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Category Archives: 2020 Elections

A Judge punked the Santa Ana police union’s flunky, Cecilia Aguinaga

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Angie Rosario Cano, Cecilia Aguinaga, Cecilia Iglesias, Gerry Serrano, Politics, Santa Ana, Santa Ana Police Foundation 2 Comments
Cecilia Aguinaga

A Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin denied a petition by Santa Ana resident and police union flunky, Cecilia Aguinaga, who was seeking to block part of Santa Ana City Councilwoman Ceci Iglesias’ ballot statement on an upcoming, union-supported recall election, according to the O.C. Register.

Aguinaga also dragged City Council candidate Angie Cano into court regarding her ballot statement, alleging that Cano and Iglesias made false and misleading claims about the Santa Ana Police Officers Association.

Aguinaga’s attorney in this case was none other than Mark Rosen, a former Garden Grove councilman who also happens to be the attorney for the Santa Ana Police Officers Association.

Rosen told the O.C. Register that ballot statements by Iglesias and her supporter, Cano, had “gotten out of hand.”  Iglesias’ and Cano’s statements, Rosen said, were particularly abusive “because of the tone, and the way they make accusations against the police association president.”

Gerry Serrano

Gerry Serrano is the president of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association. He makes $353,568.88 a year in pay and benefits according to Transparent California.

Serrano became incensed at Iglesias after she and City Councilman Juan Villegas voted against a massive $25M pay raise for the Santa Ana police officers. Iglesias pointed out then that this raise could bankrupt our city.

What makes zero sense is why Serrano and company would drag the Santa Ana Police Officers Association into the mud when they got their raise despite Iglesias’ vote? This is pure ridiculous bitterness on display for no good reason! It is simply macho stupidity on the part of Serrano.

The Santa Ana Police Officers Association has spent a small fortune to finance the current recall campaign against Iglesias.

So why did Serrano and his flunky Aguinaga object to Iglesias’ ballot language? Here is what she wrote in her ballot statement:

“The police union president decided that receiving a $25 million raise from Santa Ana taxpayers was more important than the quality of life of our hardworking residents,” and that a vote against her recall would mean a stance against “corruption and greed.”

Aguinaga also had a cow over this language in Cano’s ballot statement:

“This shameful move will only benefit the greedy and put our city resources in jeopardy.”

Griffin’s ruling pointed out how lame Aguinaga’s lawsuit was. She was in essence arguing that Iglesias’ and Cano’s ballot statements were “an attack on an election opponent.”

But guess what? Neither the police union nor Serrano are running to replace Iglesias! That is what Griffin wrote in his judgement. He added “That the police union and/or its president may be supporting the recall does not ipso facto turn them into opposing candidates.”

Griffin went further slamming Aguinaga’s argument that “the police union president did not receive a $25 million raise.” Griffin wrote “The statement is clearly a reference to the cost of the latest police union contract, and not an assertion that the union president received the money personally…”

And Griffin capped off his judgment by saying that the “Election Code does not prohibit hyperbole,” such as words like “corruption,” “greed,” and “power grab,”

So why did Aguinaga, a retired school police outreach coordinator, go after Iglesias and Cano? Well the Santa Ana Police Officers Association wasted $60K on her last SAUSD School Board campaign, in 2019. They bought her with that money and she failed them in court! And she lost her school board race too so their money was wasted both on the court case and in the school board race.

Attorney Rosen refused to admit that the Santa Ana Police Officers Association is paying his fees to represent Aguinaga. But I can tell you she cannot afford this! So it is pretty obvious who paid for Rosen’s legal bills.

The Police Officers Association has spent $301,000 backing their recall drive against Iglesias. They have also contributed another $45,000 to a new recall committee, according to contribution reports filed with the city.

The people of Santa Ana are the ones who will be screwed by all this as the Recall Special Election is going to cost us over $700K at a time when our City cannot afford this. All to salve Serrano’s bruised ego…

Click here to find out more about the No on the Recall Campaign.

