Voters in the Santa Barbara area will decide Tuesday whether to re-elect their District 1 supervisor or replace him with another well-known name in politics.
Das Williams, who won the supervisor's seat in 2016, is now seeking a second term and says one of the most important issues affecting the area is climate change.
"Our average temperature has risen 2.4 degrees in the last 30 years,” Williams told KSBY News. “That means that climate change is part of the reason why we are facing more frequent fires and I think the county needs to do its part to improve our environment and reduce our carbon emissions, reduce our contribution to climate change and we are doing that. "
Williams also added that renewable energy is at the forefront of his future plans.
“Three weeks ago, we approved a wind power project that'll double the renewable energy in the county,” Williams said. “We are building right now a facility out at the landfills so that food isn't buried and it is instead converted into energy and we are making sure that we purchase ourselves more renewable to make sure that we do our part.”
On the other hand, fellow Democrat Laura Capps, a school board member and former communications director for Senator Ted Kennedy, is focused on affordable housing.
"The inability to have a house or roof over their head that they can afford,” Capps told KSBY News. “Low income housing, middle income housing, the housing market is just too tight here. We have too much poverty, too much struggle, so economics and housing are the issues I'm focused on. "
Capps says if elected, she would also work on restoring trust between lawmakers and the community.
"Too much money flows into our elections. It’s one of my platforms - campaign finance reform. Right now, anyone can write a check of any size to our officials and we need to change that," Capps said.
If re-elected, Williams says he will use his prior experience to continue moving conversations forward on climate change, mental health issues and public safety.
"I think what makes me stand out is I'm no longer just the young Turk. I've served the community for 17 years now and have concrete results every year that I've been in office to help the community," Williams said.
Capps says she is looking forward to the possibility of more women having a seat at the table.
"I think when women are in office, we tend to be good listeners and be collaborative, certainly there's a lot of those in men too, but I do think we need more women, especially on the board of supervisors,” she said.
