Lamar Heystek
Encyclopedia
Lamar Heystek American
politician, has been a member of the Davis City Council since 2006.
He was born in San Leandro, California
, was educated at University of California, Davis
, is currently a councilmember for the Davis City Council, and the coordinator of Youth Programs at the Yolo Family Resource Center.
. He is a graduate of UC Davis, where he earned his B.A. Degree and M.A. Degree in Political Science and Linguistics. He taught as a lecturer of Linguistics at UC Davis and served the city of Davis on several municipal boards, including the City of Davis Recreation & Park Commission, Open Space Commission, and Finance & Budget Commission.
Lamar is the son of René and Yeap Nee Heystek. His father, René, was interned in a concentration camp with his family during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies in World War II. In 1959, he settled in San Leandro, California
, where President John F. Kennedy
’s call to service inspired him to join the Peace Corps
. On his mission to Malaysia, he met Yeap Nee Cheam, and they married in 1976. After returning from Malaysia, René began a career as a teacher in the Oakland Unified School District
in 1977 and retired in 1999. This tradition of service has inspired all three of his children to follow in his footsteps: Councilmember Heystek’s siblings are United States Marine Corps
Staff Sergeant Loretta Heystek and two-term San Leandro School Board Member Louis Heystek, his twin brother.
In 1997, Councilman Heystek became an active union member with the United Food and Commercial Workers
Local 588. He worked for Safeway until 2006 when he resigned to run for city council.
On June 6, 2006, Lamar Heystek was elected to the Davis City Council, a major victory for the student vote, as he presented himself as a councilmember that would pay attention to the needs of the students, who are a significant portion of the Davis voting population.
As a member of the city council, Heystek has been a proponent of smart growth and sustainable development, and is a defender of renter's rights, having voted to prohibit landlords from forcing renters to remove political signs from their windows.
The modified Davis City Code reads as follows:
Heystek believes that open space in Davis should be preserved for green technology startup companies, and wants to see more lower and middle-class home ownership opportunities in Davis, and supported limiting home appreciation amounts as an alternative to sprawl.
One of Heystek's biggest fights on the city council has been advocating for a living wage ordinance. During his successful city council race in 2006, he framed the issue of living wages as one of social justice. In 2006, he introduced an ordinance that would require billion-dollar retail employers to provide their employees with living wages.
Heystek's plan called for a living wage of $14.21 per hour without health coverage, or $12.71 per hour with health coverage.
-Heystek on the living wage ordinance
Heystek offered the following opinion on California's Proposition 83, which requires lifetime GPS monitoring for felony registered Sex Offenders, and increases penalties for violent sex offenders and child molesters:
"I am not sure whether all these individuals would be subject to GPS tracking provision of Proposition 83, but allowing local law enforcement officials to know whether high-risk offenders are deliberately approaching schools, parks and other sensitive areas in Davis makes sense. My concern is that the emphasis should be on prevention not just through legal consequences, but also through clinical intervention."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, has been a member of the Davis City Council since 2006.
He was born in San Leandro, California
San Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
, was educated at University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
, is currently a councilmember for the Davis City Council, and the coordinator of Youth Programs at the Yolo Family Resource Center.
Personal Life and Education
Lamar grew up in the Bay Area and attended San Leandro High SchoolSan Leandro High School
San Leandro High School is an American four-year public high school in San Leandro, California. The school is a member of the San Leandro Unified School District...
. He is a graduate of UC Davis, where he earned his B.A. Degree and M.A. Degree in Political Science and Linguistics. He taught as a lecturer of Linguistics at UC Davis and served the city of Davis on several municipal boards, including the City of Davis Recreation & Park Commission, Open Space Commission, and Finance & Budget Commission.
Lamar is the son of René and Yeap Nee Heystek. His father, René, was interned in a concentration camp with his family during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies in World War II. In 1959, he settled in San Leandro, California
San Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
, where President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
’s call to service inspired him to join the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
. On his mission to Malaysia, he met Yeap Nee Cheam, and they married in 1976. After returning from Malaysia, René began a career as a teacher in the Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District is a public education school district which operates elementary schools , middle schools , and high schools in Oakland, California.-History:...
in 1977 and retired in 1999. This tradition of service has inspired all three of his children to follow in his footsteps: Councilmember Heystek’s siblings are United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Staff Sergeant Loretta Heystek and two-term San Leandro School Board Member Louis Heystek, his twin brother.
In 1997, Councilman Heystek became an active union member with the United Food and Commercial Workers
United Food and Commercial Workers
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is a labor union representing approximately 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada in many industries, including agriculture, health care, meatpacking, poultry and food processing, manufacturing, textile, G4S Security, chemical...
Local 588. He worked for Safeway until 2006 when he resigned to run for city council.
City Council
As a member of the city council, Heystek has been a proponent of smart growth and sustainable development, and is a defender of renter's rights, having voted to prohibit landlords from forcing renters to remove political signs from their windows.
The modified Davis City Code reads as follows:
(8) Not withstanding any lease to the contrary, no landlord or lessor shall prohibit a tenant lawfully in possession from posting political signs. Political signs may be posted or displayed in the window, on the balcony, or on the door of the premises leased by the tenant in a multifamily dwelling, or from the yard, window, door, balcony, or outside wall of the premises leased by a tenant of a single family dwelling.
Heystek believes that open space in Davis should be preserved for green technology startup companies, and wants to see more lower and middle-class home ownership opportunities in Davis, and supported limiting home appreciation amounts as an alternative to sprawl.
One of Heystek's biggest fights on the city council has been advocating for a living wage ordinance. During his successful city council race in 2006, he framed the issue of living wages as one of social justice. In 2006, he introduced an ordinance that would require billion-dollar retail employers to provide their employees with living wages.
Heystek's plan called for a living wage of $14.21 per hour without health coverage, or $12.71 per hour with health coverage.
“Companies that have huge yearly profits can well afford to treat their employees fairly and pay them a living wage,”
"This should be more than symbolic, this should actually help people."
This would enable our most vulnerable population to afford our most affordable housing."
"
“Employees of big-box retailers often depend on public health care, subsidized housing and other taxpayer-funded services. That’s an indirect subsidy of large corporations. When all companies pay a living wage, it levels the playing field for companies that behave responsibly.”
-Heystek on the living wage ordinance
Heystek offered the following opinion on California's Proposition 83, which requires lifetime GPS monitoring for felony registered Sex Offenders, and increases penalties for violent sex offenders and child molesters:
"I am not sure whether all these individuals would be subject to GPS tracking provision of Proposition 83, but allowing local law enforcement officials to know whether high-risk offenders are deliberately approaching schools, parks and other sensitive areas in Davis makes sense. My concern is that the emphasis should be on prevention not just through legal consequences, but also through clinical intervention."