, newsletter, offshore oil drilling

[ From: "City faces $10.5m budget shortfall," By Eric Lindberg, DAILY SOUND, April 22, 2009 ]


With a $10.5 million budget shortfall looming on the horizon, Santa Barbara city leaders had their first look yesterday at a series of proposals to close the gap that include layoffs, furloughs, spending cuts and fee hikes.

Officials said they are trying to spread the cuts fairly across city departments, with a reduced impact on police and fire services.

“It is a plan of shared pain,” City Administrator Jim Armstrong said. “We feel it’s a responsible budget and addresses the situation honestly.”

With tax revenues taking a major drubbing courtesy of a much-weakened economy, the city is asking departments to cut spending by $7.4 million, in addition to seeking $1.5 million in labor concessions from city employees.

The initial budget proposal would cut 51.5 full-time positions, 30 of which are currently vacant. It would also cut four sworn police positions if the city doesn’t receive a competitive grant, along with eliminating six non-sworn police jobs.

“There is no doubt there will be pain,” City Councilmember Iya Falcone said. “There will be pain all around.”

Other plans call for closing library branches on Mondays, closing the 1235 Teen Center on Saturdays and shutting down the Lower Westside Community Center altogether.

Job cuts would be spread across city departments, from eliminating nine positions in the Community Development Department to 13 jobs in the Parks and Recreation Department (along with 17,000 hours of seasonal staff time).

While the initial proposal is a starting point for budget discussions, city officials made it clear that they plan to listen to community members and debate priorities.

“This is not what I would describe as a fixed budget,” Councilmember Das Williams said. “It’s a balanced budget, which is a good starting point.”

Armstrong noted that the fiscal year 2010 budget process promises to be the most difficult budget situation he’s seen during his decades of experience in local government.

Unemployment is soaring, financial institutions are failing, credit markets are frozen and consumer confidence is plummeting, he said. Sharp declines in tax revenues are having a widespread impact on city coffers throughout California.

“I’m typically hearing about city budget deficits that range from 5 to 20 percent,” he said.

The city’s deficit amounts to approximately 10 percent of its operating budget expenditures, which are projected to be $104.7 million next year.

Despite the cuts being proposed, Armstrong said he is hopeful that city services won’t suffer significantly.

“There is a little pain everywhere, but I don’t think the overall quality of service provided to the community will suffer too much,” he said.

Declining tax revenues are the largest source of the city’s fiscal funk. In creating a two-year financial plan more than a year ago, officials had projected them to go up $2.5 million next year. Now they are expected to drop $7 million below that projected level, City Finance Director Robert Peirson said.

And taxes make up 61 percent of the General Fund revenue stream, which is definitely the hardest-hit area of city finances.

In the first two quarters of this year, sales taxes have been down more than 6 percent and are expected to drop a total of 7 percent by June. Bed taxes are expected to be down 5 percent this year.

To address those revenue shortfalls, the city recently rebalanced its current budget and closed a $6.4 million shortfall.

While officials hope the end is in sight — the state’s finance department expects sales taxes to bottom out and start rising by mid-2010 — they are still facing projected drops in sales tax revenue of 1.4 percent and bed tax revenue of 2.2 percent next year.

“In 25 years of [experience], I’ve never seen an environment like this,” Peirson said.

In the brief economic downturn following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the city used budget reserves to address shortfalls. That’s no longer an option this time around, as the city has all but depleted those funds (the city’s disaster reserves, however, remain fully funded).

Instead, the budget plan proposes furloughing employees, eliminating vacation cash payouts and freezing benefits to pull together $1.5 million in savings. Negotiators are still in discussions with the main service workers bargaining unit, as well as police and fire associations.

“The wage concessions are really the hinge point,” Williams said. “Everyone needs to pitch in.”

If they come to an agreement that exceeds the $1.5 million figure, Peirson said the city could use the excess savings to restore some city services or prevent layoffs.

“We would like nothing better than that,” he said.

Officials also proposed cutting the city’s capital program by $800,000, which would delay replacement of its financial management system by 15 months.

Community funding would be cut by $228,000 under the initial proposal, including city support of the Conference and Visitor’s Bureau, the Downtown Organization and Santa Barbara Channels television.

City leaders will delve into each specific departmental budget in the coming weeks during a series of budget hearings. The first hearing takes place tomorrow from 2 to 5 p.m. in council chambers and will address the city administrator, city attorney, mayor and council and community development budgets.

Police and fire budgets will be discussed on May 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. The schedule for other departments can be found online at www.santabarbaraca.gov, along with a complete copy of the proposed budget.

The budget documents are also available on CD-ROM in the city clerk’s office or in hard copy at the library.

City leaders said they hope to see members of the public engage in the budget process to express their views on where cuts should take place.

“I’ll do what you want in terms of where your priorities lie, but we need to hear from you,” Falcone said.

