Santa Ana Political Chismes – Sarmiento for Supervisor?

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Elections, Janet Nguyen, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Term Limits, Tom Daly, Vince Sarmiento 9 Comments

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→

Palacio to blame for Amezcua’s loss in the SAUSD School Board race

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Aguinaga, Cecilia Iglesias, David Benavides, Education, Estela Amezcua, John Palacio, Myriam Tinajero, Politics, Republican Party, Rob Richardson, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Term Limits, Vince Sarmiento 15 Comments

Valerie Amezcua

Regardless of whether or not you are a supporter of Valerie Amezcua, the daughter of failed Santa Ana mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua, you have to feel bad for her. She almost won a seat on the SAUSD School Board four years ago, barely losing to Roman Reyna, who vacated that seat this year and is now moving on to Ward 5 on the Santa Ana City Council.

Two years ago Amezcua had a chance to run again, and to build on her success in the 2008 election. But SAUSD Trustee John Palacio, who now considers himself to be a political consultant, got in the way. He prevented her from running out of fear that she might beat him. There were only two seats up in 2010, Palacio’s and that of his fellow incumbent, Audrey Noji. Palacio ended up keeping everyone out of that race, except for me. I was sickened to see that no Latinos were challenging Noji so I ran and lost by only 1,400 votes, with no campaign budget. Palacio ended up endorsing Noji. Continue reading→

Measure GG campaign funded by outside special interests!

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Elections, Santa Ana, Term Limits 3 Comments

Are you wondering who is paying for all of those Measure GG (term limits)? Wonder no more – click here to read the financial report of the Political Action Committee that is paying for the Measure GG fliers.

The special interests funding the Measure GG campaign include:

The Lyon Apartment Companies, based in Newport Beach
The Santa Ana Police Management Association PAC Continue reading→

The O.C. Register’s Editorial Board opposes Santa Ana’s Term Limits Measure

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Art Pedroza, Civic Affairs, Elections, Measure GG, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana, Term Limits 1 Comment

The Orange County Register’s Editorial Board has decided to oppose Santa Ana’s latest unfair Term Limits initiative, Measure GG. You can read the ballot argument I wrote opposing Measure GG here. And here is their editorial:

Editorial: No on Santa Ana Measure GG

Tighter term limits on the mayor than on the council seems like a device aimed at the incumbent.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

We long have favored term limits. But they are not a panacea for political problems. Exhibit A: Proposition 140, which voters passed in 1990. It limited the governor to eight years in office, Assembly members to six years and state senators to eight years. It was modified this past June by Prop. 28, which limited legislative terms to 12 years total in either house. Continue reading→

Update: Revised argument against the Santa Ana term limits accepted

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana, Term Limits 5 Comments

Rob Cook and I were able to file our argument against the latest flawed Santa Ana term limits measure today and were joined by Becky Valencia Verdin, who also signed the argument.

You may recall that our illustrious City Council gave us a horrible term limits measure a few years ago, Measure D, which actually extended term limits by four more years, for the City Council.

Cook and I agree that term limits are ridiculous. They are an abridgment of voter’s rights. Here is the argument we submitted today, with five minutes to spare: Continue reading→

Santa Ana term limit ballot measure update

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Santa Ana, Term Limits 4 Comments

I spoke to Santa Ana City Clerk Maria Huizar today about the Term Limits measure that will be on the November ballot. This measure will limit the Mayor to eight years while allowing the City Council to serve up to 12 years.

My personal sentiment is that term limits are a limit on our freedom as voters to choose who we want to represent us. We already have the right to boot the mayor every two years. Continue reading→

Santa Ana issues request for term limit ballot measure arguments

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, Politics, Santa Ana, Term Limits 1 Comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Advisory: NOTICE OF ELECTION REGARDING CHARTER AMENDMENT (MEASURE) TO BE VOTED ON CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA

SANTA ANA, CA (August 2, 2012) – NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the following measure will be voted on at a special municipal election consolidated with the general municipal election to be held in the City of Santa Ana, California on Tuesday, the sixth (6TH) day of November 2012: Continue reading→

Alvarez joins Madrid’s term limits lawsuit against the Santa Ana City Clerk

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Claudia Alvarez, Courts, Democratic Party, Elections, Max Madrid, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Term Limits 12 Comments

Courtroom video courtesy of George Collins, Santa Ana Insight TV

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez has joined Santa Ana Parks and Rec Commisioner Max Madrid’s lawsuit to compel the Santa Ana City Clerk to issue nomination papers to Alvarez, as “a party to the action.”

Adding Alvarez to the lawsuit dispenses with the issue of whether or not Madrid had standing to bring the lawsuit to the court. Now he does, end of story. Continue reading→

Pulido scrambling to stop a mayoral term limit ballot measure

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Art Pedroza 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→

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Term Limits