Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: 2012 Elections

Updated: Benavides’ wife and kids are still missing from his campaign website

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 103 Comments

David Benavides doesn’t pose with his wife anymore

Updated: Just checked.  Still no mention of David Benavides’ wife or family on his campaign website.  What is up with that?

I still remember when Santa Ana Council Member David Benavides first ran for the City Council, in 2006.  Go back and look at his Smart Voter page and you will see that he proudly described himself as a “Husband of a Santa Ana school teacher, dad of a 4yr old daughter & 6mo old son.”

But take a look at Benavides’ mayoral campaign website and you will find no mention whatsoever of his family.  And his campaign Facebook page also makes no mention that he is married and that he has kids.  His Council Facebook page likewise omits any mention of his family, as does his personal page.  Click on his “profile pictures” and you get several face shots of Benavides – and no family pictures.  Even his official City Council bio omits any mention of his wife and children. Continue reading→

U.S. Rep. Sanchez endorses Alderete in Ward 3 race

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Eric Alderete, Loretta Sanchez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2012

CONTACT:   Carlos Valenzuela, PHONE:         (858) 220-2090, EMAIL:          714valenzuela@gmail.com 

CONGRESSWOMAN LORETTA SANCHEZ ENDORSES ERIC M. ALDERETE AS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL – WARD 3 

SANTA ANA– Chairman of the Santa Ana Planning Commission, Eric M. Alderete, announced today that Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez endorsed his campaign for Ward 3 the Santa Ana City Council – Ward 3.

“I am pleased to endorse Eric Alderete’s candidacy for the Santa Ana City Council – Ward 3. As a strong advocate for economic development, public safety and education, I believe Eric is a leader who will bring change to the City ofSanta Ana,” said Congresswoman Sanchez. Continue reading→

Alvarez launches her RSCCD Board of Trustees campaign website

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Chapel, Education, Elections, Mark McLoughlin, Politics, Santa Ana 9 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez has launched her campaign website, for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Trustees.

Her endorsements are impressive.  They include: Continue reading→

Gay rights organization endorses David Benavides for Mayor of Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Elections, LGBT, Myriam Tinajero, Politics, Rob Richardson, Santa Ana, SAUSD 5 Comments

ECCO, one of the leading gay rights organizations in Orange County, announced today that their Political Action Committee has endorsed only one Santa Ana candidate – David Benavides, who is running for Mayor against incumbent Mayor Miguel Pulido.

ECCO coordinated Orange County’s efforts to pass state laws that: prohibit discrimination against Gays and Lesbians; establish a domestic partner registry; and give students an added level of protection in school, according to their website.  They also have been involved in the fight against Prop. 8, which made gay marriage illegal in California. Prop. 8 passed overwhelmingly in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Alderete leads the Ward 3 candidates in campaign fundraising

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Elections, Eric Alderete, Politics, Santa Ana 12 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 9, 2012

CONTACT: Carlos Valenzuela, PHONE: (858) 220-2090, EMAIL: 714valenzuela@gmail.com

Eric M. Alderete Widens His Substantial Fundraising Lead Among All Ward 3 Candidates

Santa Ana, CA – Chairman of the Santa Ana Planning Commission and candidate for Santa Ana City Council (Ward 3), Eric M. Alderete widened his substantial fundraising lead over all Ward 3 candidates. For the most recent reporting period from July 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012, Alderete raised $50,962 which is more than double the amount his closest competitor race raised. To date, Alderete has raised nearly $73,000 for his Ward 3 candidacy. Continue reading→

Will high gas prices doom Team Benavides as they call for tax increases?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Eric Alderete, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Taxes, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment

“As early voting begins, Californians are dealing with a new cost crisis as gasoline prices explode upward all over the state. The five-dollar a gallon figure was crossed at a number of gas stations at the end of last week while other stations closed down for lack of supply,” according to Joel Fox, the Editor of Fox & Hounds and President of the Small Business Action Committee.

That could be bad news for Santa Ana Mayoral challenger David Benavides and his left-wing Council majority.  Benavides and his allies – Council Member Vince Sarmiento and Council candidates Eric Alderete and Roman Reyna, have all said, at a public candidates’ forum that they support every single tax increase measure on the Nov. 6 general election ballot, including Prop. 30, which “increases the sales tax, which is applied to gasoline sales,” according to Fox & Hounds.  Continue reading→

A look at the Santa Ana Council candidates campaign finance reports

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Brett Franklin, Charles Hart, David Benavides, Elections, Eric Alderete, Karina Onofre, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 12 Comments

The Santa Ana City Clerk, Mary Huizar, sent me the Santa Ana Council and Mayoral candidates’ new campaign finance reports today.  You can read them all by clicking here.   The reports are a heck of a read – for one thing it looks like Ward 3 candidate Eric Alderete raised more money than all of the other candidates.

Here is a rundown of the reports’ highlights: Continue reading→

Has Roman Reyna been missing in action at the SAUSD School Board?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Education, Elections, Karina Onofre, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD 41 Comments

A friend of mine recently spoke to two members of the SAUSD School Board – and what they had to say about their colleague, Roman Reyna, was interesting.  Apparently Reyna is often late to School Board meetings and he even skips meetings.  They also said that he has lacked engagement and seemed disinterested.