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For more information and details on the budget, please visit the city website's Budget and Finance

Labels: 2010, budget

[ From: "Candidates Test Waters for 35th Seat," By Katie Tullsen, DAILY NEXUS, April 13, 2009 ]


Though still a year and half away, the race for the 35th District State Assembly seat is heating up as two former political allies prepare to square off...

Environmentalist Susan Jordan, the wife of current Assemblymember Pedro Nava, was the first candidate to publicly announce...

Jordan will likely face Santa Barbara City Councilman and UCSB alum Das Williams for the Democratic nomination, but Williams has yet to make an official declaration concerning his rumored candidacy.

“I have not made an official announcement,” Williams said recently of his intentions in the race. “But I am not denying that I am in the race.”

... Though they have been fervent allies on the Santa Barbara political scene in recent years, Jordan and Williams maintain that they offer voters two distinctive candidates with very different professional backgrounds.

Jordan, for her part, comes with many years of experience in both business and non-profit work. She co-founded the Vote the Coast organization and has been active in California Democratic politics since 1996.

“My strengths are thirty years of nonprofit advocacy in women’s issues and the environment,” she said. “I will bring a background of both business and advocacy together. These two skills best qualify me to fight for the people in this district.”

Williams, meanwhile, worked for a few years in the Sacramento legislature and has six years experience serving as a member on the Santa Barbara City Council. Williams, who grew up in and around Santa Barbara, said he believes that a true understanding of the community is key.

“I stay really close to grassroots,” he said. “I know what’s going on in our community and the community next to us, and I know what’s important to both.”

Jordan and Williams have slightly different political platforms, yet they both agree that the environment is one of their top three priorities. If elected, Jordan also plans on focusing on healthcare and education, and says that she is concerned with the economy and its effects in this district...

For his part, Williams’ top three priorities are the environment, public safety and education. He says that he fears that the public education system is being destroyed.

“I was going to school in 1996 it was $4,000 per quarter,” he said. “And depending on the school district, eight to ten percent of teachers are being pink-slipped. We are underestimating what it will do to our ability to educate kids and have an educated work force. I believe it’s going to take strong leadership to help avoid total destruction of public education system.”

... Williams says that his reputation for putting action to his words will aid him in this election.

“I think I’ve been effective at not being a wishy-washy politician,” he said. “I’ve really pushed hard, and been an advocate and activist myself, rather than just a wishy-washy politician.”

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For full text, please go to:

DAILY NEXUS: Candidates Test Waters

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

Das wrote to SantaBarbarasBlog.com, giving his reasons why he's running for the 35th Assembly District:


“As I visited teachers last week, and I saw how many were getting laid off, a feeling that had been growing inside me became urgent.

I know you’ve felt it too, that overwhelming sense of wrong, when we look at our society and realize we’ve truly failed at adequately planning for a future. With a damaged economy, hundreds of teachers being laid off, and our environment in peril, it is an intimidating time to be in government; but a time when it is more important than ever to present solutions for our time.

I’ve searched my heart and found the truth that I don’t know all the answers, but I have the energy and passion to work on those solutions.

The challenges of gang violence, fires, and budget deficits have seasoned me, helped to prepare me for this time. In fact I think of these challenges much as a firefighter does: you don’t hope for a fire, but you have to be trained for one.

The combination of doing legislative work here and in the Capitol, nonprofit advocacy in Ventura County, and City government in Santa Barbara has given me a host of experiences in different policy areas, each one that will help prepare me for a different aspect of serving you. The fire that is consuming this state is a fiscal one, and year after year I have been faced with balancing the needs of parks, public safety, roads, transit, water, waste-water, saving money in disaster reserves, but still investing in our future.

I have weighed a tough decision, and asked many in the community for their input on it. Do I move on from my public service, retire so to speak (I am prevented by term limits from running a third time), or do I run for the Assembly next year? I’m in the race, and I hope that you can join me.” - Das Williams

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To read the posting at SantaBarbarasBlog.com and comments, please go to:

SantaBarbarasBlog.com » Blog Archive » Das and the 35th Assembly District

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

Das will be running for the 35th Assembly District seat currently held by Pedro Nava:

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Williams to run for Assembly," By Colby Frazier, DAILY SOUND, April 2, 2009 ]


Less than a month after organizing an exploratory committee to probe his chances at winning the State Assembly’s 35th District seat, Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams yesterday said he’s decided to officially enter the race.

The 34 year old, who is serving his final term on the city council and will be termed out in 2011, said his political career is at a crossroads: in one direction, he said retirement awaits, and in the other, the State Assembly.

“I’ve searched my heart to see if I can continue serving this community or if I should retire, and the way I can continue serving this community is to run for the assembly,” he said. “I feel I have more to give.”