Santa Ana Recall Election campaign signs posted illegally

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Ballot Measures, Cecilia Iglesias, Crime, Elections, Housing, Politics, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Backers of the campaign to recall Santa Ana City Councilwoman Ceci Iglesias have put signs up in a Caltrans work area on N. Main St. and Edgewood, at the 5 Freeway. This is a blatant violation of the Santa Ana political sign ordinance which prohibits putting signs up in public areas. This work zone is also off limits to the public so the recall campaign supporters engaged in trespassing when they put up these signs.

I reported this on the MySantaAna phone app this morning. I expect the signs will be taken down soon.

This is the type of behavior I have come to expect from the recall supporters, who are mostly NIMBYs from the Park Santiago neighborhood and disgruntled members of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association.

The NIMBYs are upset because Iglesias voted to support the development of a luxury apartment building at 2525 N. Main St.

The police officers are upset because Iglesias refused to support their huge pay raise, which passed without her support.

Iglesias was actually instrumental in convincing the developer to greatly reduce the density of this project.

In related news we posted a video, above, of paid signature gatherers who were collecting signatures at Santa Ana College on a related ballot referendum, to overturn the City of Santa Ana’s approval of the 2525 N. Main St. development. The signature gatherers can be heard in the video telling voters that this project will displace the Discovery Cube – a blatant lie as this project will actually result in the Discovery Cube gaining access to badly needed additional parking spaces at 2525 N. Main St.

We also caught the signature gatherers blatantly blocking a public sidewalk in the Park Santiago neighborhood, by the 2525 N. Main St. property. That violation was also reported on the MySantaAna phone app.

The entitled NIMBYs who are supporting these ballot referendums are clearly willing to break the law to get their way. Santa Ana’s voters should remember this when the recall election comes up on May 19.

These same NIMBY’s by the way are currently lying again, on the Nextdoor website, about a recent killing that took place at Santiago Park. The killing happened at the entrance to that park, as a group of suspects attacked and killed a homeless man. The NIMBY’s right away blamed the 2525 N. Main St. development for this murder.

In reality if the 2525 N. Main St. project was actually progressing it would currently be in the framing state and there would be security around the clock. There would be less crime in the Park Santiago neighborhood.

The NIMBY’s recalcitrance and obstinance has actually made the Park Santiago neighborhood less safe!

Mayor Pulido will not advance to the First District General Election in November

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Andrew Do, Elections, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Sergio Contreras Leave a comment

The Orange County Voter Registrar has just about tied up the results of this year’s March Primary Election. It is safe to say now that Westminster City Councilman Sergio Contreras will advance to the November Primary to face off against incumbent Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, in the First District of the O.C. Board of Supervisors.

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido trails Contreras currently by 2,147 votes. That number has not shifted in some time.

It is a surprise end to Pulido’s political career that few expected. He is terming out this year as Mayor of Santa Ana after over 20 years. In that time he brought a lot of positive change to our city but he antagonized the liberals because he was always a pro-business moderate.

In hindsight perhaps we should have seen this coming as Contreras was assisted from the start by Pulido’s old nemesis, former Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero. You might recall that Tinajero barely lost to Pulido in the last Santa Ana Mayoral race.

Contreras was very active in social media and he garnered the endorsement of the Democratic Party of Orange County, which has shifted far left over the past few years. He also got a lot of support from the area’s more liberal unions.

That said it is highly unlikely that Contreras can beat Do. While the First District has shifted to the blue column Contreras is very liberal and the voters in the district tend to be more moderate. Do also will outraise him by a country mile.

Here is Contreras’ bio:

Sergio Contreras, a husband, father, homeowner, and registered Democrat, has served on the Westminster City Council since 2012, where he successfully championed the largest upgrade to Westminster’s park system since 1996, encompassing 22 park facilities and representing a $10.4 million investment in the community. Contreras oversaw the city’s first general plan update in decades. He also placed emergency call boxes in all Westminster parks to enhance public safety, and fought to place outdoor exercise equipment in local parks to improve public health Contreras accomplished all of this at no cost to the city’s General Fund, showing how to do more with less.

