Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Miguel Pulido

Why I won’t be voting for Benavides in November

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 36 Comments

Is it any surprise to anyone that Santa Ana Council Member David Benavides chose to break the news that he is running against Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido on the Republican OC Political blog?  That is exactly what I have come to expect from Benavides. 

When Benavides was first elected, back in 2006, he had a great story to offer.  He had come to Santa Ana as part of a ministry and he decided to stay here and put down roots.  But he very quickly was compromised by Santa Ana’s racist old guard – the Usual Suspects.  Mostly old and angry Republicans they brought him up through the Neighborhood Association movement – which pretends to represent the people of Santa Ana but realistically represents at most 1% of our community – and is heavily subsidized by our tax dollars.  He declared on his Smart Voter page that he was the winner of the “Neighborhood Hero Award,” the penultimate badge of honor for these metiches.  Continue reading→

Why they can’t beat Miguel Pulido – and he will win again this year

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Brett Franklin, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Elections, Eric Alderete, Julio Perez, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Transportation, Valerie Amezcua 10 Comments

UPDATE: Council Member Sal Tinajero has pulled papers to run against Mayor Pulido this November.  Chisme has it that Benavides will be pressured to get out of the race ASAP.

UPDATE: Council Member David Benavides has announced that he is running for Mayor.  Pulido has nothing to worry about.

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido’s detractors are befuddled about how exactly he keeps on winning, every two years.  What they don’t understand is that their views don’t reflect the views of the residents at large in our city.

Santa Ana is a huge city.  The “inside baseball” and chismoso/gadfly set is fairly small, perhaps a hundred people at most.  In 2010, mayoral challenger Alfredo Amezcua lined up a lot of these folks – and combined them with the dwindling “Usual Suspects.”  Amezcua spent a quarter million dollars and he thought he had victory in the bag.  But you see what he was listening to was an echo chamber – and he failed to reach the majority of voters in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Judge rules that Alvarez cannot run again for the Santa Ana City Council

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Courts, Democratic Party, Elections, Karina Onofre, Miguel Pulido, Republican Party, Rob Richardson, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 18 Comments

 

An Orange County Superior Court judge has ruled that Santa Ana City Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez may not run for a fourth council term, according to the Voice of OC.  I have also confirmed this with my own sources – Alvarez’ political career is over – or is it?  She can still run for Mayor of Santa Ana, although that is not likely as Mayor Miguel Pulido supported her attempt to run again.  And she could run for the Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education, or for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education. 

The unfortunate side affect of this ruling is that it decreases the chance that an opponent to Pulido will arise.  If someone does challenge him then Alvarez will likely run for Mayor and count on a vote split putting her in office, particularly if one of her male colleagues opts to run against Pulido.  Her defeat in this lawsuit likely means Pulido will sail to an easy victory in November. Continue reading→

Pulido scrambling to stop a mayoral term limit ballot measure

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Charles Hart, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Eric Alderete, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana, Shane Barrows, Term Limits, Vince Sarmiento 8 Comments

Sources at City Hall are telling me that Mayor Miguel Pulido is working overtime to stop an attempt by the Santa Ana City Council to draft a term limit measure that will eventually end his career as Mayor of Santa Ana.

The City Council appointed an Ad Hoc committee to consider term limits.  The term limit committee includes Council Members Michele Martinez, David Benavides and Vince Sarmiento. That committee will present their findings to their colleagues at the next Santa Ana City Council meeting.  It is thought that the committee will show up with a prepared ballot measure that the voters will be able to consider in the November general election. Continue reading→

Floral Park neighbors battle over RSCCD’s Area 5

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Dave Chapel, Democratic Party, Education, Ken Nguyen, Mark McLoughlin, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Pictured: Rob Richardson, Mark McLoughlin, Carlos Bustamante and David Benavides

Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustees Mark McLoughlin and Dave Chapel both live in Santa Ana’s upscale Floral Park neighborhood and now, thanks to redistricting, they have to run against each other, in November, for the new Area 5.  One of them will lose and face the end of his political career.

