Candidate Profile in SBN-P

[ Excerpt from a candidate profile by the SBN-P, written by Barney McManigal, 5/10/2006 ]


Das Williams: Political warrior fights on


County supervisor candidate Das Williams is like the warrior parables he recites on the campaign trail: passionate and intense.

With his striking good looks, strategic brilliance and hard work, the veteran political consultant defied conventional wisdom in 2003 and propelled himself onto the Santa Barbara City Council at age 29. Two years later, he's aiming his fire at the open seat on the Board of Supervisors.

"I'm going to go where I am needed," said Mr. Williams, 31, who frequently criticizes three North County supervisors for shifting the region away from long-standing slow-growth policies. He sees himself as the best defender of the county's environmental ethos.

But Mr. Williams' bid for supervisor is not entirely selfless. The new job would more than double his $36,300 annual salary and strengthen his position in future runs for higher office. Critics, pointing to inconsistencies in his statements and record, call him untrustworthy and opportunistic. And his political maneuvering at City Hall has made him one of the most controversial young leaders in recent history.

Mr. Williams knows how to talk to people -- at political rallies, formal meetings and especially one-on-one.

His eyes light up when he describes his modest upbringing in Isla Vista and the equalizing effect of the famed coastline he shared with residents of affluent communities such as Montecito. Mr. Williams suggests that he would do anything to protect the region's natural beauty.

At a recent forum, he told 80 people at the Goleta Valley Community Center that he was "on fire."

"I have to be on fire, because there are mountains of ice around me to melt," Mr. Williams proclaimed to the largely senior citizen crowd, paraphrasing famed abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison.

To his supporters, Mr. Williams approaches cult status... Trusted veterans, such as former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson and former Supervisor Gail Marshall, owe him big for elections he helped them win.

Even his most ardent critics praise his intelligence and street fighter's political instinct. He is smooth, often impeccably dressed, and eloquent on demand. And people notice.

"He's just got it," said Cheri Rae McKinney, who praised Mr. Williams for casting the lone vote to reduce the scale of Cottage Health System's plan to convert the now-closed St. Francis Medical Center into housing. The bungalow-haven-area resident likened him to an ancient Greek orator, calling his political skills "noble."

"He's not just an empty suit or a pretty face," Ms. McKinney said. "He listens and he delivers."

As a testament to his abilities, Mr. Williams has leveled the playing field in a battle with fellow Democrat Janet Wolf. Pulling dozens of endorsements from local leaders, unions and environmentalists, Mr. Williams has buffeted the early high-octane support for Ms. Wolf from party heavyweights like Rep. Lois Capps and former Supervisor Naomi Schwartz -- the latter urging him not to run.

But he could be a victim of his own eagerness... Earlier this year, he accepted an award for being one of the 50 most influential Latinos on the Central Coast, but admits he is not Latino [webmaster note: they insisted on including Das as a symbol to young Latinos of what an inner-city kid can do to improve his community]. He is European-American and Indonesian -- and 1/16th American Indian, he said.

Despite his emphasis on his local roots, Mr. Williams has spent many years away from the area [wemaster note:a grand total of about 4 years, when he went to UC Berkeley -- where he graduated with high honors in Politcal Science -- and then went on to work in several political campaigns in the Bay Area. Also, 2 years in Carpinteria], and only moved into Santa Barbara to run for the City Council in 2003 [wemaster note: again, not really accurate. Das returned to Santa Barbara after his 4 years in the Bay Area and lived with me on SB's Eastside for a number of those years. He moved to Carpinteria in 2000-2002, when he bought a condominium there, moving back with me when he sold it a year before the city election]. He moved into the 2nd District in 2004.

... a Board of Supervisors seat has several personal benefits... Besides increasing his income to $90,000, it would free him from term limits that would force him off the City Council in 2012. Insiders also consider the county a bigger stepping stone to the Legislature and Congress -- places he openly says he wants to go.

... After winning over low-income advocates by endorsing a living wage proposal on the council, Mr. Williams tacked in the other direction, courting staunch neighborhood activists in the Goleta Valley -- people who have fought the dense housing proposals sought by the same groups that make up Mr. Williams' base.

At a closed-door meeting last year, he told Coalition for Sensible Planning members that he would support their slow-growth aims "95 percent of the time."

Earlier this year, he urged supervisors to reject a state requirement for 1,240 high-density homes, a move that brings with it numerous financial and legal penalties, including court-ordered sanction of the county's planning department. The state law aims to ensure housing for people of all income levels.

Several affordable housing advocates have begun to grumble about Mr. Williams' aggressive politicking in Goleta Valley neighborhoods.

County Housing Authority Commissioner Mickey Flacks criticized Mr. Williams and fellow candidate Joe Guzzardi for using the state housing law as a political football.

"It's irresponsible for candidates to advocate resistance to duly enacted legislation and to propose putting the county at risk," Ms. Flacks said.

Despite Mr. Williams' overtures, some Goleta Valley residents question the sincerity of his promise to protect their area and have rallied behind Mr. Guzzardi.

"He's not trustable," said Ann Crosby, a Coalition for Sensible Planning member. "He is playing off so many opposing parties against each other."

In response, Mr. Williams says residents can trust him because he kept his campaign promises to protect neighborhoods and fight for improved water quality and commuter rail service. "It's rare that you find a politician who would live up to promises made on their campaign literature," he said.

On the City Council, Mr. Williams has had a successful but controversial couple of years. Through sheer persistence, he helped build momentum to sink two development projects: multihome condominium proposals on upper State Street and in the Las Positas valley that residents called wrong for the areas.

But he has been a divisive force since he stepped onto the dais in 2004 [webmaster note: in order to help create a progressive majority on the board]. Although he has numerous allies on the council, critics accuse him of grandstanding and taking credit for work done by others. Mr. Williams also played a key role in a move to oust Councilwoman Iya Falcone during her re-election bid last fall, rallying support for a rival's challenge.

The councilman defends his actions as standing up for his values.

Many insiders expect Dr. Dan Secord to finish first in June; Mr. Williams appears to be locked in a fight for second place with Ms. Wolf and Mr. Guzzardi.

Making the case for voters at a time when environmentalists find themselves struggling to maintain a foothold on the Board of Supervisors, the political warrior keeps the focus on battles fought and wars won.

"I deliver, and you can trust me to do what I say" ...

e-mail: bmcmanigal@newspress.com

Santa Barbara News-Press