Das Williams' Bill Rewards Honest Employers

Assemblymember Williams’ Bill Creates Workplace Equity, Rewards Honest Employers

A new law authored by Assemblyman Das Williams will target unethical contractors who intentionally underreport and/or fail to report the hiring of new employees in an attempt to avoid paying full workers’ compensation premiums 

Unfortunately, many employers have minimum policies and only add an injured worker after the injury occurs. Adding an employee retroactively causes workers’ compensation premiums to increase for all employers. This system is especially unfair to employers who legitimately report employees at the correct time.

“All contractors suffer when employers aren’t honest,” said Assemblymember Das Williams. “This law will balance out the scales so that all contractors over time are paying their fair share and honest contractors don’t have to pay two-to-three times as much.”

AB 1794, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Sunday, will authorize the Employment Development Department to provide employer or employee information to the Contractors State License Board and the State Compensation Insurance Fund for the purposes of auditing, investigating and prosecuting violations of tax and cash-pay reporting laws.

Contractors will not have to bear any additional costs or reporting responsibilities because the EDD will now be able to share the information.

By allowing the EDD to share new hire information, the new law will also help California capture a portion of the billions of dollars lost in underreported annual payroll taxes. - Santa Barbara Independent

Dedicated Funding for Higher Education Passes Assembly

A legislative proposal by Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) to create a non-tax revenue stream for the state’s higher education system cleared the Assembly floor today and advances to the State Senate.

AB 2442, creates a system to better manage some state-owned properties with the goal of increasing the value of those properties and earn revenue for the University of California (UC), the California State University (CSU) and California Community College system.

“I’m pleased that my colleagues have shown their support for our state’s higher education system through this creative approach to returning an investing in the hallmark of our state’s success,” said Assemblymember Das Williams.

The California Hope Public Trust will be able to evaluate and better utilize state property with the proceeds benefitting the UC, CSU and CCC systems.

The bill’s next stop will be the Senate Rules committee.

Website for Assemblymember Das Williams: http://assembly.ca.gov/Williams

DAS WILLIAMS gets perfect score from California Seniors

First term Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) received a perfect score from the California Congress of Seniors on their annual legislative report card. 

Each year the state’s leading senior citizens group analyzes and reports the voting records of California Legislators on bills affecting the lives of millions of senior citizens throughout California.

“Great leaders like Hubert Humphrey have said that the moral test of government is how it treats the aged and children. For us to be a just society we must respect and support seniors,” Assemblymember Das Williams said.

The report card is aimed to help seniors understand how their elected officials have responded to the issues facing our families and communities. The CCS works with others in the senior network to analyze bills, write letters of support or opposition and more to advocate on the behalf of California’s seniors. The report card is an analysis of lawmakers votes on several key bills identified as important for seniors.

 “Das Williams typifies the kind of legislator we as seniors should look to as an example of a lawmaker that genuinely has the interests of the seniors in California in mind,” said Hank Lacayo, State President of California Congress of Seniors.

“It was Das’ first shot at a report card and he got an A-plus from us. That is a very good beginning for a real friend of the seniors in California.”

To view the entire 2011 Legislative Report Card for the California Congress of Seniors, visit www.seniors.org

(http://www.seniors.org/godocuserfiles/2413.29837_R2_Report.pdf) 

Website for Assemblymember Das Williams: http://assembly.ca.gov/Williams

Das Williams - Endorsed by the Santa Barbara Independent

The Santa Barbara Independent has endorsed Das for State Assembly on the November ballot.

Few Santa Barbara politicians come as prepared, equipped, and temperamentally suited to serve in Sacramento as Das Williams, the politically restless progressive now holding down the left end of the Santa Barbara City Council. Williams is both pragmatist and ideologue, meaning he can grandstand with the best of them but also get things done. With local roots running deep, Williams will remain accessible once ensconced in the weird Twilight Zone of Sacramento. Constituent calls will be returned; their issues, addressed. The same cannot be said for the recent occupant of that seat.

DAS WILLIAMS has served Santa Barbara well

now...let's send him to Sacramento to serve the 35th Assembly District well.


"As a legislative player, Williams has been consistently inventive, shrewd, and creative. On matters budgetary, Williams has supported pay raises for cops while figuring out ingenious ways to keep intact programs serving at-risk youth — indirectly threatened by police pay hikes..."- The SBIndy

Das Williams (CA-HD-35)	$

DAS WILLIAMS knows it takes education

to strengthen lives...to strengthen communities....to strengthen California.