Chapel complained about the redistricting in an email that the OC Weekly got a hold of.  But he could not stop progress.  The neat thing about the redistricting is that the Rancho elections are now area-specific.   Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council establishes a term limits committee

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Karina Onofre, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

Tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting, which was held at the SAPD’s Community Room, was, as predicted, a real zoo.  Media vans and news crews were everywhere and residents and out of town bloggers packed the proceedings.

As we stated in an earlier post, Council Member Carlos Bustamante, who is facing serious felony sex crime and public theft charges, was not likely to show up, and he didn’t.  This is his second unexcused absence.  After sixty days of not showing up to work, at City Hall, the City Council can dump him and appoint someone to fill out his term. Continue reading→

Brett Franklin pulls papers for Ward 3 on the Santa Ana City Council

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Brett Franklin, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Republican Party, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Brett Franklin, a former Santa Ana Council Member, has apparently pulled nomination papers for Ward 3 on the Santa Ana City Council, according to a city insider.  Franklin previously represented Ward 3 for two terms.  He was replaced by current Council Member Carlos Bustamante, who was recently arrested and now faces a number of felony sex crime and public theft charges.  Both Franklin and Bustamante are Republicans, and Franklin is an elected member of the OC GOP’s Central Committee.

I am told that Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido is backing Franklin.  The other declared candidates include Eric Alderete, a lawyer who serves on the Santa Ana Planning Commission, and Charles Hart, who ran for Mayor unsuccessfully against Pulido in 2010.  Alderete is a Democrat, and Hart is a Republican. Continue reading→

Martinez pushes the Santa Ana City Council to review term limits on Monday

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Charles Hart, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Ream, Democratic Party, Eric Alderete, Karina Onofre, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Play time is over – the Santa Ana City Council appears to be rebelling against Mayor Pulido

“The Santa Ana City Council is scheduled July 16 to consider a ballot measure that for the first time could place a term limit on longtime Mayor Miguel Pulido and change term limits for other council members,” according to the Voice of OC.

Council Member Michele Martinez placed an 85 A item on the agenda that reads as follows, “DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL BALLOT MEASURE REGARDING MAYORAL AND COUNCIL TERM LIMITS.”

Both Martinez and her colleague, Council Member David Benavides, ripped Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez this week, on Facebook, when Alvarez’ ally, Santa Ana Parks and Rec Commissioner Max Madrid, filed a lawsuit to compel the Santa Ana City Clerk to issue nomination papers to Alvarez.  She is seeking to run again in November, for reelection, although she appears to be termed out. Continue reading→

Broadcom founder Nicholas III and Judge Mandel get keys to the city

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Civic Affairs, Education, Henry T. Nicholas III, Judge Jack K. Mandel, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Community: SANTA ANA HONORS BROADCOM FOUNDER HENRY T. NICHOLAS, III, PH.D. AND JUDGE JACK K. MANDEL WITH KEYS TO THE CITY

— Founders of Non-Profit Nicholas Academic Centers Recognized for Continued, Generous Contributions to Community —

SANTA ANA, Calif. (July 11, 2012) — In a special ceremony, The City of Santa Ana recently presented
Broadcom (NASDAQ:BRCM) Founder Henry T. Nicholas, III, Ph.D. and retired Judge Jack K. Mandel with Keys to the City to honor their outstanding dedication to the community through the Nicholas Academic Centers (NACs). The Keys are given at the discretion of the mayor and symbolize one of the highest honors. The last “key” to the city was presented to Renée Segerstrom more than a decade ago. Continue reading→

Mayor Miguel Pulido should join those asking Bustamante to resign now

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana, Sean Mill 22 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido has been silent thus far on the matter of whether or not Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante should resign from the City Council, now that he is facing a number of felony sex crime and public theft charges.  My sources tell me though that he is standing by Bustamante.

Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Sean Mill sent an email to Pulido earlier today, asking him to join in the call for Bustamante’s resignation.  You may also email Pulido at this link.  Here’s Mill’s email message to Pulido: Continue reading→

City Council to decide the fate of the Downtown PBID tax tonight

Posted on by Posted in Business, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Courts, Dave Ream, David Benavides, Development, Fraud, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 12 Comments

July 4 falls on a Wednesday this year but there will be fireworks early this week, at Monday night’s Santa Ana City Council meeting, on July 2, at 5 pm, as Council Member Sal Tinajero and Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez have placed an 85 A item on the City Council agenda to disestablish the Downtown Santa Ana property tax – the PBID.

