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Davis council candidate has close ties to UCD
By ALDRICH TAN/Democrat correspondent

April 23, 2006

A few years ago, Lamar Heystek was a reporter for "The California Aggie" covering the Davis City Council. He recalls sitting in at the council meetings and trying to understand the issues concerning the community.

Heystek, 27, said he wants to be on the other side of the panel. Now a lecturer at UC Davis, Heystek is running for the council he once reported on.

Heystek said he doesn't want to focus solely on Davis issues. He said he is concerned with the city's relations with neighbor city Woodland.

"Davis is not an island," he said. "It is part of a regional footprint and we need to be careful about how we plan our future."

Heystek said the opening of a Target in Davis is a major issue in this year's election for both Davis and Woodland.

He said he disapproves Target opening in Davis because it will bring lower-quality jobs and higher amounts of traffic and crime to the area.

"Certain Davis residents who'd continue to patronize Target will go to Woodland's store because it is in a more accessible location than where the proposed Target would be," he said.

Heystek said he was a strong voice in the campaign against Davis' Measure X, which signified how locals does not want city sprawl. But the disapproval of Measure X does not only reflect local attitudes.

"In the ideal situation, Woodland should be able to provide housing for Woodland and Davis should provide housing for those who work in Davis," he said. "I think the people of Woodland would also like to see a change in Davis City Council."

Heystek said he is also glad that Woodland is considering an urban limit line and also advocates stricter border definitions between the two cities.

"If the two cities run into each other, you'll have a mega-city with two governing councils and it would make it harder for each City Council to plan its own future," he said.

Heystek said he knows about the dangers of mega cities from personal experience. He was raised in San Leandro, a small city immediately adjacent from Oakland.

Heystek said he came to Davis to attend college 10 years ago and graduated with bachelors degrees in Political Science and Linguistics and a masters degree in Linguistics.

"I love Davis and I want to raise my family here," he said.

While attending UC Davis, Heystek said he worked as a shop steward for the Safeway store located in North Davis.

"It was literally a marketplace for the exchange of ideas as well as services," he said. "I cherished the daily contact I had working there."

Heystek said he has been a lecturer at the Department of Linguistics for UC Davis since last year.

Heystek remains involved in local political issues in the community. He has sat on three city commissions, including the Recreation & Park commission, the Finance & Budget Commission and the Open Space Commission.

Heystek ran for Davis City Council in 2004 and lost. But he believes that his experience has prepared him for this year's election.

"I had great exposure to the community," he said.

Heystek said he is running for re-election because the locals and the surrounding area are ready for a change in leadership.

"I have the same desires for Davis as any concerned members of the community," he said. "I'm in it for the long haul."
Section: News