Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Politics

Sal Tinajero’s entire team of City Council candidates is opposing his Measure X sales tax increase

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Ballot Measures, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Sandra Pena, Santa Ana, Taxes 2 Comments

Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero

I attended two Santa Ana City Council candidate forums recently and was astonished to hear every single candidate for the Santa Ana City Council come out publicly against Measure X. Sal Tinajero, who is termed out and is running for Mayor of Santa Ana, is the only candidate still publicly backing Measure X (although he doesn’t mention it on his campaign website).

It is generally a very bad idea for a political candidate to run on a platform based in raising our taxes. Perhaps this is why Tinajero’s City Council candidates – Roman Reyna in Ward 4; Sandra Pocha Pena Sarmiento in Ward 2; and Nelida Mendoza in Ward 6 have all publicly turned their backs on Tinajero’s Measure X.

Measure X, if it passes, will result in Santa Ana having the highest sales tax in Orange County. That will result in several awful consequences: Continue reading→

Low income seniors or disabled taxpayers can now postpone their O.C. property taxes

Posted on by Posted in Education, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 27, 2018

Property Tax Postponement Program Accepting Applications on October 1, 2018!

Orange County Treasurer Shari Freidenrich announces that the California Property Tax Postponement Program (PTP) application period opens October 1, 2018. Information is available on the Office of the State Controller’s website, by calling 800-952-5661 or by emailing the state at postponement@sco.ca.gov. Funding under the program is limited and available to applicants on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The PTP, which has been reinstated after being suspended by the Governor in 2009, offers housing security for seniors and homeowners with disabilities. The program allows eligible homeowners who are blind, disabled or at least 62 years of age to defer Fiscal Year 2018-19 property taxes on their principal residence if they meet certain established criteria. Continue reading→

Santa Ana voter registration drive set for Sep. 25

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, OC Voter Registrar, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: Santa Ana Urges Youth Civic Engagement: High School & College Students to Host Citywide Voter Registration Event

SANTA ANA, CA – On Tuesday, September 25 at 9:00 a.m., the Santa Ana City Council, along with representatives from Santa Ana College, Santa Ana Unified School District, Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters will host a public event to kick off the City’s ‘Register and Vote’ campaign that will run until Election Day on November 6.

Youth organizers are encouraging new voters: “Don’t speak the change, make the change.” With this September 25th event, Santa Ana is joining efforts around the country to celebrate National Voter Registration Day. This single day of coordinated field, technology and media efforts aims to help tens of thousands of new voters learn about voter registration opportunities in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Santa Ana City Council Candidates Forum on Sep. 20

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

If you missed the Connect to Council Santa Ana City Council Candidate’s forum that took place on Wednesday night at the Delhi Center do not fret.

You will have another chance to meet the candidates at the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce 2018 Santa Ana City Council Candidates Forum, on Thursday night, September 20, 2018, from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM PDT at the Delhi Center, located at 505 E. Central Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92707. Continue reading→

Vote no on Measure X – which will make Santa Ana’s sales tax the highest in the County

Posted on by Posted in Politics, Santa Ana 7 Comments

The City Council of Santa Ana has placed a tax increase measure on the November ballot, Measure X, that would increase sales tax in Santa Ana by 1.5 percent. If it passes, Santa Ana taxpayers and anyone who shops in Santa Ana would be paying the highest sales tax in Orange County, according to the OC Taxpayers Association.

The city is upside-down financially, with shortfalls estimated to grow from $10 million this fiscal yearto a nearly $40 million per-year shortfall in the 2021 fiscal year, in a series of deepening gaps, according to the Voice of OC. Continue reading→

The City of Santa Ana is conducting six public meetings regarding the Nov. ballot measures

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Ballot Measures, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: City of Santa Ana Information Sessions:Election Ballot Measures/Sesiones Informativas de la Ciudad de Santa Ana:Medidas Electorales

These sessions will be strictly informational in nature and will provide information on all four ballot measures:

  • Measure X: Santa Ana Neighborhood Safety, Homeless Prevention and Essential City Services Enhancement Measure
  • Measure Y: Approve Ordinance Regarding a Marijuana / Commercial Cannabis Business License Tax
  • Measure Z: City Charter Modernization & Update of Administrative Provisions
  • Measure AA: Require By-Ward Nomination & Election of Councilmembers, and Redrawing of Ward Boundaries to Comply with State & Federal Law

Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council forum and Mayoral debate set for Sep. 19

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Connie Hamilton, Connect-to-Council

714-745-1692 (phone/text)/connect-to-council@earthlink.net

CONNECT-TO-COUNCIL HOSTS “AN EVENING WITH THE CANDIDATES”, A FORUM AND DEBATE FOR THE SANTA ANA VOTERS

Santa Ana, CA- Connect-to-Council, a Santa Ana non-profit organization, will host, a candidates’ forum and debate for the Santa Ana voters. This will take place at the Delhi Center on September 19, 2018. The council candidates have been invited to participate in a council candidate forum, then a mayoral candidate debate will immediately follow.

Wednesday September 19, 2018 6:00-8:00 p.m. Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council Ward 6 candidate Mendoza dropped her frivolous lawsuit against Velasquez

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Claudia Alvarez, Courts, Jose Solorio, Mirna Velasquez, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics Leave a comment

Nelida Yanez

Nellie Mendoza drops frivolous suit – may need to pay attorneys fees

Santa Ana City Council Ward 7 candidate Nelida Mendoza (formerly Yanez) dropped her lawsuit against her opponent,  Mirna Velasquez, on Tuesday. Perhaps she did so because she finally realized that she had no case!