Contreras previously served on the Westminster School Board from 2004 to 2012, including serving as president of the board in 2012. On the School Board, Contreras helped pass a $130 million school bond to modernize Westminster’s school facilities and make them safer. In that role, he established an all-day kindergarten system, making Westminster School District the first in Orange County to provide day-long kindergarten at all school sites. Contreras also increased access to music and arts programs districtwide, while expanding afterschool programs.

Contreras works as the Senior Director of Education and Healthy Schools for the Orange County United Way, where he helps oversee dispersal of funds to students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

Born and raised in Orange County, Sergio attended Westminster High School and Orange Coast Community College before transferring to California State University Long Beach, where he received his BA and MPA.

Sergio currently lives in Westminster with his wife Adriana and their daughter and son.

Three qualify as Ward 6 City Council candidates in Special Recall Election

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Angie Rosario Cano, Cecilia Iglesias, Civic Affairs, Elections, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Santa Ana, Thai Viet Phan Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, CA – Three people have been nominated as candidates for the Ward 6 City Council office designated to be filled if the recall of Councilmember Cecilia Iglesias is successful, Clerk of the Council Daisy Gomez announced.

The Special Municipal Election is to be held in the City of Santa Ana on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.

Nelida Yanez

The qualified candidates and their ballot designations are:

The candidates all submitted qualifying paperwork by the 5 p.m., March 5, deadline. The candidate names as listed will be the official order on the ballot as determined by a randomized alphabet drawing conducted by the Secretary of State’s Office on March 6.

If the recall should prevail, the winning candidate will serve the duration of the partial term ending Dec. 13, 2022.

The voting period for the Special Municipal Election will be from May 9, 2020, through May 19, 2020, at select Vote Centers. On Election Day, May 19, 2020, select Vote Centers will be open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The following are key dates for the May 19, 2020, Special Election:
• Public Review for Candidates’ Statement of Qualifications – March 6, 2020, through March 16, 2020
• Write-in Candidacy Filing Period Opens – March 23, 2020
• Last Date to Register to Vote – May 4, 2020
• Write-in Candidacy Filing Period Closes – May 5, 2020
• Select Vote Centers Open – May 9, 2020
• Election Day – May 19, 2020
• Deadline to Certify Election Results – June 18, 2020

Eligible Santa Ana residents can register to vote, check and update their voter registration status, and request a vote-by-mail ballot at https://www.ocvote.com.

For more information on the Santa Ana special election, please visit https://www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-elections and https://www.ocvote.com/vc/web/voting/current-election-information/city-of-santa-ana-special-recall-election.

Supervisor Andrew Do leads with decisive primary win

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Andrew Do, Elections, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Do’s Progress Towards Solving Homelessness, Fighting For Affordable Healthcare And Keeping Orange County Safe Earns Public Trust Once More

ORANGE COUNTY – MARCH 4 – Today, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do leads with a decisive primary win. Supervisor Do will run a tough and robust campaign through November to deliver four more years to the people of Orange County of real accomplishments.

Supervisor Do gave the following statement:

“I’m so honored to receive widespread support from my constituents. I’m proud of all our accomplishments but we still have work to do. We’re fighting for every family who deserves safe schools and streets; every veteran who deserves better access to health care and making sure that our homeless aren’t left behind.”

A former prosecutor, educator, businessman and judge pro tem, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is fighting for Orange County taxpayers and working families in the First District communities of Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, Midway City, Santa Ana and Westminster.

As Orange County Supervisor, Andrew Do has increased funding for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and expanded access to vital health care services for seniors and working families. He has cut taxes on small businesses, eliminated regulatory obstacles that impede innovation and defended Prop. 13 by expanding OC taxpayers’ rights to appeal their property tax bills.

During the Fall of Saigon, Andrew Do and his family fled Vietnam with just the clothes on their back and a suitcase full of dictionaries. Thanks to supportive teachers and faculty at Garden Grove’s Jordan Intermediate and Bolsa Grande High School, Andrew developed the educational foundation to earn his bachelor’s degree from University of California, Davis.

His education continued at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he volunteered with the public interest law project to address homelessness and aid marginalized communities. After law school, he taught as an Adjunct Professor at Cal State University, Fullerton and then served as a Judge Pro Tem at Orange County West Municipal Court.

