Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Water

Santa Ana area lags in job growth, behind Cleveland, Yuma and Las Vegas

Posted on by Posted in Business, Civic Affairs, Jobs, Santa Ana, Water, Working Families Leave a comment

A new national study has revealed that the Santa Ana area is lagging in jobs growth, compared to many other cities.

We have explored this  issue before.  A previous study found that Santa Ana is one of the most expensive cities to do business in, here in Orange County.  And we have the highest water rates in Orange County, as well as the highest property taxes, due to an abundance of municipal bonds.

If our city leaders want to help create more jobs, they need to lower the cost of doing business in this city, and make it easier for new businesses to open up. 

Someimes our own residents are the ones who kill jobs.  A Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant tried to open up here last year, only to face a lawsuit filed by a number of Santa Ana’s “Usual Suspects.”  The restaurant owners went elsewhere and now the food court that lost this franchise is struggling to survive.  This is typical of what goes on in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana conducting a water rate increase public hearing on June 7

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, public works, Santa Ana, Water, Working Families Leave a comment

As we predicted in a recent post, Santa Ana water rates are going up again.

The City of Santa Ana mailed letters to local residents this week regarding the increase.  Click here to read the letter.

They are holding a public hearing on June 7, at 6 pm, at the Santa Ana City Council Chambers, to allow us to comment.

They claim the increase is to repair, maintain and replace water and sewer infrastructure.  My sources say this is a lie.  They are shifting money from the water budget to the general fund.  And the mains they are damaging are being damaged due to water pressure changes brought on by the fact that the City is relying on computers to maintain water pressure, instead of trained operators. Continue reading→

Public Works Director Raul Godinez wants to raise your water rates again

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana, Water Leave a comment

Raul Godinez is getting ready to raise your water rates again!

Have you enjoyed watching your water bills in Santa Ana get higher and higher?  Well prepare yourself.  Public Works Director Raul Godinez wants to raise your water rates again.

I spent some time the other day with a City Hall insider and got an earful about what is really going on at the Santa Ana Public Works Department, since Godinez came to town.

Like most city agencies, the Public Works Department has had to let go a lot of people.   Senior operators and techs are retiring and not being replaced. 

Godinez is trying to use computers to regulate water pressure at night, instead of hiring nighttime operators.  The result?  All those damaged water mains.  What is damaging them isn’t corrosion, but rather water pressure spikes.  The computers cannot adjust the pressure the way humans do.  So sometimes the water pressure zooms up and some of the pipes cannot take it. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero has cut his water usage by over 50%!

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Green, Santa Ana, Water 4 Comments

Sal Tinajero

Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero is a champion at water conservation

The Santa Ana City Council is going to be revising landscaping codes this Monday, to include water efficient landscaping, at their last meeting this Monday evening, according to the City of Santa Ana’s website.

Many cities are allowing home owners to use alternative landscaping that wastes less water.

With that in mind, shocking news emerged over at the O.C. Register this weekend, as they published the amount of water used by local elected officials in Orange County.  It turns out many of these officials are big-time water wasters! Continue reading→

Solorio Applauds Governor for Signing Historic Water Bond Bill

Posted on by Posted in california, Jose Solorio, Santa Ana, Water Leave a comment

Jose Solorio and Arnold Schwarzenegger

For Immediate Release

Nov. 10, 2009

For More Information Contact:

Carol Chamberlain – Office: (916) 319-2069
Cell: (916) 804-5355

Solorio Applauds Governor for Signing Historic Water Bond Bill

Assemblyman’s Dedication to Water Issue Resulted in Key Votes

SACRAMENTO – Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim), a vigorous supporter of legislation to save the Delta and ensure water sustainability for all Californians, congratulated Governor Schwarzenegger for signing the Legislature’s historic, comprehensive water bill package that outlines California’s water future.

The Governor was in Friant yesterday signing SB 2 X7, a bill that authorizes an $11.1 billion water infrastructure bond on next November’s statewide ballot. (For bill summaries, see attached document).

Schwarzenegger called on the Legislature to meet in an extraordinary session to address California’s water crisis early in October. Assemblyman Solorio worked tirelessly in the ensuing weeks to garner support — and votes — for the resulting bipartisan water package. Continue reading→