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Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Tony Tapia

Why are the Rancho Santiago Community College Trustees still supporting their bad deal with Saudi Arabia?

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Arianna Barrios, Cecilia Aguinaga, Claudia Alvarez, Education, Politics, Santa Ana, Thomas Gordon, Tony Tapia, Zeke Hernandez Leave a comment
Saudi mistreatment of women

Saudi mistreatment of women

Why in the world would the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) get involved in a consulting contract to help run two technical schools in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia? It is a crazy idea – and it is wrong on so many levels. Yet the scheme, which was hatched by the RSCCD Foundation, is moving forward – but not as was expected.

The potential profit from the deal has also been reduced from $8 million to $2 million after negotiations with Saudi Arabian officials finished, according to the Santa Ana College Newspaper, El Don. Continue reading→

RSCCD Trustee Yanez will face off against Gordon and Tapia again in November

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Education, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Santa Ana, Thomas Gordon, Tony Tapia 3 Comments

Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Nelida Yanez will have her hands full this November fending off two challengers in the Primary Election, in Area Three.

OC GOP Central Committee Member Thomas Gordon, who works as an asbestos inspector for the L.A. Unified School District and Anthony “Tony” Tapia, a local resident and member of a construction labor union, both filed to run against Yanez. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Election results – Pulido far ahead and Amezcua winning in Ward 3!

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Bond Measures, Brett Franklin, Cecilia Iglesias, Charles Hart, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Chapel, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Eric Alderete, Estela Amezcua, George Collins, Jose Hernandez, Mark McLoughlin, Measure GG, Miguel Pulido, Myriam Tinajero, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Rob Richardson, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Shane Barrows, Shane Ramon Barrows, Steve Rocco, Thomas Gordon, Tony Tapia, Vince Sarmiento 1 Comment

Two winners – Mayor Miguel Pulido and President Barack Obama

As expected, Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido is winning handily tonight.  The O.C. Voter Registrar has posted the early returns, which are absentee ballots. Here are some of the evening’s highlights:

  • Mayor Miguel Pulido has a whopping 7,454 votes – David Benavides only has 3,676 votes.  George Collins is nipping at Benavides’ heels with 2,523 votes
  • In a shocker, the unknown schoolteacher Angelica Amezcua is leading in Ward 3, with 6,637 votes, while Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Eric Alderete has 5,097 votes and former Council Member Brett Franklin has 4,172 votes.  It is early yet but if this trend continues then Franklin has a good shot as the Latino vote in Ward 3 is clearly split.  There are however three candidates splitting up the white vote – Charles Hart, Shane Barrows and Steve Rocco. Continue reading→

Who will win in Santa Ana’s elections on Tuesday?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Bond Measures, Brett Franklin, Cecilia Iglesias, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Elections, Eric Alderete, Estela Amezcua, Jerry Hayden, Jose Solorio, Karina Onofre, Loretta Sanchez, Mark McLoughlin, Measure GG, Miguel Pulido, Myriam Tinajero, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Orange County, Politics, Rob Richardson, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Tony Tapia, Travis Allen, Troy Edgar, Valerie Amezcua, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

Santa Ana Mayoral challenger David Benavides wasn’t on the ballot two years ago, as he had no opponent for his City Council seat.  The last time he appeared on the ballot was six years ago, back when he still mentioned his wife and family on his fliers and websites.

So it was a daunting task for Benavides to ramp up his name I.D. this year in a few short weeks, having announced his mayoral campaign rather late in the game.

As such I think he is going to be toast on Tuesday, Nov. 6. But what about the other races? Who will win?  Comment here with your picks, including estimated vote percentages and whoever gets the closest will win a free banner ad on our blog for one month, for the business or non-profit of their choice.

Here are my predictions: Continue reading→

The School Board candidates who will refuse health and retirement benefits

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Education, Jose Hernandez, Orange, Orange County, SAUSD, Tony Tapia 5 Comments

Tony Tapia, speaking at a candidates forum

Dr. Mike Moodian, an educator and a candidate for the South Orange County Community College District, contacted every Orange County candidate for school board and community college board (119 total) and asked them to sign the 2012 Public Service Pledge. By signing the pledge, the candidate promises that he or she will refuse all health and retirement benefits if elected next week.