After several years providing legal representation to poor and indigent defendants, Andrew Do joined the Orange County District Attorney’s office – with his last assignment prosecuting sexually violent predators as a member of the D.A.’s Sexual Assault Unit. His skills in the courtroom earned him national recognition from the U.S. Department of Justice, when he was chosen to represent Orange County at the National District Attorney Association Advocacy College at the University of South Carolina.

Andrew Do previously served as a Councilmember for the City of Garden Grove and as Chief of Staff to an Orange County Supervisor. His lifetime of community involvement includes service as President of the Asian Bar of California and President of the Vietnamese-American Bar Association of Southern California as well as service on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bar Association.

Vote Center in Santa Ana closed temporarily due to nearby criminal investigation

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Crime, Elections, OC Voter Registrar, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, CA – March 1, 2020 – On Sunday, March 1, 2020 at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Orange County Registrar of Voters received reports that a shooting occurred near the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Santa Ana (the site of one of our Vote Centers). Vote Center staff and voters have been evacuated and are safe. An active criminal investigation is taking place and the Santa Ana Police Department is asking the public to stay away from the vicinity of the area.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters continues to cooperate with the Santa Ana Police Department to address the matter and is taking precautions to ensure the safety of the public. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Santa Ana will not be operated as a Vote Center until further notice.

Voters wishing to vote in-person at visit any of the other 188 Vote Centers. For a full list of locations, please visit ocvote.com/votecenter.

Quote by Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley:

“I am grateful that our Vote Center team members and voters are safe. My office is dedicated to providing election services for the citizens of Orange County to ensure equal access to the election process, protect the integrity of votes, and maintain a transparent, accurate and fair process. We look forward to serving voters at our 188 other Vote Center locations,” said Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters.

Man caught on video damaging a political campaign sign in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Crime, Elections, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

An unknown male suspect was caught on video damaging a political campaign sign in Santa Ana per the pictures on this post. I am told the video itself is coming soon.

The video was recorded by a camera at a local business. It shows the suspect riding up to the sign on a bike and then damaging the sign with a knife.

The suspect is wearing a black t-shirt and shorts and sunglasses. He has tattoos on his mid-right arm.

The video also caught him damaging a second sign close to the same intersection.

If you have a tip about who this suspect is please call the SAPD at (714) 245-8665. You can also file a report online here.

The referendum to cancel the luxury apartments at 2525 N. Main St. has made it to a future ballot

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Ballot Measures, Development, Elections, Housing, Neighborhood Associations, Politics, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The NIMBYs in north Santa Ana successfully collected 16,000 signatures – when they only needed 11,000 to qualify their ballot referendum against the proposed luxury apartment project at 2525 N. Main St. for the ballot, according to an insider at City Hall.

The Santa Ana City Council will now determine when to hold this Special Election. It won’t be on the May ballot, when Santa Ana voters will consider the proposed recall of Santa Ana City Councilwoman Ceci Iglesias.

The City Council could opt to set a date for yet another Special Election, which will cost a small fortune but unfortunately the project developer will be forced to foot the bill.

The City Council could also do the right thing and put this on the November General Election ballot, which would cost less and would open the issue up to more voters.

The NIMBYs would benefit from having a single issue Special Election as turnout would be super low and they could prevail even though they make up less than 20% of the overall voters in Santa Ana.

Placing the referendum on the November ballot would actually make it easier to defeat but it could pose a challenge for Iglesias at that time as she will be on the ballot as a Mayoral challenger – and the NIMBYs are not happy with her as she voted to approve the apartment project.

The NIMBYs are of course totally ridiculous. Were the developer to put a new office project at 2525 N. Main St. that would generate a ton more traffic than a luxury apartment project!

The NIMBY’s are also working on another ballot referendum to recall the Ward 3 City Councilman, Jose Solorio, who like Iglesias is also a candidate for Mayor. That referendum however still is short on signatures.