Mendoza alleged that Velasquez was not a resident of Santa Ana Ward 6. However, Mendoza acknowledged in her complaint that Velasquez has lived in Ward 6 since at least her registration date of November 21, 2017. Not only did she register in the district more than 30 days before filing but Velasquez moved into the Ward on November 1, 2017 per her response. So there was no merit to the 1st cause of action by Ms. Mendoza. Continue reading→

Meet Santa Ana’s team of anti-tax 2018 General Election candidates

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Angie Rosario Cano, Cecilia Iglesias, Education, John Palacio, Mike Gonzalez, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Santa Ana’s local politicians on the Santa Ana City Council and the SAUSD School Board are trying to raise our taxes again with ballot measures in the upcoming November General Election. But their desire to raise our taxes will only hurt our residents and businesses at a time when the public is increasingly opposed to heavy taxation at all levels.

The largest age group in Santa Ana is the 25 to 44 group, making up over 31% of the population while those over 65 make up about 7% of the population.  Over 30% are under the age of 18. The median household income in our city is $54,521, according to the City of Santa Ana. The median household income in Orange County is $78,145 according to the U.S. Census.  Continue reading→

The City of Santa Ana is holding public meetings regarding the Ward Map re-boundary process

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Ballot Measures, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: City Ward Map Re-Boundary Process

The City of Santa Ana encourages the public to participate in the decision-making process. The following information is being provided so that you can ask questions, make comments and stay informed about the proposed Ward re-boundaries that may be important to you. We encourage you to contact us prior to the meetings, if you have any questions.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: The Santa Ana City Council will hold a series of Community Meetings and Public Hearings to consider modifying the Ward boundaries to comply with both the Federal and California law, including the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). Continue reading→

Why do Santa Ana’s overpaid local politicians keep trying to raise our taxes?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, John Palacio, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Valerie Amezcua 2 Comments

If you see a meth addict begging for money outside a McDonald’s and you give him twenty bucks chances are that he will buy one item off the restaurant’s dollar menu and spend the rest of the money on drugs. Local governments act the very same way. No matter how much tax money they take from us they always find a way to blow most of it and then come back to us for more money.

That is precisely what is happening in Santa Ana right now. The Santa Ana Unified School District has already begged us for millions twice before with two previous bond measures. Now they are back with their hat in hand begging for millions more – even though other area school districts are finding ways to improve their facilities without passing bond measures. Continue reading→

Who you will be voting for in November for the Santa Ana City Council and the SAUSD School Board

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Angie Rosario Cano, Art Pedroza, Ballot Measures, Bond Measures, Cecilia Aguinaga, Cecilia Iglesias, Civic Affairs, David Penaloza, Education, Irma Macias, John Palacio, Miguel Pulido, Mirna Velasquez, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Paul Gonzalez, Phil Bacerra, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Sandra Pena, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Valerie Amezcua 6 Comments

When I spoke with Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido earlier this week he was not yet sure if he was going to run for what will be his last two-year term. Since them Pulido has indeed pulled papers and he will be on the November 6 ballot. He will face off against termed-out Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero, who has been garnering a lot of media attention of late due to his leadership of the SAUSD Debate Team. The path for Tinajero was cleared when his colleague, Mayor Pro Tem Michele Martinez, opted to not run for Mayor after all. She too is terming out from the Santa Ana City Council.

No question about it – the Tinajero versus Pulido race will be the big contest in the General Election. But the race for Santa Ana’s Ward 2 will also be sure to garner a lot of attention as no less than six candidates have pulled papers. Here are the Ward 2 candidates: Continue reading→

The new proposed SAUSD Bond Measure will cost taxpayers up to $1.2 B with interest

Posted on by Posted in Education, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Taxes 2 Comments

For Immediate Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 3, 2018

Statement on Proposed Santa Ana School Board Bond Measure

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – Hon. Fred Whitaker, Chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County, releases the following statement in response to the proposed $479 million bond for the Santa Ana Unified School District:

“Recently, the Santa Ana School Board has proposed putting a bond on the ballot in the November election. In order to do so, a resolution to place the bond on the ballot will go before the Santa Ana School Board this month. This proposed bond would be for a staggering $479 million and would require only a simple majority to pass. This unnecessary bond represents nothing more than a tax increase on the citizens of Santa Ana. In the meantime, the school board is spending thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to get this ballot measure passed. Continue reading→

RSCCD Chancellor Raúl Rodriguez created a culture of racism at Santa Ana College

Posted on by Posted in Education, Politics, Raúl Rodríguez, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Exiting RSCC District Chancellor Raul Rodriguez

Santa Ana College: A Culture of Racism

By: Renee Miller

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review titled, “Leaders Can Shape Company Culture Through Their Behaviors” provides insight into a significant problem at Santa Ana College. It’s a problem that has no place in our society today, let alone an institution that serves our future generations.

The author, Jim Whitehurst, CEO of software company Red Hat, writes that culture is created by the actions of an organization’s leader. No better example is the embarrassing behavior of exiting RSCCD Chancellor Raul Rodriguez and how he enabled a culture of racism to envelop Santa Ana College. Continue reading→

Former SAUSD School Board Trustee Nadia Lockyer was apparently arrested again last night

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Huntington Beach, Nadia Lockyer, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD 1 Comment

Former SAUSD School Board Trustee Nadia Maria Davis Lockyer, who went on to marry former CA State Treasurer Bill Lockyer (who was old enough to be her grandfather) and got elected to a County Board of Supervisors in the Bay Area is in trouble yet again. She was apparently arrested last night in Huntington Beach, according to the Huntington Beach Police arrest log.

The HB Police arrest log indicates that Davis Lockyer allegedly “Obstructed/Resisted” an Executive Officer. A second charge of “cruelty to child with possible injury or death” is also noted in the arrest log. Continue reading→