In a move, that figures to make waves in the burgeoning battle over the Assembly, the Vanguard received a release from the Wolk campaign indicating that Supervisor Don Saylor, a two-term former city councilmember and briefly Davis’ mayor had put his support behind Dan Wolk.
“Earlier today in a letter to his supporters, Yolo County Supervisor Don Saylor announced that he is endorsing Davis Mayor Pro Tem Dan Wolk to represent the 4th District in the California State Assembly. Saylor joins more than 80 other community, education, public safety and other leaders from all over the district supporting Wolk, including his colleagues on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, Mike McGowan and Jim Provenza,” the release stated.
“I believe that Dan Wolk is well prepared to represent the diverse perspectives of the 4th District and is the right fit for us. I admire Dan’s lifelong commitment to public service and his approach to governance. He has deep professional and elected office experience at both the county and city levels in issues that are critical to the residents of the 4th Assembly District,” Supervisor Don Saylor said in his letter.
Supervisor Saylor continued, “Dan has demonstrated his commitment to children’s services, public health, responsible budgeting, fair treatment of employees, public safety, and fair housing. His steadfastness on issues that matter means a lot to me and I think it should to the voters in the 4th District.”
Don Saylor represents District 2 on the Board of Supervisors, including the cities of Davis and Winters, the campus of the University of California at Davis, and the farmland of southwestern Yolo County. He joined the Board of Supervisors in January 2011 and served as mayor and city councilmember for the City of Davis from 2004-10. He was a Trustee of the Davis Joint Unified School District from 1995-2003. Saylor’s focus areas as a supervisor are to sustain and enhance the safety net for Yolo County’s most vulnerable populations; build a strong economy and create jobs; strengthen partnerships among governmental agencies and between the public, private and non-profit sectors; and steward the open space, environment and agricultural resources of Yolo County.
Said the campaign, “In just a few months since announcing his candidacy, Wolk has amassed an impressive list of local endorsements from leaders in every corner of the 4th District. In addition to Saylor, they include former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin, Former Assemblymember and Yolo County Supervisor Helen Thomson, Solano County Supervisors Linda Seifert and Skip Thomson, Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook, Solano County Superintendent of Schools Jay Speck, Yolo County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jorge Ayala and Napa Vice Mayor Peter Mott.”
Dan Wolk has served on the Davis City Council since 2011 and is currently Mayor Pro Tem. He is Deputy County Counsel for Solano County, handling public finance, public contracting and water issues. He is also the founder of the Legal Clinic of Yolo County, a legal services provider for low-income families. Wolk grew up in Davis and attended Davis public schools, before attending Stanford University and receiving his law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall. He lives in Davis with his wife, Jamima, a former professional triathlete and small business owner, and their two young daughters, Avery and Layla.
I believe our state faces serious governance and fiscal challenges. In such uncertain times, we cannot predict what the details of future issues might be and must judge candidates on the basis of their records and their values. It is important to me that the people who serve us in the legislature are driven by values of fairness and that they arrive at their decisions in a thoughtful manner. I want the people who represent us in the legislature to demonstrate the ability to listen and a drive to serve. Over the past several months, I have had extended conversations with each of the people seeking this office and I have examined their public statements, record of actions, and areas of focus.
I believe that Dan Wolk is well prepared to represent the diverse perspectives of the 4th District and is the right fit for us. I admire Dan’s lifelong commitment to public service and his approach to governance. He has deep professional and elected office experience at both the county and city levels in issues that have statewide significance and that are critical to the residents of the 4th Assembly District.
Dan is most well known for his role as a member of the Davis City Council for the past three years. I have watched Dan through his time on the City Council. He walks the talk. Dan often describes how his values and principles inform and drive his actions. Dan has demonstrated his commitment to children’s services, public health, responsible budgeting, fair treatment of employees, public safety, and fair housing. Dan’s steadfastness on issues that matter means a lot to me and I think it should to the voters in the 4th District.
In addition to his role as an elected city councilmember, Dan currently serves as a Deputy County Counsel for Solano County. He has been a key participant in complex discussions about the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, other water issues, and a host of legal matters involving human services programs.
No other candidate brings both city and county experience to the table; but there is more. Dan Wolk has been an active leader in supporting strong public schools for all children and he worked as a legal services attorney helping the most unfortunate among us. Dan walks the talk. To connect with Dan see http://www.danwolk.org/
Please join me in supporting Dan Wolk for the 4th Assembly District in 2014.
Is this so surprising?
it has to be [b]surprising [/b]to turn your stomach?
Has Krovoza gotten any endorsements yet? I haven’t heard of any.
[quote]Has Krovoza gotten any endorsements yet? I haven’t heard of any.[/quote]
http://napavalley.patch.com/groups/ballot-box-california-assembly-4th-district-race/p/winters-mayor-pro-tem-woody-fridae-endorses-joe-krovoza-for-4th-assembly-district
Thanks MThomas, I was unaware of that one. I can’t imagine that’s the only person who has endorsed Krovoza tho. If Dan Wolk has 80 like the article says, Joe should have close to that many too by now. If not that would be a little troubling for Krovoza.