"....The thing that made California so great was our world-class education system, an education system that was the envy of the world. I was fortunate enough to grow up having good public schools and great teachers. I also had great teachers at SBCC, who helped me secure a scholarship to UC Berkeley and I went on to earn a graduate degree from UCSB. Growing up in poverty, I would not have been able to become the person I am now, or enjoyed the many opportunities in my life, if it weren’t for the public school system.

Every child, regardless of where they grow up, deserves access to the same educational opportunities that helped me succeed. For our state and children to remain competitive in the 21st-century economy, we are going to need the best schools and best teachers. We will meet that challenge not only by securing necessary education funding, but also by ensuring that teachers are not hamstrung and can have the opportunity to provide students with an enriched educational experience so they are prepared to compete in an increasingly competitive economy." - Das

DAS WILLIAMS knows about the 35th District Issues

because Das grew up in and around the 35th District!

"I grew up in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, attending local public schools and solidifying my educational foundation before attending UC Berkeley, where I earned my BA in political science. I followed that up with a master’s in environmental science and management from UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management." - Das

Das Williams believes that rebuilding California...

relies upon rebuilding our Middle Class:

"We need to rebuild our middle class by creating new jobs and pushing our state to invest in new technologies and industries. I’ll expand alternative energy and sustainable, clean ways of living and doing business, and will unite our state’s environmental and labor constituencies behind a pro-jobs agenda to ensure that California is not left behind..." -- Das

DAS WILLIAMS

Experienced and endorsed by so many terrific citizens and organizations.
Das is ready to serve US...the 35th Assembly District constituents...

Das Williams - Gives Thanks

Dear Friends and Supporters,

By now the Election Day festivities have faded away and I've had some time to reflect on our shared win. This last year has been an incredible experience for me and I have been touched by each and every one of you who has helped us get to this point.

I want to give a special thanks to all the volunteers who gave so much of their time and energy to this campaign. We've worked hard for more than a year to make this happen. Hundreds of people walked and phoned voters in the District to share our positive message of change. Our grassroots operation was unprecedented. This has always been your campaign and I believe that message was strongly voiced on Tuesday.

To all our donors who so believed in this campaign and gave what they could, when they could, thank you. I'm proud that we have over 1,000 individual donors, of which, 75% live right here in the 35th Assembly District.

The primary election victory is critical to our effort of bringing change to Sacramento, but our work continues. The general election will be a difficult fight. In the coming months we will be working to prepare to run another winning campaign in November. We must continue to spread our message of positive change that focuses on bringing real solutions to our budget crisis, building a high quality education system, protecting our environment and investing in the green economy to create good family-supporting jobs right here at home.

I am truly honored that you have chosen me to be your Democratic candidate for the 35th State Assembly District and I look forward to working together towards our victory in November.

Thank you,

Das

DAS WILLIAMS....Get ready...cuz here he comes!

“I am incredibly humbled that the people in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties would choose me and desire that I would continue my service to them,” Williams told the Daily Sound. “I am very much aware that this is not just my victory. This is a victory for the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of supporters who believe in our message of change and our message of real results on positive issues."

GO DAS, GO!

Das knows we need to "Get Oil Out"

Get Oil Out! (GOO!)

is a Santa Barbara based public interest group dedicated to the protection of the Santa Barbara Channel and coastline from the deleterious environmental, economic, and esthetic impacts of oil development.

GOO! was founded in the aftermath of 1969 oil blow out at Platform A in the Santa Barbara Channel, and is widely recognized as the first grass-roots environmental group in the United States.

So, when GOO sends a letter, people should listen:

Dear Councilmember Williams,

On behalf of Get Oil Out! (GOO), I would like to commend you for your vision, courage and leadership in the effort to bring an end to oil production in California.

The nightmare of the 1969 oil spill served as a wake up call to this community. In the wake of this disaster, grassroots activists united and built a powerful environmental movement to defend our beautiful coast line. You are one of the great leaders representing the next generation of the movement and your efforts are emblematic of the values of this community.