Reyna’s supporters have been adamant that he is all about the kids, yet he allegedly has a poor record at the SAUSD School Board and he is quitting the board after only one term, in order to run for Ward 5 on the Santa Ana City Council. Continue reading→

Sanchez and Correa endorse Tinajero for the SAUSD School Board

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Education, Elections, Loretta Sanchez, Lou Correa, Myriam Tinajero, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD 14 Comments

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and State Senator Lou Correa are proud to join other local leaders in supporting Myriam Tinajero for the Santa Ana Unified School District School Board.  Sanchez and Correa, longtime advocates for Santa Ana schools and students, understand that in order for our schools to thrive we need the best and brightest people leading the way.  That is why they support Myriam Tinajero.

Along with Sanchez and Correa, Myriam has garnered the endorsements of the following community leaders and organizations: Continue reading→

Why aren’t there more women elected in Santa Ana?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Claudia Alvarez, Elections, Estela Amezcua, Karina Onofre, Loretta Sanchez, Lupe Moreno, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 16 Comments

It is hard to believe that the Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education, which consists of five Trustees,  includes only one woman – longtime Trustee Audrey Noji.  Or that the Santa Ana City Council only has two women – Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez and Council Member Michele Martinez.  After November that number will be down to one, as Alvarez is termed out.  There are five men on the Santa Ana City Council.

What is up with that?  Figure that over half of our electorate must be made up of women.  Are they voting?  Are they voting for men?  Are there not enough women running for office in Santa Ana? Continue reading→

Sarmiento stiffs Santa Ana’s businesses and votes for red tape and more taxes

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Business, Jobs, Labor, Santa Ana, Taxes, Vince Sarmiento 8 Comments

Santa Ana City Council candidate Roman Reyna was not the only candidate that skipped out on the recent Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum.  It turns out that Council Member Vincent Sarmiento also had better things to do than meet with the city’s business owners, according to the Voice of OC.  Even though Sarmiento posted about the forum on his own Facebook page!

To be fair, his opponent, Estela Amezcua, was absent too, but she is not really running much of a campaign.  Sarmiento, on the other hand, just sent voters a four page glossy mailer about himself. Continue reading→

No sunshine for Reyna as he blows off Santa Ana business owners

Posted on by Posted in 2010 Elections, 2012 Elections, Elections, Karina Onofre, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 40 Comments

It’s bad enough that Santa Ana City Council Ward 5 candidate Roman Reyna is supporting every single tax increase measure on the November ballot.  But yesterday he actually was the only City Council candidate to blow off and skip the Candidates Forum hosted by the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, at the Delhi Center.  And to make matters worse, I am told that he was a no show because he feels he has the election in the bag and he doesn’t need to “waste his time” showing up to meet business owners and voters.

Wow.  This from a guy who has never held a job in the private sector, as far as I can tell.  His last job was at the Santa Ana YMCA and before that he worked at the Santa Ana Boys and Girls Club.  Both are non-profits.   Continue reading→

OC Labor Fed failed to review Benavides’ and Sarmiento’s outsourcing history

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Labor, Orange County, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 9 Comments

The OC Labor Federation says it’s highly opposed to elected officials contracting-out city services to private companies. It’s a top principle of theirs and for example drives the OC Employees Association’s political campaign against the City of Costa Mesa’s current city council.

But — the OC Labor Federation endorsed both Santa Ana Councilmember Benavides for Mayor and Councilmember Sarmiento for re-election. Hello — don’t they know this Council has been privatizing like crazy!  Not just graffiti and landscaping services a couple of years ago, but this year alone they contracted out parking management services and street sweeping services. Hundreds of thousands of dollars and dozens of employees jobs given away to for-profit companies. This may not be all bad, but labor leaders claim it is. Continue reading→

Benavides endorsed by more unions

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Elections, Labor, Politics, Santa Ana 7 Comments

Orange County’s “First Responders” Back David Benavides for Mayor

Earns Support of Police, Sheriffs and Firefighters Based on No-Nonsense Attitude Toward Public Safety

Santa Ana, CA– Applauding his commitment to public safety throughout his career in public service, the Orange County Coalition of Police and Sheriffs (OC COPS) and the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 3631 announced their support of David Benavides for Mayor.

“On the City Council, David has worked to increase the safety and quality of Santa Ana’s neighborhoods by providing law enforcement with the tools they need to fight crime on all fronts,” said Kerry Condon, Chairman of OC COPS, that represents the collective voice of thousands of sworn public safety officers serving throughout Orange County. “His no-nonsense attitude toward crime and criminals throughout his career in public service has earned our trust and respect.” Continue reading→

Video footage of Santa Ana’s mayoral candidates at a Sep. forum

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Elections, George Collins, Lupe Moreno, Miguel Angel Briseno, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Roy Alvarado, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana mayoral candidate George Collins is best known in town for one thing – he always brings a video camera along, wherever he goes.  He brought his camera early in September to the Connect to Council Santa Ana Council Candidates Forum.

The footage of the Council candidates was marred by poor sound, which was the fault of the event organizers and the facility, not Collins, but his mayoral candidate footage came out pretty sharp.  You can see it atop this post. Continue reading→