As it stands, Williams will square off against Democratic colleague and friend, Susan Jordan, who is married to current 35th District Assemblymember Pedro Nava. Nava will be termed out next year.

When Jordan, 57, declared her intent to seek the seat a few months ago, Williams initially said he’d support her campaign.

But in January, after the duo fell on different sides of a controversial offshore oil drilling project, rumors swirled that Williams was considering entering the race.

Those rumors solidified in early February when 1st District County Supervisor Salud Carbajal announced he would “enthusiastically support” Williams if he decided to run.

Now it’s official, and so far, Williams said he’s received an outpouring of support from the community.

“I got an overwhelming response,” he said. “The people don’t want me to retire in 2011 and want me to continue serving.”

Williams, a teacher at Antioch University who at one time taught middle school in Los Angeles, decried recent cuts to public education, saying he doesn’t feel there are enough people at the state level defending education.

“It’s something that as a teacher I’m really passionate about,” he said.

If he’s elected, Williams also said he’d like to champion alternative energy causes, an arena he’s had success in at the city level.

... If Williams wins the seat, it will cut his final term on the city council short by a year.

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For full text plus comments, please visit:

DAILY SOUND: Williams to Run

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Das Williams: 'I’m in' - Santa Barbara City Councilman Throws Hat into State Assembly Race," by Jerry Roberts, SB INDEPENDENT, April 1, 2009 ]


... Das Williams told The Independent early Wednesday that he will definitely run for the 35th Assembly District seat.

The decision by the Santa Barbara city councilmember ends months of speculation and sets up a lively Democratic primary battle between two former allies: Williams and environmental attorney Susan Jordan, wife of Pedro Nava, the district’s outgoing incumbent.

“I don’t want to be coy,” Williams said in an April 1 interview. “I’m in.”

Williams said he would make a formal announcement of his candidacy “within the next couple of weeks,” and expected to have an impressive list of endorsements at that time. He said that while he has been eyeing a run for the Legislature for several years, he hesitated to jump into this campaign because of his past alliances with Jordan and Nava working on environmental issues.

Shortly before Jordan announced her candidacy last year, Williams said he met with her and Nava and was very surprised to hear that she was running. At that time, Williams spoke glowingly of Jordan in an interview with The Independent’s Nick Welsh, who reported that Williams “all but endorsed” Jordan for what Williams said then was “the greater community.” One reason for his statement at the time, Williams said Wednesday, was that he was working hard on Hannah-Beth Jackson’s Democratic bid for a state senate seat and didn’t want “to split progressives” in the middle of that campaign.

“I stand by those comments” in which he praised Jordan, Williams said on Wednesday. But he added that he also told Jordan and Nava “you can run, but I’m going to do it.”

Williams said that a decisive event in his final decision to run was the action taken by Jordan and Nava in helping to sink a painstakingly negotiated agreement between major environmental groups and Plains Exploration and Production oil company. With most local environmentalists and many elected officials lined up behind the agreement, Nava and Jordan angered many in the progressive community by strongly opposing the plan, which was voted down by the State Lands Commission in January. The deal would have expanded PXP drilling rights at the Trainquillion Ridge offshore from Vandenberg Air Force Base, in exchange of a mandatory shutdown date of 2022, thousands of acres of permanently protected onshore lands, approximately $350 million of tax revenue for Santa Barbara County, and at least $2 billion for the state...

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For full text, plus image and comments, please go to:

SBI: "I'm In"

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District

[ From: "Assembly race already heating up," By Eric Lindberg, DAILY SOUND, March 12, 2009 ]


It’s still 20 months away, but the race for the State Assembly’s 35th District seat is already stirring up interest in the political community, particularly on the Democratic side of the ticket...

In recent days, Santa Barbara Councilmember Das Williams has started testing the waters with an exploratory committee and statement of intent to enter the race, allowing him to start raising funds to bankroll a possible campaign...

Williams preferred not to discuss the potential primary showdown with [Susan Jordan], adding that he doesn’t even want to set a date certain for when he’ll officially enter the race or back down.

“I think it’s just really important right now to concentrate on some of the problems in the city itself and I don’t want to be distracted by the assembly race when we’re dealing with things like the budget and gang violence,” he said.

Nonetheless, Williams said the pinch of the state’s budget nightmare is starting to be felt locally, describing how he visited a school yesterday where a large percentage of teachers had received pink slips.

“I’m pretty passionate about what’s happening — the destruction of our public education system,” he said. “It’s definitely made me even more serious about running.”

The councilman is also feeling out how his potential bid sits with a handful of voters in the district, which sprawls across a huge chunk of the Santa Ynez Valley and South Coast, as well as a portion of Ventura County.

Williams said he is speaking with 100 people from “all walks of life” throughout the district to get feedback...

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For full text, please go to: DAILY SOUND: Assembly Race Heats Up

Labels: 2010, 35th Assembly District, education, oil