Candidate Profile: Dan Williams, Boulder City Council

BOULDER, CO — Ten candidates are running for five open seats on City Council in Boulder's Nov. 2 municipal election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Dan Williams is running for Boulder City Council.

Age: 52

Family

My wife, Mary Faltynski, and I have been married for 25 years. We have two sons, Cassidy (22) and Jonah (20).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My wife is an employee of Boulder County.

Education

JD summa cum laude Georgetown Law Center
MS Public Policy/BA University of Rochester

Occupation

Litigation attorney 20 years

Campaign website: www.danforboulder.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m running for Boulder City Council to put Boulder on a progressive path and make us a true leader for the urgent challenges we face now. How will we do it?

1) Make It Easier To Live, Work and Play in Boulder

Expand housing opportunities for individuals and families. That’s how we’ll turn the tide so that Boulder is accessible to more than just the wealthiest.

Make it easy to be creative and to run a small business in Boulder. We need to make it easy to innovate, invent, and do business here.

Promote access to parks and open space and expand/enhance bicycle paths and enjoyment of other public spaces.

2) Promote Social Justice

Make Boulder a city where all people feel welcome. A diverse community is a strong community.

Focus police resources where they belong—on stopping property crime and crimes against people including violent crime. Social problems should be handled by social workers and civilian personnel, not police.

Diversify our neighborhoods to promote true integration in our schools, at our workplaces, and in our social networks.

3) Address the Climate Emergency

We cannot continue ignoring Boulder’s role in pushing carbon outside the City limits. That means re-thinking housing policies.

The climate has changed, but we haven’t adequately prepared. We desperately need flood protection for South Boulder and elsewhere in the City.

We urgently need to transform mass transit so that it is fast, inexpensive, and easy to use.

We need safe bicycle lanes and access to new mobility tools like e-bikes.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

There are a great group of candidates running for office this year. I am a long term Boulder resident with a track record of community services with diverse organizations such as the ACLU of Colorado, Growing Gardens and Better Boulder.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I have been extremely impressed with how thoughtfully Boulder County has addressed the pandemic. I trust their leadership and I have followed their guidance. I am pleased that Boulder County made a concerted effort to consider equity when designing its vaccine distribution plans.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

The core issues that define my platform are making it easier to live, work and play in Boulder; addressing social justice and racial equity; and responding to the climate emergency.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I've had a career dealing with complex litigation. This has prepared me for understanding the types of challenges facing the city, advocating important positions, and negotiating compromises. I've started a successful small business in Boulder, and am aware of the challenges businesses face.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be unstoppable.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I'm so proud to have raised two fine young men in Boulder. Boulder had been a fantastic community for my family. I want to make sure that is available for others.