Your leadership at the City; opposing expansion of oil drilling, taking an official position against onshore drilling projects and calling on the federal government to terminate plans to add new onshore oil development, has helped California move a step closer to our goal of ending oil drilling. Thanks to your commitment to strategic, long term solutions -- rather than succumbing to the short-term fixes that so often bring with them gratification today along with a new set of problems for tomorrow -- we believe that our common goal of securing a permanent end to oil drilling is within reach.

In addition to your important work and commitment to end oil drilling, you have shown great leadership and vision, by spearheading a public policy that has moved our region away from oil addiction and towards a future of renewable energy.

Thank you for all of your work on behalf our community and our environment.

Sincerely,

John Abraham Powell, President

Das Williams knows our local issues

Because Das Williams IS local...
and isn't that what being represented in Sacramento is all about?
Someone who KNOWS us? Someone who will fight for us?

Das Williams is working hard to earn your vote

Das Williams enjoys meeting and talking with people in the 35th Assembly District. And, most importantly, he listens.

He's the only politician I know who gives out his personal cell phone number so constituents can give him a call when something is on their mind.

Das Williams will fight for us because he talks TO us...not down to us, and really, shouldn't it be the 35th Assembly District residents who vote for their representative instead of Sacramento insiders pre-ordaining one?

Das Williams is not expecting your vote...he's working hard to earn it.

Das Williams knows there are more issues to discuss

than a non-existent agreement. There are fires and fire prevention, for example. Das Williams has dealt with those issues on a local level. He has the experience on these issues to take to Sacramento.

It has been a year since the Jesusita Fire ravaged the hillsides above Santa Barbara, and a vote of support from the City Council on Tuesday aims to keep fire damage at bay from homes in that area.

Most of the homes in the foothills above the city are part of a special district — the Wildland Fire Suppression Benefit Assessment District — that pays taxes to help mitigate the effects of wildfire. The City Council approved an extension for that yearly assessment and gave the program its blessing to continue.

....The program received unanimous support on the dais, and Councilman Das Williams called it “one of the most important programs we’ve established.”

Mayor Helene Schneider echoed support.

“As tragic as the fires were,” she said, “they would have been much much worse had this brush not been cleared.” - Noozhawk

There is a reason why Das Williams has the support of:

• Santa Barbara County Firefighters
• Santa Barbara City Firefighters
• California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Fights (CDF Firefighters)
• Warner Mcgrew, Retired City of SB Fire Chief

DAS WILLIAMS - Fighting for our future

The following is from "Das Gets the Last Word on PXP," at the Santa Barbara View:

“The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has strengthened my resolve to bring an end to oil drilling and move towards a fossil free energy future that relies on clean renewable energy.

“In order to end our dependence on oil we need a comprehensive strategy that stops oil drilling and promotes clean renewable energy. At the City Council, my colleagues and I have strongly opposed new and existing oil drilling as well as created tough renewable energy and energy efficiency standards that have created jobs, reduced our dependence on fossil fuels and helped protect the environment.

“The proposed Tranquilion Ridge agreement would have brought an end to oil drilling on four platforms in fourteen years. Without it, oil drilling will now continue for at least another two generations. For four decades we have been unsuccessful in our efforts to stop existing drilling. In fact, the platform that caused the 1969 oil spill still operates to this very day. If we are going to end drilling we need to continue to do everything in our power to end our dependence on oil.”

-- Das Williams, Santa Barbara Council Member

Das knows that lives of real people matter

“It’s clear that Governor Schwarzenegger’s priorities have nothing to do with the well-being of children, working families, seniors or the disabled. Once again he asks nothing of corporations or wealthy CEO’s, and everything of our most vulnerable populations, which have already sacrificed so much. It’s unconscionable, not to mention fiscally imprudent, that his proposal protects tax breaks and loopholes for big oil companies and yet calls for the complete elimination of CalWORKS, as well as further spending cuts to Medi-Cal, community mental health, and in-home care. I urge legislative leaders to reject the Governor’s misguided proposal.”

Das Williams believes growing Green Jobs is good

and a recent study from the California Employment Development Department proves that going green IS good for California.

...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

It's Official....

35th Assembly candidate reception — March 2010
Originally uploaded by On Scene — Amigos805.com.

Santa Barbara City Councilmember and Assembly District 35 candidate Das Williams officially picked up the California Democratic Party (CDP) endorsement this weekend at the State Convention in Los Angeles.

“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!