Our governor is the son of a former governor; the last president was the son of a former president. Will our assemblyman be the son of a former assemblyman? What the hell are we doing – developing a hereditary aristocracy in this country?
ON a somewhat related note. Robb Davis has announced his candidacy for City Council:
Dear Friends – I am excited to share with you that I have decided to run for the Davis City Council in the June 2014 election. If you are receiving this it is because I have worked with you on issues related to bicycling (safety and promotion), cooperative housing, downtown parking, restorative justice, the challenge of homelessness, exclusion and addiction, or… just because we are friends or our kids played soccer together!
Over 12 years living and working in Davis, my experience in all these areas has deepened my understanding of our city and increased my desire to serve its residents on the City Council. I am running for City Council because:
1. I want Davis to be a socially, environmentally, and economically healthy city.
2. I believe I will be an effective Council member. Davis faces challenges and opportunities in protecting and sustaining community health. To face the challenges and make the most of opportunities we need elected officials who can weigh alternatives, analyze tradeoffs and make informed and transparent decisions. I believe that I can do these things.
I will bring my experience and the following strengths to the process: I am a good listener, able to ask relevant questions and probe to go deeper; I am a tireless worker who prepares for the task before me; I am able to take complex topics and articulate them in ways that citizens can understand; I am respectful of others and value team work to solve problems. Most importantly I am willing to learn and go on learning to improve my ability to make informed decisions.
3. A city needs more from leadership than simply making decisions. It needs leaders who can help create and nurture a vision for the future. I am a forward looking person. As I learn about the city, its problems and its potential, I will work with citizens to identify our values, assure that our policies are consistent with them, and seek creative ways to implement these policies. I will listen, learn and respectfully walk with my neighbors to chart our collective future.
This campaign begins with my official announcement on Saturday, October 26 at 10:00 am at the City Property at 5th and D Streets (on the southeast side of the intersection, just west of the fire station). This is the location of the Davis Community Meals Cold Weather Shelter and the STEAC Resource Center. Please plan to come!
I relish the idea of seeing lots of familiar smiling faces, enjoying one another’s company, on the 26th. I promise not to talk too much—this is mainly a chance for you to show your support. At the same time, I hope you will consider how you can help translate my candidacy into an election win through whatever role fits you, your time commitments and your gifts. I can tell you that there is a lot to do, including:
•helping with website design
•conceptualizing brochures and lawn signs
•walking neighborhoods to let people know why I am running
•inviting your friends over for a “meet the candidate” coffee (or dessert !)
•getting mailings ready
•providing a financial contribution to help get the word out about why I am running
•hosting your very own fundraising event
If you think I would make a good councilman then I am asking you to help make it happen. Your most valuable contribution will be the thing dearest to you (and me): your time.
One more thing! I would like to build a list of people are willing to go on record—have their name appear in black and white—saying “I support Robb”. In other words, I am asking you for an endorsement. If you are willing to do that, please respond to this email saying “I endorse you Robb!” (be sure to put the exclamation point). I sincerely appreciate it.
Oh, wait, one more thing! Please forward this email to friends who you would like to inform of my candidacy and invite them to come on the 26th. They may contact me directly if they would like to endorse me or otherwise connect with this campaign.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you on the 26th at 10:00.
Thank you,
Robb
Robb Davis
717 598 2019
cgarrod
[quote]What the hell are we doing – developing a hereditary aristocracy in this country?[/quote]
I would hope that what we are doing is choosing the person who we perceive will do the best job from amongst the available candidates. Is it any more unusual that a child raised by politicians will be interested in going into politics than it is for a farmer’s child to want to farm, or a doctor’s child to be interested in medicine or public health ?
What concerns me much more than the occupation of a candidate’s parent, is source of the funding for their campaign. Is the source of their funding transparent or is it being funneled to them covertly ? Of even more concern to me is the amount of money necessary to mount a credible campaign.
[quote]What the hell are we doing – developing a hereditary aristocracy in this country?[/quote]
Most people do not study the issues and candidates. They see a name they recognize, or an initiative with a nice title, and put a check next to it. I doubt readers of the Vanguard have a high percentage of this disease, but John Q. Public does. Thus, we get nepotism by the mass lighting of dim bulbs.
I have been reading the Vanguard a long time but I have never commented. I bet a lot of people are like that. But something about this article and the comments really made me angry!
Dan Wolk is is own man and is VERY accomplished in his own right. He got into Stanford on his own, law school on his own, started a low income legal clinic on his own, and won the city council election on his own with more votes than his mom ever got!
And now he is getting the most endorsements of any candidate in this Assembly race ON HIS OWN. Minimizing Dan’s endorsements only insults people like Jim Provenza and all the others. They have minds of their own. Nobody twisted their arm. That they are all endorsing Dan and not Joe is very telling.
