Does Benavides have a clue how to fix this mess?
The Santa Ana City Council is holding a Special Meeting on Friday, December 21, from 11 am – 2 pm, to consider how they are going to respond to the demand by Governor Jerry Brown’s administration that the city pay back $56 million dollars of what used to be redevelopment funds pegged to affordable housing.
The meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers, located at 22 Civic Center Plaza, in Downtown Santa Ana.
Click here to read the meeting agenda.
There has been no reaction from our new Assemblyman, Tom Daly. His fellow Democrat, new Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, has also not reacted to this attempt by their Democratic friends in Sacramento to fleece not only Santa Ana, but also several other cities and the County of Orange.
State Senator Lou Correa sent me a response today via email, through one of his staffers:
“I appreciate that you have taken the time now to draw much-needed attention to this issue. As you know, I am a long-time resident of Santa Ana and I stood firmly to protect jobs and the local economy as one of only two Senate Democrats to vote against the elimination of redevelopment funds. Since then, my staff and I have worked with Department of Finance to develop a honest and fair resolution for many of the cities in my district such as Buena Park, Orange and Anaheim. In the case of Santa Ana specifically, my office has sent two separate letters to the Department of Finance urging that their demands be reconsidered. We will continue to use the full resources of my office to support Orange County cities in these efforts,” commented Senator Correa.
Thank you Senator Correa for trying to stop your fellow Sacramento Democrats from bankrupting Santa Ana. I hope you succeed in these efforts.
If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Should have put the funds to use in the train district – lacy – garfield area instead of just giving away the land.
Since the money is just sitting there doing nothing, returning it to the state should not cause any problems.
The city is going to fight the return of the money to the state
Art, Do you think this current Council has any idea what to do?
I think they are really going to miss Claudia Alvarez. But they are lucky to have Paul Walters there as the City Manager. If anyone can pull their fat out of the fire it is Walters.
That said I believe they really need to make a concerted effort to work with Assembly Members Tom Daly and Sharon Quirk-Silva; State Senator Lou Correa and former Assemblyman Jose Solorio. They need to collectively lobby the heck out of their Democratic peers in Sacramento. And now is the time for Mayor Pulido to talk personally to his good friend Governor Jerry Brown. Our city simply cannot afford to pay back this money and bankrupting our city government is not something the Democrats should be doing!
Maybe Roman can organize a game of checkers or Chutes and Ladders for he, David and Michele while the adults handle the real issues.
Michelle did a wonderful thing in honoring our beloved Jenny! This is what leaders do.
This money problemwill work itself out. It’s not like people in Santa Ana need the money for infastructure or anything.
Viva Michelle!
Welcome Jenny’s family to New Santa Ana. First let me say how sad we are at your loss.
Your daughter brought much love and joy to the world through her music. She will never be forgotten and always live in our hearts. I attended the memorial service at the Universal Amp. and it was amazing.
As to your comments regarding the money. I agree, no matter what politicians say about Y2K or the Fiscal Cliff…everything always, always works out.
Besotes! XXOO
I agree with Jenny’s family and Chicano Power. Give peace a chance. We will never forget her. She’s the greatest singer of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVcy_lMClA0
“Everything always, always works out”
Wow. Not to be Debbie Downer here,
but ever heard of
Pink Slips,
Mortgage Defaults,
Law Suits,
homelessness,
Cancer,
Car Accidents,
marriage infidelity,
Random acts of stupidity that stick with you for ever?
not to mention;
I.N.S. Raids,
Mistaken Identity prison terms,
drug induced rapes,
family suicides,
vacation tsunamis,
pharmaceutical hepatitis,
loosing council elections to people
that only spend $200.00?
The $56 million dollars in the hands of Magnificent Seven is bad news. Better to give it back. I have never seen one affordable house in Santa Ana only REO.
Feliz Navidad Stanley. Best wishes to you and your familia!