It is highly unlikely that voters who don’t live in north Santa Ana will support the anti luxury apartment referendum. That project would generate millions of dollars in tax revenue and development fees for the City of Santa Ana. And it is unfair to foist tons of development on our neighbors in central and south Santa Ana while the north avoids any housing development.

It is also awkward for the mostly Republican NIMBYs to ask the mostly not Republican voters in other parts of the city to do them a solid…

Nelida Mendoza will run again for Santa Ana’s Ward 6 in the May Special Recall Election

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Civic Affairs, Elections, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Nelida Mendoza ran against Santa Ana Ward 6 City Councilwoman Ceci Iglesias back in 2018, garnering just over 18,000 votes. Mendoza lost but has announced that she is going to run again in the upcoming May 19 Special Recall Election.

Mendoza is currently a member of the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Trustees.

Mendoza was born in Jalisco, Mexico, immigrated to the United States in 1965 and has been a resident of Santa Ana since then.

Mendoza earned an A.A. in liberal arts, an A.A. in paralegal studies, and an A.A. in office technology from Santa Ana College. She holds a B.A. in sociology and a Master’s in Public Administration from California State University, Fullerton. Mendoza also earned a Career Technical Education Teacher’s Credential from the Orange County Department of Education.

In her time as a Trustee for the Rancho Santiago community College District Mendoza has been slammed for supporting a ridiculous program education program in Saudi Arabia and for backing union-only project labor agreements that wasted taxpayer money generated by several bond measures.

Attorney and Democratic Party activist announces her campaign for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 6

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Civic Affairs, Elections, Thai Viet Phan 2 Comments
https://www.facebook.com/votethaivietphan/videos/187818059195345/

Thai Viet Phan, a woman who describes herself as a homeowner and long-time resident, has already announced her campaign for Ward 6 of the Santa Ana City Council, which will be up for grabs on May 19 when a Special Recall election will be held as the Santa Ana Police Officers Association tries to oust the Ward 6 incumbent, Ceci Iglesias.

Phan is Councilman Phil Bacerra’s Planning Commissioner. She will also be on the 2020 Primary Election ballot as a candidate for the Democratic Party of Orange County’s Central Committee.

Phan is an attorney at Rutan & Tucker. Phan received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from UCLA and her Master of Public Policy and Juris Doctor from USC. Phan was admitted to the California State Bar in 2016.

She was recently honored at the 46th Congressional District’s Women of the Year Award presented by Congressmember Lou Correa. She is backing Garden Grove City Councilwoman Kim B. Nguyen for the First District of the O.C. Board of Supervisors, which we will be voting on in the March Primary Election.

Here is Phan’s campaign announcement, from her Facebook page:

In light of recent news regarding the recall, I am stepping up and announcing my candidacy for Santa Ana City Council in the upcoming special recall election. As a homeowner and long-time resident, I am committed and ready to make the tough calls to keep our neighborhoods safe and ensure housing and economic development that benefits all residents. Over the coming months, I look forward to talking directly with voters across the City to advance innovative ideas and policies to truly make Santa Ana the Golden City for all.

Phan appears to be pro-abortion – which is quite a contrast to current Ward 6 Councilwoman Ceci Iglesias, who is an outspoken Pro-Life activist, as noted in this picture from Phan’s personal Facebook page:

You can learn more about Phan on her campaign website, here.

Special recall election of Councilwoman Iglesias set for May 19

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Civic Affairs, Elections, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A Special Municipal Election will be held in the City of Santa Ana on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, to consider the recall of Councilmember Cecilia Iglesias of Ward 6, and to elect a successor for the duration of the partial term ending Dec. 13, 2022, if the recall should prevail.

The City Council Ward 6 candidate nomination period opened today, Feb. 19, and will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, 2020. The Santa Ana Clerk of the Council issues and accepts official nomination documents by appointment only during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday and alternate Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit https://www.santa-ana.org/holiday-and-closed-friday-schedule for closed Friday and holiday schedules.

