The Central Coast has the potential to be a green-jobs leader, but the public sector must provide supportive policies.

That was the view from 35th District Assembly Member Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara, who hosted the second annual Green Jobs Summit at Ventura City Hall on May 19.

Government needs to “send the right signals,” he said, adding that he favors “environmentalism that says “we are for more than what we are against.”

Williams said that idea should translate into consistent and clear government policies and a recognition that well-paying jobs matter to local communities. “California continues to be on the cutting edge if renewables,” he said, adding that to stay there it needs “financing mechanisms to support smaller companies.”

A large increase in permits and energy-efficiency technology shows “we have the ingredients — this is an exciting part of the economy where things are not always exciting,” Williams said.

He complained that a “disproportionate” amount of attention is paid to northern California, as opposed to the Tri-Counties, which he said is becoming “the center for the green economy.”

About 100 people attended the event.