Mayor Pulido enjoys the support of the entire Santa Ana City Council
(polls)
Several of my friends here in town have been asking me who would be better for Santa Ana – Mayor Miguel Pulido or his challenger, Al Amezcua. Good question! I don’t have an easy answer.
Instead, let’s compare the two on the major issues of the day:
Education
Both Pulido and Amezcua have supported local school bond measures. Amezcua chaired the last one, Measure G, and his daughter Valerie worked on the campaign.
Amezcua was also on the Rancho Santiago Community College District for a few years, before he quit mysteriously. He took part in wasting bond money on a Deputy Sheriff’s training academy we didn’t need. He was also on the board when the fire sprinklers were turned off at Santa Ana College, with no notice given to the students.
Pulido helped bring the Orange County High School for the Arts (OCHSA) to downtown Santa Ana. But that school has not allowed very many Santa Ana kids to enroll.
Both had kids that were in our public school system, although Pulido eventually put his kids in charter schools, and OCHSA.
Pulido has endorsed most of the SAUSD school board members over the years. So has Amezcua. Amezcua’s daugher, Valerie, lost a close race for the SAUSD school board in 2008. Roman Reyna edged her out.
Pulido failed to take advantage of matching state funds to build new libraries. He actually closed one library and failed to open any more.
Bottom line? Too close to call. Neither candidate can brag much about their efforts in education. Continue reading