Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: David Benavides

Councilman Benavides should not be honored by Santa Ana’s artists

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, David Benavides, Santa Ana 12 Comments

Roman Reyna and David Benavides

Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides (seen above getting a piggyback ride from Councilman Roman Reyna) is going to be honored by the United Artists of Santa Ana this Saturday, July 6, 2013.  It is hard to believe given that just a year ago Benavides was involved in trying to sell the historic Santora Arts building to his church, Newsong, which is based in Irvine.

Just how involved was Benavides in what turned out to be a complete fiasco?  Here are a few excerpts from local media – note the negative comments from the artists themselves: Continue reading→

2nd Annual Santora Celebration to honor local art heroes

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, David Benavides, Entertainment, Santa Ana 4 Comments

2nd Annual Santora Celebration

**** PRESS RELEASE ****

For Immediate Release July 4, 2013
Press Contact: info@unitedartistsofsantaana.org

2ND ANNUAL SANTORA CELEBRATION HONORS LOCAL ART HEROES

United Artists of Santa Ana (UASA), the galvanizing group that successfully challenged the sale of the Santora to a religious group last year, reboots their annual spotlight on the historic art building with a 1920’s theme ArtWalk and an Architectural lecture & Award Ceremony starting at 7pm in the Santora Lobby, 207 N. Broadway, 92701. The event’s architectural lecture will be given by Tim Rush, President of the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society. Continue reading→

Activists to ask the SAPD to stop collaborating with ICE, on June 18

Posted on by Posted in Crime, David Benavides, Entertainment, immigration, Michele Martinez, Politics, Public Safety, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The OC May Day Coalition is asking the public and their members to join them at the next Santa Ana Public Safety Committee meeting, on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at 5:30 pm, as they bring “awareness to the issue of the collaboration between the SAPD and ICE and demand that this collaboration be stopped.”

Their issue is on the agenda, so there will be discussion by the committee members on this topic as well as time for public comments.  Continue reading→

Pulido garners praise as he works to shut down SONGS and save the fire pits

Posted on by Posted in Alfredo Amezcua, David Benavides, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Raul Godinez, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Miguel Pulido AQMD

It has been a tough ride for longtime Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido since his successful re-election last November.  He easily defeated Councilman David P. Benavides in that election, but Bneavides came out on top as part of a City Council that appears to be united in their pettiness towards Pulido.

The City Council fired City Manager Paul Walters, although he saved the city from a massive budget deficit by outsourcing our expensive Fire Department to the Orange County Fire Authority.  And someone on the Council leaked damaging information to the Voice of OC about the embarrassing investigation of Deputy City Manager Jill Arthur, who has always been loyal to Pulido.  She will almost certainly retire and not return to City Hall.

But despite all the attacks on him, Pulido has been in the news, a lot, because he has been heavily involved in two regional issues.  Pulido has been leading the charge to save the fire pits on our Orange County coastal beaches.  He has been doing so in his capacity as a member of the Southern California Air Quality Managment District’s Board of Governors.  Even OC Weekly editor Gustavo Arellano, who has no love for Pulido, has to begrudgingly admit that he is rooting for Pulido: Continue reading→

Will the next City Manager be Public Works Director Raul Godinez II?

Posted on by Posted in Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Politics, public works, Raul Godinez, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Raul Godinez

I am hearing that the Santa Ana City Council has settled on their next City Manager and despite a supposed national search and calls for transparency they are going with the Santa Ana Public Works director, Raul Godinez II, who was designated in September as a Public Works Leadership Fellow by the American Public Works Associate. Godinez lives in Orange with his wife Deidra Simon de Godinez and their kids.

This really should not come as a surprise to anyone.  Godinez left the Public Works Director position in Oakland, where he oversaw over 800 employees, to come to Santa Ana where he has been leading less than two hundred Public Works employees.  You don’t make a move like that unless there is a good shot to move up at some point. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Political Chismes – is a new City Manager on the way?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Tom Daly, Vince Sarmiento 6 Comments

Michele Martinez speaking

So many chismes!  The big one I am hearing is that the Santa Ana City Council is preparing to hire a new City Manager at a special meeting next week, perhaps on Tuesday, and that they are continuing to accept job applications through this Friday.  But who would want to work for this bunch?

Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez is up for re-election in 2014.  But this time she won’t be getting a free pass.  I hear a very well-connected Latina is preparing to challenge her!  Considering how poorly Martinez fared in last June’s Open Primary, when she came in almost last in her campaign for the 69th Assembly District, she better be worried about this.  She blew some $200K on that race.  Who will donate money to her now? Continue reading→

Big turnout for Santa Ana’s May Day March

Posted on by Posted in David Benavides, immigration, Labor, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 8 Comments

Santa Ana’s May Day march was a huge success. The theme of the May Day March was immigration reform.  There are only two immigrants left on our City Council today – Mayor Miguel Pulido and Councilman Vince Sarmiento.  David Benavides, Michele Martinez and Roman Reyna are however fluent in Pocho.

Kudos to Naui for shooting these videos.  Here is another video shot at the march: Continue reading→

Deputy City Manager Jill Arthur being investigated for misconduct

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Kevin O'Rourke, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 12 Comments

Jill Arthur

Santa Ana Deputy City Manager Jill Arthur was placed on administrative leave this week pending a city-commissioned investigation into allegations that she engaged in misconduct following a traffic accident, according to the Voice of OC.