City Council Candidate Qualifications:

A candidate must be a registered voter within the respective elective district in the City of Santa Ana for no less than 30 days at the time the candidate’s nomination papers are issued and an elector of the City at the time of assuming office. To verify that you reside in Ward 6, please visit https://santa-ana.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8d0dc755e14b4ddaa03aa965deddd3a3

Candidate qualifications will be verified through Orange County voter registration records, and interested persons will be required to provide proof of residency of no less than 30 days prior to the issuance of a nomination package. Elector and resident status must be maintained during the term of office.

Nomination Process and Campaigning:

During the nomination period, a candidate will complete a variety of documents, including the Nomination Petition, Statement of Economic Interests Form 700, Candidate Statement of Qualifications, Code of Fair Campaign Practices and other required and optional forms. The candidate must obtain on the Nomination Petition no fewer than 20 and no more than 30 signatures of registered voters in Ward 6 of the City of Santa Ana to qualify for placement on the ballot. There is no filing fee for the Nomination Petition.

Santa Ana Charter Section 1206 established a limit on contributions from a single person or entity to $1,000 per election per candidate. Additional disclaimers on campaign contributions and electronic filing of campaign disclosure statements can be found in Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 2 at https://library.municode.com/ca/santa_ana/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIITHCO_CH2AD_ARTIICICO_S2-107PRCACO

The following are key dates for the May 19, 2020, Special Election:

Nomination Period Opens – Feb. 19, 2020
Nomination Period Closes – March 5, 2020
Secretary of State Holds Random Alpha Drawing – March 6, 2020
Write-in Candidacy Filing Period Opens – March 23, 2020
Last Date to Register to Vote – May 4, 2020
Write-in Candidacy Filing Period Closes – May 5, 2020
Select Vote Center Opens – May 9, 2020
Election Day – May 19, 2020
Campaign Signs Must Be Removed – June 18, 2020
Deadline to Certify Election Results – June 18, 2020

For more information, visit https://www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-elections.

Pulido endorsed by the O.C. Attorneys Association

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Elections, Lawyers, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido announced today that he has been endorsed by the Orange County Attorneys Association for his campaign effort to be elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The organization, which includes Orange County’s Deputy District Attorneys, represents over 500 attorneys employed by the County of Orange, including those employed by the DA, County Counsel, Public Defender, Alternate Defender, Associate Defender, and Child Support Services.

“We are proud to endorse Mayor Pulido for County Supervisor,” said Orange County Attorney Association President Mena Guirguis. “He has an excellent record of achievement as Mayor of Santa Ana and we believe he will add a lot to our County Board of Supervisors.”

“I am excited to add the support of the Orange County Attorneys Association to my effort for County Supervisor,” said Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido. “Their extensive knowledge, expertise, experience, and hard work are vital to our District Attorney, Public Defender, and other county agency offices. I look forward to working with them after my election to the Board.”

Miguel Pulido was first elected to the Santa Ana City Council in 1986 and is presently serving his 13th term as Mayor, a post he has successfully held since 1994. Under his leadership he has made Public Safety the City’s #1 priority, leading the charge to hire more police officers, crack down on gangs, expand community policing, increase the use of crime fighting technology, and help solve the city’s homeless issue. Crime in Santa Ana is now at its lowest level since the early 1960’s.

Westminster Councilman Contreras is leading in fundraising in the race for District 1 of the O.C. Board of Supervisors

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Elections, Orange County, Santa Ana, Sergio Contreras, Westminster Leave a comment

WESTMINSTER, CA — In another significant boost of momentum and demonstration of the strength and viability of his campaign for Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1, today Westminster City Councilmember Sergio Contreras’s campaign announced that he has by far the most net cash-on-hand of anybody in the race, with $78,862 after debts.

Incumbent Supervisor Andrew Do has $60,345 more in debt than cash-on-hand, while Contreras’s main Democratic opponents Miguel Pulido and Kim Nguyen have $25,706 and $6,972 cash-on-hand after debts, respectively.

