"I'm humbled by the outpouring of local grassroots support and enthusiasm about my candidacy... Voters are ready for a new vision, new direction and new priorities."
...the California Employment Development Department last week released its first-ever report (pdf) on environment-related employment. What it found, based on a survey of 15,500 companies, is that the green revolution is already a vibrant part of the state’s economy, creating jobs even during the recession. And judging from what’s happening with local environmental firms, the green economy appears to be growing.
...The Associated General Contractors of America, a construction industry association, released a report last week estimating that by 2015, there will be as many as 15 million nonresidential green construction projects nationwide, breathing life into an industry hard hit by the recession.“These projects aren’t just a great source for renewable energy; they are a promising opportunity to renew our industry,” said Ted Aadland, president of the Associated General Contractors of America. - SignOnSanDiego.com
"California already has more than 300,000 green jobs and the best is yet to come," said Victoria Bradshaw, Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. "This survey shows that green jobs are distributed more broadly through our economy than previously thought. - YubaNet
Inspired by the first democratic elections in South Africa while in his late teens, Das traveled to South Africa to work for Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress. During that time, he witnessed the masses of people engaged in civic action and experienced the transformational power of grassroots political movements. - UCSB Bren School Deans CouncilCome Volunteer. Come get inspired.
We ARE a different kind of place and Das is a different kind of representative.LD: Why do you want to be on the City Council?
DW: This is my home. … To me the most important jobs in the community are city and county level, and the coastal commission. … And I believe the people in Santa Barbara want or believe in the same things that I stand for, which are clean water, good transportation and good planning, and empowerment of the neighborhoods. Those are issues that transcend ideology. They’re not about left or right; they’re about Santa Barbara.
LD: What about your views on spending?
DW: … I think being fiscally responsible goes beyond being fiscally conservative. You can’t address basic infrastructure and economic needs of a community by just shutting down and hoping the problems go away. … I think investing in basic infrastructure, like clean water, like a good transportation system, is one of the best ways we can do that. … In the short term it would create more jobs, because sewer replacement and rail authority create jobs. And in the long run it would also create more jobs because it would be easier for business to operate here in Santa Barbara.
LD: What do you appreciate most about Santa Barbara?
DW: The natural beauty of our coast, and the inner beauty of Santa Barbara’s people. We’re a different kind of place; we’re a place where the prosperity of Santa Barbara’s business and the health of the environment go hand in hand.
Das is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work with a wide variety of people and organizations!
City Council Committees
Finance Committee, Chair
Committee on Legislation
Sustainability Council Committee
City-Related Agencies
Santa Barbara Beautiful
Santa Barbara Film Commission
Greater Santa Barbara Lodging Association (Alternate)
Advisory Groups, City Council Liaison
Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners
Youth Council
Creeks Advisory Committee (Alternate)
Parks and Recreation Commission (Alternate)
Represents City of Santa Barbara
Cachuma Conservation Release Board
Cachuma Operation and Maintenance BoardCity/County Solid Waste Task Force
Central Coast Water Authority (Alternate)
Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors (Alternate)
Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) (Alternate)
“The fact that Ventura and Santa Barbara Democrats have so overwhelmingly supported my candidacy in this race represents a key vote of confidence not only in what I fought for and achieved locally, but also the vision I have for where this state needs to go,” Williams said. “I’m honored that sentiment was echoed at this weekend’s State Democratic Convention, and I am so honored to carry the California Democratic Party’s sole endorsement heading into the June election.
“I can’t wait to get up to Sacramento, and fight to ensure that our Democratic values are reflected in the policies coming out of the state legislature.” - Noozhawk
Congrats, Das!
One U.S. senator and a core of young organizers turned April 22, 1970, into the day the environmental movement was born.
On that day, 20 million Americans in 2,000 communities and 10,000 schools planted trees, cleaned up parks, buried cars in mock graves, marched, listened to speeches and protested how humans were messing up their world.
....Earth Day was the brainchild of Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Democrat, who came up with the idea of a national teach-in on the environment after 3 million gallons of oil spilled across the beaches of Santa Barbara, Calif., and killed 10,000 seabirds in January 1969.
Nelson's idea gave birth to a green movement and a "green generation" that would be as powerful as the industrial revolution in shaping the future of civilization. - Cleveland.com
....Current Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams said it best… “I say we should embrace the economic and environmental opportunities presented by the otter’s return. They will eat a lot of urchins, and that will impact that fishery, but urchins have decimated kelp forests and the otter’s return may increase the size of kelp forests which also increase the number of other fish species that people once fished in decent numbers. The economic benefit of otters on a town like Monterrey is also very significant financially. Besides, their impact to the urchin fishery may not be devastating in the near term because it is largely males heading south during the female’s season to raise pups, an adaptation to prevent the males competing with the pups for food, so it is for now seasonal trips into our waters.” - Santa Barbara View
Leading into this weekend´s California Democratic Party (CDP) Convention in Los Angeles where he is expected to gain the CDP´s formal endorsement, Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams announced today that the California Labor Federation has endorsed his bid for State Assembly District 35. Their support highlights Das Williams´ personal history and record of supporting working families, fair wages and safe working conditions, as well as his efforts to create local jobs, affordable housing, and access to higher education and health care.
...."I am proud to have the support and trust of the California Labor Federation," Das Williams commented. "I realize that the gravity of present events, and the heavy reliance on quick-fix solutions such as cuts-only budgets, furloughs, borrowing, and other fiscal gimmicks have only hurt the working men and women who support our great state."
"My success in the city of Santa Barbara has required committed, principled leadership," added Williams. "I am thankful that the AFL-CIO shares my principles and believes in my ability to succeed on the state level as I have at the local level. I pledge my own support and efforts to do what needs to be done to get California back on track without sacrificing vital services, access to quality healthcare and education, and environmental safeguards."
