Open Letter to Governor Newsom
Open Letter to Governor Newsom,
We are deeply dismayed to learn that Das Williams is seeking an appointment to the California Coastal Commission for the Central Coast. A controversial supervisor synonymous with Santa Barbara’s much-contested Cannabis Ordinance, he was barely able to retain his position in 2020 (even with the political and financial muscle of the cannabis industry). Indeed, there are serious ongoing conversations about a Recall of him and a ballot Referendum to upend his Cannabis Ordinance.
Williams’s ordinance has led to unprecedented, industrial levels of marijuana grows causing skunk stench and terpene production, that pollute our air from the mountains to the beaches. Moreover, these massive cannabis operations, with their associated effluent, are threatening our Environmentally Sensitive Habitats in the Coastal Zone and coastal streams.
Indeed, he was the subject of a year-long Grand Jury investigation and Report that singled out his ethically challenged and pay-to-play politics with the cannabis lobby in Santa Barbara County. Additionally, he is the subject of a Referral to the U.S. Attorney regarding the unprecedented levels of cannabis operations surrounding Carpinteria High School, that have filled classrooms and football fields with a putrid stench, impacting staff and students who are 75 percent Hispanic.
Presently, Williams’s lobbying for a cannabis dispensary on Santa Claus Lane, a Highway 101 onramp and beach access adjacent to year-round surf camps for children, has provoked intense community resistance. This matter alone would require his recusal from an expected Coastal Commission hearing and ruling.
These are but a few of the myriad conflicts that would disqualify him from representing the citizens of California and ruling on the many crucial issues before the Coastal Commission. There are several qualified candidates to serve on the Coastal Commission including Santa Barbara Council Member Meagan Harmon, a land-use attorney, who was born and raised here.
Regrettably, Das Williams has never had, nor merited, the respect of many of his First District constituents.
He certainly does not belong on the California Coastal Commission.
Respectfully submitted by 145 Santa Barbara County residents from its five districts including Buellton, Carpinteria, Cuyama, Montecito, City of Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, Solvang, Summerland, Tepesquet, and (by quorum) Concerned Carpinterians, a grass roots organization representing approximately 300 residents in the First District.
Susan Allen
Susan Ashbrook
M. C. Athanassiadis
Sophia Athanassiadi
Robert Bailey
Valerie A. Bentz, Phd.
Susan Beeler Kreutzer
Dave Bettles
Tracy Bettles
Sean Bettles
Dede Borchard
Allen Braithwaite
Tony Brown
Tessa Bryan
Anna Bradley
Timothy Buffalo
Victoria Buffalo
Dinah Calderon
Ricardo Calderon
Anna Carrillo
Janet Carlson
Stephen Carlson
Howard E. Chase
Jo Ann Chase
Jennifer Chisik
James A. Claffey
Debi Clark
Larry Clark
Robert Collector
Eileen Conrad
John Culbertson
Sean Daniel
Bill Dietsch
Elaine Dietsch
Ann Diener
Robert Diener
Gary Delanoeye
Tamara Donohoe
Cheryl Doty
Dewlson Family Farm
Brian Edwards
Linda Ekstrom
Paul Ekstrom
Debra Eagle
Sally Eagle
Terry Eagle
Dan A. Emmett
Rae M. Emmett
Anita Engs
Edward W Engs IV
Joan Esposito
Les Esposito
Stephen K. Figler, Ph.D
Maureen Foley Claffey
Patricia French
Michael French
Jon Gans
Gregory Gandrud
Robyn Geddes
Linda P. Hannon
John Heaton
Valerie Hoffman
Deke Hunter
Ruthie Hunter
Douglas Huston
Llewelyn Goodfield
Marilyn Goodfield
Helen Graves
Scott Graves
Leigh Johnson
Ron Johnson
Rebecca Kapustay
Pati Kern
Richard Kopcho
Darcy Kopcho
Sandra M. Kuttler
Robert Lesser
Jorgito Lucas
David Ludwig
Mike Macari
Barbara Macari
Sarah Mascarenas-Triguero
Derek McLeish
Corinne Matson
William James Matson
Elizabeth Mandl
V. James Mannoia
J. Mariner
Sharyne Merritt
Carrie Miles, PhD,
Cathy Ann Miller
Mitch Morehart
Marla McNally
Stephanie Nicks
Doris Neff
Lionel Neff
John Theodore Nunes, Jr.
Renee O’Neill
Bobbie Offen
MaryPat O’Connor
Blair Pence
Dianne Pence
Andrew Pfeffer
Elizabeth Poje
Bruce Porter
Denise Peterson
Tom Peterson
Marvin Raupp
Chris Reif
Tracey Reif
Patricia Reynales
Heidi Robbins
Ross Robins
Nanci Robertson
Nelson Roberts
Kathy Roberts
Brenda Rosentrater
Ray Rosentrater
Francis Saragoza
Patricia Saragosa
Sheryl Schwartz
Barry K. Schwartz
Marion A. Souza
Sky Souza
Wendy Spencer
Carla Singer
Jill Stassinos
Barbara Stoops
Helen Thomas
Janet Thomson
Tim Thomson
Abby Turin
Evan Turpin
Hunter Turpin
Casey Turpin
Travis Turpin
Polly Turpin
Scott Van Der Kar
Alice Vazquez
Kaye Walters
Sandra Weil
Allan Weil
Alison H. Werts
Linda Whiston
Edwin Woods
Kate Wu
Gus Zachariou