Here is the 85 A PBID agenda item: Continue reading→

Orange County Labor owes all of Santa Ana an apology

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Julio Perez, Labor, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 18 Comments

It looks like Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez won’t be advancing in the race to replace Jose Solorio in the 69th Assembly District.  So far the top two in that race are Tom Daly, a Democrat, and Jose Moreno, a Republican.  Martinez is in fourth and the candidate that Orange County labor backed, Julio Perez, is in third. If you are not in the top two, it is game over!

Had labor backed Martinez she might well have made the top two.  Instead Democrats are now stuck with Daly, who has a distinctly anti-Latino record as the former Mayor of /Anaheim.  Moreno also is from Anaheim, which means that Santa Ana no longer has a horse in this race, thanks to labor and Perez, not to mention that other foolish Democrat, Francisco Barragan, who hardly got any votes at all.

I will be backing Moreno in November.  We have several months to let Daly have it.  He has a terrible record of wasting taxpayer resources, as the Orange County Clerk-Recorder.  We will be bringing all of that out for sure. Continue reading→

Update: Walters hiring delayed until next Council meeting on June 2

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 11 Comments

UPDATED: Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido found four votes on the City Council last night, but as it turned out that was only so the City Attorney could review the contract that will be offered to acting City Manager Paul Walters, to make him the permanent City Manager.  The decision to give him that post will be done in closed session but the contract, per the city charter, will have to be voted on in a City Council meeting – and Pulido will need five votes to approve that contract.  That may not be easy as some on the Council want Walters to step down as Chief of the Santa Ana Police Department, and there is some debate as to whether or not Deputy Chief Carlos Rojas would become the interim Chief during a national search to replace Walters.

I reported earlier this weekend that Mayor Miguel Pulido and the rest of Santa Ana City Council had taken away the interim label from City Manager Paul Walters, and that he will also continue to serve as our Chief of Police.  However I received a call from a city hall insider later today that turned this story on its head.

As I now understand it, the City Council is split on this and some of the Council Member still want to engage in a national search for a new City Manager.  Apparently there are some forces at the SAPD that also want to move on with appointing a new Chief of Police, in Deputy Chief Carlos Rojas.  However that too has become a divisive matter as there are some at city hall who want to engage in a national search for a new Chief of Police and others who want Walters to continue to serve in that capacity.  Their argument is that the SAPD will lose a lot of clout if Walters is replaced as Chief of Police by Rojas.  Continue reading→

Mayor Pulido agrees with me, we should house the homeless at the Great Park

Posted on by Posted in homeless, irvine, John Moorlach, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Santa Ana 14 Comments

When Supervisor John Moorlach, who is the current Chairman of the O.C. Board of Supervisors, suggested in January that we turn the defunct bus station into a permanent homeless shelter, I suggested, “Why not set up a permanent encampment for the homeless over at the Great Park in Irvine?  They have plenty of space.  I am sure the OCTA can set up a bus line to give them rides to their new home.”

Apparently Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido read my post.  He told the O.C. Register this week that “Long term the Great Park, whose board he sits on, could become a resource, providing space for housing and a rehabilitation center.” Continue reading→

Sonia Rubio Carvalho is the new Santa Ana City Attorney

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Latinos, Lawyers, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Community: Santa Ana Names BB&K Attorney as First Female Hispanic City Attorney

Sonia Carvalho Begins Duties in Unique Hybrid City Attorney Role to Save City Money

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Santa Ana City Council has named Sonia Rubio Carvalho as the city’s first-ever female Hispanic city attorney, hiring her to fill a unique hybrid position aimed at saving the city thousands of dollars in the long-term.

Carvalho will be a contract employee but perform all the duties of an in-house city attorney, which will save the city from paying her health and retirement benefits.

“I am honored to take on this unique role with Santa Ana, and I applaud them for thinking outside of the box and exploring a cost-savings business model,” she said. Continue reading→