In response to today’s campaign finance filings, Sergio Contreras’s campaign consultant Mac Zilber released the following statement:

“The people of Orange County are rallying around the common sense, forward-thinking message that Sergio is putting forward, and the Q4 report is just the latest testament to that. This report represents a stunning blow to incumbent Andrew Do — that voters want less politics and more problem solving from their representative on the Board of Supervisors– and underscores Sergio’s place as the best-positioned Democrat in the race. Sergio leads the field of candidates in endorsements and fundraising by a wide margin, demonstrating his broad-based support and that he is far and away the strongest candidate to flip the seat red-to-blue. We are encouraged by Councilmember Contreras’s strong performance and deeply grateful for the support our campaign has received from constituents across the 1st District and will continue working hard to expand his coalition of support in the weeks ahead.”

Previously, Councilmember Sergio Contreras announced the following endorsements:

Organizations:

Democratic Party of Orange County
Orange County Labor Federation (OCLF)
California Nurses Association (CNA)
SEIU – USWW
SEIU 2015
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 36
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) United Domestic Workers (UDW) Local 3930
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2076
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1734
Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 652
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 12
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 501
National Union of Healthcare Workers
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers Local 220
Painters & Allied Trades District Council 36
UNITE HERE Local 11
Ironworkers Local 433
Ironworkers Local 416
UFCW Local 324
Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties

Elected Officials:

U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal
U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez
U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (Ret.)
California State Senator Lena Gonzalez
California State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva
California State Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
California Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell
California State Senator Josh Newman (Ret.)
Garden Grove School Board Trustee Walter Muneton
Garden Grove School Board Trustee Teri Rocco
Garden Grove Councilmember Kris Beard (Ret.)
Westminster School Boardmember Jamison Power
Westminster School Boardmember Amy Walsh (Ret.)
Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley
Costa Mesa Councilman Manuel Chavez
Rancho Community College Trustee Lawrence Labrado
Santa Ana Unified School District President Valerie Amezcua
Santa Ana Councilmember Sal Tinajero (Ret.)
Santa Ana Councilmember David Benavides (Ret.)
Santa Ana School Board Trustee Alfonso Alvarez
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Juan Gabriel Alvarez
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Ryan Ruelas
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Dr. Jose Pablo Magcalas
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember D.R. Heywood (Ret.)
Anaheim Union High School District Clerk of the Board, Annemarie Randle-Trejo
Huntington Beach Union High School District Trustee Duane Dishno
Fullerton School Boardmember Aaruni Thakur
Oceanview School District Vice President Gina Clayton-Tarvin
Midway City Sanitary District Director Margie L. Rice

The first Supervisorial District includes the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster, the unincorporated community of Midway City, and parts of Fountain Valley. The first Supervisorial District is 42% Democratic and 24% Republican by registration – making it one of the most flippable major local offices in California.

Sergio Contreras, a husband, father, homeowner, and registered Democrat, has served on the Westminster City Council since 2012, where he successfully championed the largest upgrade to Westminster’s park system since 1996, encompassing 22 park facilities and representing a $10.4 million investment in the community. Contreras oversaw the city’s first general plan update in decades. He also placed emergency call boxes in all Westminster parks to enhance public safety, and fought to place outdoor exercise equipment in local parks to improve public health.

Contreras previously served on the Westminster School Board from 2004 to 2012, including serving as president of the board in 2012. On the School Board, Contreras helped pass a $130 million school bond to modernize Westminster’s school facilities and make them safer. In that role, he established an all-day kindergarten system, making Westminster School District the first in Orange County to provide day-long kindergarten at all school sites. Contreras also increased access to music and arts programs districtwide, while expanding after-school programs.

Now, Contreras works as the Senior Director of Education and Healthy Schools for the Orange County United Way where he creates strategic community partnerships to empower students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Contreras lives in Westminster with his wife Adriana, where their children Sergio III and Chloe attend local schools.

Recently, Contreras’s upbringing and life’s story was featured in the OC Weekly, which you can find here.

For more information visit: https://www.sergiocontrerasforsupervisor.com

State Senator Umberg endorses Santa Ana Mayor Pulido for O.C. Supervisor

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Elections, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Umberg 2 Comments

When State Senator Tom Umberg beat his Republican opponent, Janet Nguyen, in the last election it was a major surprise. We supported him as Nguyen had proven to be incredibly corrupt. He was also backed by Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido.

