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
Jill Arthur, one of the most powerful behind-the-scenes figures at Santa Ana City Hall in recent years, is leaving the city’s employ in the wake of an investigation into her actions following a traffic accident, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation, according to the Voice of OC.
The Voice of OC admitted that “Council members have been kept in the dark because the issue is a personnel matter,” so why did Councilwoman Michele Martinez talk about this with the Voice of OC? Her response should have been “no comment.” Continue reading
Santa Ana City Council proclamations are usually overlooked, however one that should have been noted was the honoring of Santa Ana’s own Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title contender Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez for winning the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship and ranking #2 in his weight division.
Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez issued the proclamation at the Council meeting on Monday, June 3, 2013. The City Council also honored Melendez for being a positive influence and representative of Santa Ana in the sports world. Continue reading
I had a long talk this afernoon with a Santa Ana insider who had some amazing chismes for me. I was expecting that perhaps Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido would run for the Orange County Supervisorial seat that is currently held by Janet Nguyen, but apparently Councilman Vincent Sarmiento has decided to run, and Pulido is not going to oppose him.
But the biggest shocker was that Measure D may be in trouble – and that it could be reversed if it is challenged in court. That was the measure that extended the term limits of the Santa Ana Council Members by four years, from 8 years to 12. That measure was on the ballot in a special election but apparently it should have been put in front of the voters in a general election. What this means, if it does get wiped out, is that several Santa Ana Council Members will be termed out – including Michele Martinez and Sal Tinajero. Continue reading
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
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
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
Santa Ana Michele Martinez announced her intention to run for re-election in 2014, today on her Facebook page: “It’s with great excitement to announce my re-election campaign for 2014! Re-Elect Michele Martinez for City Council, Ward 2, Facebook Page and Website coming soon!”
Sigh. I supposed this grammatical disaster is about the best we can expect from Martinez, but what’s her excuse? She was born and raised here. She grew up speaking English – it wasn’t her second language. Yet after finishing college she still reels off “It’s with great excitement to announce my re-election campaign for 2014!” Wow. Continue reading
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
Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez had a total fit at this week’s City Council meeting, regarding the CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) funding that the city is applying for. These federal funds last year totalled $5.7 million. These funds are supposed to be used “to improve low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and eliminate blight,” according to the O.C. Register.
The irony is that Martinez has always voted for the CDBG funds as they have been presented to the Council – but now she is going off about past funding, including funding for a police helicopter that would have otherwise been grounded. Continue reading
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
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:
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
There appears to be an anti-Mayor Pulido cult in town and I find it rather laughable. Simply put, these folks can’t beat him. So why is that?
Well, here are my Top Ten reasons why the Pulido haters can’t beat him:
I keep receiving DUI checkpoint notices from the SAPD and I have to wonder why our Santa Ana City Council won’t move to cancel theses useless exercises.
Simply put, DUI checkpoints don’t work. They rarely catch any actual drunk drivers. Instead they become a hassle for our residents who are undocumented immigrants. The State of California won’t let them drive legally, so if they get caught driving during a DUI checkpoint they could end up losing their cars, which they depend on to get to and from work.
Our City Council is supposed to be progressive and “vibrant” so why don’t they stop these useless charades? Continue reading