The Voice of OC reported that “According to sources familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity, Arthur was involved in a car accident with Marcel Alvarez, a 22-year-old Buena Park resident. Rather than exchange insurance information, Arthur offered to get Alvarez a job by leveraging her influence at the Santa Ana Work Center, a city office that assists residents in finding employment, sources said.” Continue reading→

Benavides attempting to appoint a paid consultant to the Planning Commission

Posted on by Posted in David Benavides, Planning, Politics, Santa Ana 13 Comments
Phil Bacerra

Bacerra at the podium

Santa Ana City Councilman David Benavides, who failed badly in his attempt to beat Mayor Miguel Pulido last year, is trying to appoint planning consultant Phil Bacerra to the Santa Ana Planning Commission, according to the City Council’s agenda for tonight’s meeting.

Bacerra is no doubt qualified for this position but his presence on the Planning Commission would be a major conflict of interest.  His company, Jacaranda Enterprises, was retained by Downtown Inc., the non profit that oversaw the spending of the PBID tax proceeds in Downtown Santa Ana, according to his contract, to: Continue reading→

The City Council fired Walters but it’s still business as usual at City Hall

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Kevin O'Rourke, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 4 Comments

David Benavides supports the PBID

I almost fell out of my chair laughing today when I read that “Among the shifts Rourke made late in March, External Affairs Manager Jill Arthur was promoted to deputy city manager and installed as head of the city’s community development agency, according to an email March 27 from O’Rourke to the city’s management team,” according to the Voice of OC.

Hilarious!  The Santa Ana City Council absolutely hates Jill Arthur and now their $22K a month temporary City Manager, Kevin O’Rourke, has effectively given her a raise!  For this they fired Paul Walters?  Unbelievable. Continue reading→

Another damn Streetcar

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, OCTA, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Transportation, Vince Sarmiento 32 Comments

tracks

From the OC Politics Blog

Lurking in the back of the OCTA‘s Measure M Wasteful Boondoggles Projects File is another streetcar project in Santa Ana.  It’s not as expensive (for now) as the $319 million debacle that’s been cooked up in Anaheim by the City Council and the Toontown Troika of SOAR, the OC Business Council and Master of the Universe Curt Pringle’s team of lackeys, but it’s just as big a turkey.   The Register reports today (don’t worry about the paywall) that so far it’s coming in at a minor $209 million even though it’s longer and has five times more stops than the Murray/Eastman Express.

From Lou Gonzales’ story, there are some absolutely priceless quotes from a clueless, in-the-dark City Councilman and his colleague, Michele Martinez, a failed Mayoral candidate:

Continue reading→

Councilman Benavides voted to increase your sanitation bill

Posted on by Posted in David Benavides, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Angry David Benavides

Your annual Orange County Sanitation District fee is going to go up – and our representative on the OCSD Board of Directors, Councilman David Benavides, voted for the increase.

OCSD sanitation fees have gone up an astounding 61% since 2005, according to our sister blog, OC Politics.  And thanks to Benavides they are going up again – The board voted 18-7 to increase sewer service charges by 4.8 percent this year and 2.4 percent each of the next four years. On July 1, the annual fee for the average single family home will become $14 in 2013 and about $8 each of the next four years. The 2013 fee of $294 will be $339 by 2017-18. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Political Chismes: Will Michele Martinez take a job in Sacramento?

Posted on by Posted in Al Mijares, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Education, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Vince Sarmiento 11 Comments

Michele Martinez whining

Adios Martinez?

Inside sources tell me that Santa Ana Council Woman Michele Martinez, who lost badly last June in her bid for the 69th Assembly District, is considering a job in Sacramento, so she might end up there after all.  I am told that she will resign from the City Council if she gets this unknown job.

Martinez is actively involved in SCAG, the Southern California Association of Governments, and NALEO, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.  It is as such feasible that she might be leaving our city for a job in the state capitol. Continue reading→

Benavides and Reyna back gay militants instead of Vietnamese families

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, David Benavides, LGBT, Little Saigon, Santa Ana, Vietnamese, Westminster 7 Comments

Roman Reyna and David Benavides

Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides recently called for a review of city policies related to issuing public events permits to ensure such events are staged in a nondiscriminatory way,” according to the O.C. Register.  They also reported that:

“If we don’t have a no-discrimination clause, the city attorney will come back with options on how we can ensure that a special event that takes place on city property is inclusive of all parties,” Benavides said Thursday.

Benavides said he and fellow Councilman Roman Reyna were scheduled to participate in this year’s parade but pulled out after the LGBT group was banned. “It was a discriminatory decision,” Benavides said. Continue reading→

Why can’t Benavides find anyone to appoint to City Boards and Commissions?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Santa Ana Leave a comment

David Benavides supports the PBID

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County Community Alert: NOTICE COUNCILMEMBER BENAVIDES ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPOINTMENT TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION SEAT

REMINDER: DEADLINE IS MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013 AT 5 P.M.

SANTA ANA, CA (March 14, 2013) – The City of Santa Ana encourages residents to become involved in your community. One way to do so is to serve in an advisory capacity on one of the City’s various boards and commissions. The City is now accepting applications to fill several positions that would represent Ward 4. Below is a summary of the various commissions including duties, compensation and requirements. Interested individuals may apply for appointment by following the instructions in this notice. Continue reading→