The following candidates signed the pledge: Continue reading→

Our SAUSD School Board and RSCCD Board endorsements

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Art Pedroza, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Chapel, Education, Jose Hernandez, Mark McLoughlin, Myriam Tinajero, Santa Ana, Tony Tapia 6 Comments

After hearing SAUSD Board of Education candidate Ceci Iglesias affirm her support for the Dream Act at last night’s Santa Ana School Board forum, I have decided to endorse her after all.  I am also endorsing Myriam Tinajero and  Jose Alfredo Hernandez.

Iglesias is a single mom and a social worker.  She ran for Congress as an independent a few years ago.  She is against tax increases and a firm believer in our kids.  Tinajero is also a social worker and she is the sister of former SAUSD Trustee Sal Tinajero.  Sal is also currently a Council Member here in Santa Ana.  Lastly, I am backing Hernandez, who is an immigration lawyer, because of his support for our current SAUSD Superintendent, Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Tony Tapia launches his RSCCD Trustee, Area 3, campaign website

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Education, Santa Ana, Tony Tapia 3 Comments

Tony Tapia has launched his campaign website, for Area 3 on the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education.

Tapia is the only candidate running for Area 3 who actually has business experience.  He helps to manage a family business and he also works as a construction laborer, out of a trade hall here in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

RSCCD Area 3 candidate Tony Tapia to host a fundraiser on 9/27

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Education, Entertainment, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Santa Ana, Thomas Gordon, Tony Tapia 1 Comment

Tony Tapia and State Senator Lou Correa

Tony Tapia, a candidate for the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Education, is hosting a fundraiser for his campaign on Thursday, September 27, 2012, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, at his residence located at: 1523 West 6th Street, in Santa Ana.   You may RSVP on Facebook here.  For more information, please call: Gennaro Tapia (714) 867-4384 or email him at info@TapiaRSCCD.com.

For the first time ever, the RSCCD elections are going to be Area Specific.  Tapia is running in Area 3, against OC GOP Central Committee Member Thomas Gordon – a lifelong Republican; and Nelida Yanez, who lost badly to David Benavides when she challenged him for the Santa Ana City Council in 2006, according to Smart Voter.  Benavides beat her by a two to one margin. Continue reading→

The Republicans who are trying to take back Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Brett Franklin, Carlos Bustamante, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, George Collins, Janet Nguyen, Jerry Hayden, Karina Onofre, Loretta Sanchez, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Republican Party, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Thomas Gordon, Tom Daly, Tony Tapia, Valerie Amezcua Leave a comment

Robert Hammond, promoting the GOP

Orange County’s Democrats are generally clueless, but this past June they were particularly out of sorts.  They inexplicably gave Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen a free pass, allowing her to focus on electing her fellow Republican, and gay-basher, Robert Hammond as he won a seat on the O.C. Department of Education’s Board of Trustees.

And the Democrats managed to fumble away Orange County’s most Latino seat, allowing it to go to Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly, who has since been charged with sexual harassment in the workplace.  If they had gotten behind Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez she might have prevailed in June.  Instead organized labor put up their guy, Julio Perez, splitting the Latino vote and allowing Daly to prevail. Continue reading→

UPDATE: Tony Tapia to run for Rancho Board’s Area 3

Posted on by Posted in Education, Ken Nguyen, Myriam Tinajero, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Thomas Gordon, Tony Tapia 18 Comments

Tony Tapia and State Senator Lou Correa

UPDATE: Santa Ana Council Member Sal Tinajero’s sister, Myriam Tinajero, has pulled out of the race for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Area 3.  The remaining candidates include Santa Ana Redevelopment and Housing Commissioner Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, LAUSD asbestos inspector Thomas Gordon  and Construction Laborer Tony Tapia, for Area 3 of the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education.  Mendoza-Yanez ran for the Santa Ana City Council in 2006, losing to David Benavides.  She got over 10,000 votes in that election, according to Smart Voter. Continue reading→