Now Umberg has returned the favor as he has publicly announced that he is endorsing Pulido, who is on his last term as Santa Ana’s Mayor. Pulido is now running for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, in the First District, which is currently represented by former OCDA prosecutor Andrew Do, a Republican.

“I am proud to endorse Mayor Pulido for County Supervisor,” said State Senator Tom Umberg, whose 34th State Senate District overlaps with County Supervisorial District 1. “As Mayor of Santa Ana, Pulido has provided the leadership, vision, and drive for the renaissance and revitalization of Santa Ana over the last two decades. I have enjoyed working with him. He has the experience and knowledge to be extremely effective and impactful for our community on the County Board of Supervisors.”

Do has done a great job of not being partisan in what is ostensibly a non-partisan seat. In fact he had a falling out with Nguyen, who had attacked him repeatedly over the past few years.

Umberg’s announcement was a bit of a surprise in one respect as there are a couple other Democrats in the race including Garden Grove City Councilwoman Kim Bernice Nguyen and Westminster City Councilman Sergio Contreras.

Nguyen in particular is an interesting candidate as she is young and is half Latina and half Vietnamese.

SAPOA President responds to the Register’s Op-Ed against the recall of Councilwoman Iglesias

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Elections, Gerry Serrano, Politics, Santa Ana, SAPD, SAPOA 3 Comments

Editor’s Note – While we do not support the current recall campaign against duly elected Santa Ana City Councilwoman Ceci Iglesias, to be fair we have extended an opportunity to Gerry Serrano, the President of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association, known as SAPOA, to rebut the Op-Ed that recently was published in the O.C. Register regarding the recall.

Truth & Facts: Cecilia Iglesias is unfit for office

Gerry Serrano

By: Gerry Serrano

Recently, the OC Register and other news blogs have posted articles that are very misleading. The articles tend to reduce support for and are slanted against our blue-collar public safety professionals, the very same people that dedicate themselves to protecting and serving our community. The question is why? There are facts to the contrary that should be reported.
Truth be told, Councilwoman Cecilia Iglesias has been ruthless and unethical going back to her days on the Santa Ana Unified School Board. She has attacked teachers and school employees and their respective unions. She has bullied them, and no one has ever stood up to her. That’s newsworthy.

Now, as a Councilwoman, she has become more unethical and her behavior risen to an unacceptable level, verging on criminal. Our elected officials are held to a higher standard. They are not above the law and surely must be held accountable.

Local citizens, thousands of them, initiated a process to recall Ms. Iglesias because Santa Ana is suffering from a housing crisis and she voted no for affordable housing; she supports President Trump’s immigration policies of building a wall and separating children from families at the border; she opposed revenue initiatives supporting after-school programs, homelessness and public safety; and, she posted a video advocating the defunding of the Santa Ana Police Department. Good reasons to question her ability to represent the citizens of Santa Ana. That’s newsworthy.

The Santa Ana Police Officers Association does not take a position on federal immigration policy, but we do advocate and support after-school programs, addressing homelessness and providing the best public safety to our community.

Facts: the city of Santa Ana finished the fiscal year ’18-’19 over $6 million in the positive, per their budget. They underestimated revenues by over $16 million. (page 128, city report) Claiming that needed programs can’t be funded is wrong. That’s newsworthy.

The Police Officers Association supports this recall because since Ms. Iglesias has been in office her slanderous comments about the Association, her lies, have been repeated and continuous, interfering with the Association’s right to represent its members. (see compliant) She violated the City Charter by interfering in a civil service personnel hiring creating huge financial exposure for the City. She filed a frivolous lawsuit against the City of Santa Ana costing taxpayers thousands. She voted “No” on the Centennial Education Center which is “No” to a much-needed branch library and “No” to a community center and park improvements. This is not about a contract vote over a year ago, rather she is unfit and her behavior illicit. That’s newsworthy.

Finally, someone had the courage and will to stand up to an unfit and unethical politician. Over 16,000 residents signed a recall petition for various reasons. That’s newsworthy. This is a democracy and the will of the residents should not be silenced. Posts and stories that mislead the public are wrong. The city of Santa Ana deserves BETTER.