Back in May, David originally made a post about how there were so few people endorsing in this race. Endorsements were important enough for David to talk about how few there were. Since then Dan has racked up dozens upon dozens and Joe has, what, ONE endorsement?? To my knowledge, Joe is dead last in the endorsement race, with Dan way in the lead. The two Napa guys (Dodd and Pope) are battling for second. Bill Dodd mostly has Republicans.
Lois doesn’t represent Lake County and those endorsements are going Dan’s way, too. Dan is earning them on his own.
So I take issue with people here trying to minimize this and other endorsements, and I am a little insulted by David posting a picture of Lois and Saylor for this article. I’m sure he’s just trying to be clever, but it implies something that I don’t believe is fair.
Not sure if I will ever post again on this site, but I felt I had to now.
Interesting choice of photo…
Angela, I for one hope you post soon and often. Here,Here!!!!
“One of the most difficult tasks to master over the last seven years at the helm of the Davis Vanguard has been to differentiate between legitimate news and inside baseball gossip.” -David Greenwald
Nice photo, David!
-Michael Bisch
Will Arnold has pledged to get me a different photo in the future. On short notice, it’s what I had that seemed appropriate at the time. I meant no harm.
Reagrding Odd man out’s posting: I find Robb Davis’ City Council candidacy announcement content rather interesting. I would have to say based upon his actions and Vanguard postings I cannot agree that Robb Davis is a good listener. In fact, he has consistently ignored the concerns of other citizens regarding the unreasonable and impossible demands he is making to please his bicycle constituency on the Cannery project. Instead of focusing efforts to solve problem he is creating them.
He is part of a divisive campaign against the Cannery whether he is doing it voluntarily or being a “tool“ of the Covell Village developers. If he wanted to be productive he would focus his demands on the Covell Village developers who are the obstructionists denying an easement along Cranbrook Court (owned by Tandem Properties, which is also one of the Covell Village developers). The last thing we need on Council a Council member who cannot understand and help solve problems, but create them.
Beckly, please. ConAgra, international food conglomerate, a $30 billion market capitalization vs. Tandem who owns 25% of local apartments according to your calculation. Your hatred is seriously clouding your judgement and you want the kids who live in Cannery to pay the price for your vendetta after ConAgra leaves town. Planning Commission appears to agree- did they also have snacks at Tandem’s office.
Becky, while I understand your comments about Robb’s advocacy for school children bicyclists (he and others have clearly said that the Cannery solution is not anywhere near as significant a problem for adult bicyclists), are you really going to make a final judgment on a Council candidate on the basis of a single issue?
I don’t agree with Robb on the bicycle issue at Cannery, but I look at the full range of issues like the ones below before I make a final judgment on a candidate.
[i][b]Keeping Davis a desirable, attractive community
Collaboration
Housing and Land Use
Economic Growth
Accountability
Budget
Environmental Sustainability
— Water
— Energy
— Transportation
[/b][/i]
yeahmyam, you are right that ConAgra dwarfs Tandem/North Davis Land Co., but the truth is that neither of them are hurting.
Becky – I read your comment with some consternation because I do consider myself to be a good listener. I have spoken directly to City Council about the owners of the Cranbrook Apartment and their obstinance in not enabling the best route out of Cannery for children. In my comments at the Bicycle Advisory Commission on Monday I expressed my extreme frustration at their stance. In direct meetings with them I repeatedly told them they needed to provide the easement necessary to allow children to exit that property safely.
I have listened to public opinion three times at the BAC concerning this property. I have talked to dozens and dozens of people about it and the connectivity needs. The Planning Commission on Wednesday evening sent a recommendation to the City Council that the project should go forward but that it should have two grade separated crossings as proposed by the BAC and Davis Bicycles!. In other words, the Planning Commission of the City of Davis does NOT consider our demands as “unreasonable and impossible”. They believe them to be reasonable and critical to achieving the goals of the City.
In my own comments at the Planning Commission I urged them to approve the project but insist on two grade separated crossings. Our Mayor supports this approach.
I apologize to you personally if you feel slighted by anything I have said or if it has come across as curt or uncaring. I remain willing to talk voice to voice or face to face with you or anyone about the logic of this position. Please contact me at robbbike@me.com or call me at 717 598 2019.
Robb, a major difference that we have regarding what you are demanding is that you make the unwarranted assertion that the proposed bike undercrossing under the Covell overcrossing (Option 1) is “unsafe” or inadequate. You also make the unwarranted assertion that crossing at grade at J St. is unsafe. All along Covell Blvd. countless pedestrians and bicyclists cross Covell at traffic lights. Why not at J St.?
It is unreasonable to demand two grade separated crossings and you have no care or concern about the consequences of dragging in the Covell Village site. The impracticality of your demands goes beyond reason. And what about the feasibility of your demands as well? It is becoming more clear that this is more about your City Council campaign than about bike safety.