Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: 2018 elections

Ward 4 Santa Ana City Council candidate responds to allegations made by an ex-girlfriend

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Phil Bacerra, Politics, Santa Ana 9 Comments

By: Phil Bacerra, Candidate for Ward 4 of the Santa Ana City Council

I want to address the serious claims that have been made against me by a former girlfriend. Griselda and I were in a consensual relationship for about four years. Unfortunately, our relationship was unhealthy for the both of us, and we went our separate ways. While our relationship was unhealthy, I was never physically abusive. I have never in my life laid my hand on a woman in violence. I was far from the perfect boyfriend and I regret and apologize for the harsh words said during emotionally-charged arguments. Continue reading→

Are Santa Ana’s voters ready to elect an openly gay City Council Member?

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Crime, Elections, Irma Macias, Michele Martinez, Mike Gonzalez, Paul Gonzales, Sandra Pena, Santa Ana 4 Comments

There are no less than a half dozen candidates running for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 2 this November. But only one of them is openly gay – Paul Gonzales.

Just a few decades ago Santa Ana was a majority white city with City Councils full of Republicans. Today Republicans and white residents are the minority in this city. But is Santa Ana ready to embrace an openly gay City Councilman? Continue reading→

Today is National Voter Registration Day

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

City of Santa Ana

Community: NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY: SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 “Don’t speak the change, make the change. Register & Vote!

Today is National Voter Registration Day! Join the City of Santa Ana in celebrating our democracy by making sure every eligible voter is registered to vote. The deadline for the November 6, 2018 Statewide and General Election is Monday, October 22, 2018.

On-line Voter Registration available through the California Secretary of State’s website at: https://registertovote.ca.gov/. 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→

Ward 6 candidate Velasquez hits back at her opponent Mendoza with an Anti-SLAPP motion

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Courts, Mirna Velasquez, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Nelida Yanez

Mirna Velasquez, Candidate for Ward 6, responds to Nellie Mendoza lawsuit with an Anti-SLAPP motion for attorney fees

Santa Ana City Council Ward 6 candidate Mirna Velasquez responded to Nelida Mendoza lawsuit about her ballot designation and residency with facts and an Anti-Slapp motion for Attorney Fees.

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→

Two of Santa Ana’s City Council candidates are suing to remove their competitors from the ballot

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Jose Solorio, Mirna Velasquez, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Phil Bacerra, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana Leave a comment

There are only two candidates running for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 4 – former Ward 5 Councilman Roman Reyna and former Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra. They are both in hot water.

Bacerra has apparently retained well-known political lawyer Mark Rosen and they have sued to have Reyna removed from the ballot on the grounds that he apparently registered to vote four times in recent weeks, all at different addresses. It seems that Reyna kept picking addresses that are not in Ward 4.  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→