Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: transparency

Santa Ana’s Interim Planning Agency Director is leaving for a new job in Fullerton

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Fullerton, Phil Bacerra, Planning, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Karen Haluza

Karen Haluza, the Interim Executive Director of the Planning and Building Agency at City of Santa Ana, is leaving Santa Ana on December 15, for a new job in the City of Fullerton, in their Community Development department.  Haluza lives in Fullerton and she ran unsuccessfully for their City Council in 2008.  While she did not win in that election she did garner over 16,000 votes, according to Smart Voter.

Haluza has done a good job in Santa Ana, where she took over the Planning Department after their longtime director, Jay Trevino, retired at the end of 2013.

City Hall insiders say that Haluza was reportedly pushed out of her current job in Santa Ana by Councilman David Benavides and his Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra, who were both embroiled in a scandal this year when Bacerra steadfastly refused to fill out and turn in communication disclosure forms that are mandated for our Planning Commissioners.  Bacerra finally buckled after facing removal from the Planning Commisison. Continue reading→

It’s time for a new City Council majority

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Phil Bacerra, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 3 Comments

Santa Ana City Council

Transparency really matters to Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero.  It is why he split from Councilman David Benavides’ “Team Santa Ana” in the recent City Council election.  Benavides steadfastly refused to compel his Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra to fill out the mandated Communication Disclosure forms until Tinajero threatened to remove Bacerra from his Commission.

Tinajero had the votes to dismiss Bacerra and Benavides knew it.  Mayor Miguel Pulido and Council Members Vince Sarmiento and Angie Amezcua would have likely backed Tinajero.

Now that the election is over it is time for our City Council to get back to work trying to improve our city however Council Member Michele Martinez reacted in typical chola fashion after the election, when she told the Voice of OC that “When I was fighting the mayor before, the gloves were on, now the gloves are off — its bare knuckles.” Continue reading→

Team Santa Ana falls apart as Benavides declares war on Tinajero

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Alex Padilla, Angelica Amezcua, Gangs, John Palacio, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Mirna Velasquez, Planning, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Valerie Amezcua 21 Comments

Team Santa Ana Broken

Team Santa Ana appears to be finished as Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides posted a snarky picture of the Team Santa Ana walk piece with Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero’s face covered up.  The picture was posted on Benavides’ Facebook page, Twitter account and Instragam account before he came to his senses and deleted the entries.   The damage however was already done.  The Santa Ana Spring is over.

What happened?  This all goes back to the ongoing ruckus on the Santa Ana Planning Commission where Commissioner Phil Bacerra has dug in his heels and steadfastly refused to turn in his communication disclosure forms.  All of the other Planning Commissioners have done so but Bacerra had to be threatened by the Santa Ana City Council’s Ethics Committee, which consists of Tinajero and Councilwoman Angie Amezcua, before he finally turned in what I am told are heavily redacted disclosure forms that may not in fact be all that accurate.

Why do these forms matter?  It all comes down to transparency.  The public deserves to know who the Planning Commissioners are talking to about city business.  Why did Bacerra drag his feet for so long before finally turning in the forms, after being threatened with removal from the Planning Commission?  That is the crux of the matter.  Has Bacerra been shaking down those who have business with the Planning Commission for donations to the Benavides reelection campaign?  Is this why Benavides has been running interference for Bacerra? Continue reading→

Why would two Planning Commissioners vote against transparency?

Posted on by Posted in Angelica Amezcua, Bruce T. Bauer, Eric Alderete, Phil Bacerra, Planning, Santa Ana, Sean Mill 39 Comments
Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra

Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra

Why would two Santa Ana Planning Commissioners vote against transparency?  That is what happened at tonight’s Santa Ana Planning Commission meeting when Planning Commissioners Phil Bacerra and Bruce Bauer voted against disclosure of communications by Planning Commissioners regarding agendized projects with third parties such as business owners and residents

Now why in the world would Bacerra and Bauer opt to hide in the shadows?  This is particularly disturbing when you consider that Bacerra was appointed to the Santa Ana Planning Commission by Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides.  You may recall that when Benavides ran for Mayor in 2012 he made transparency the cornerstone of his campaign.  What happened? Continue reading→

A look at Mayor Pulido’s official calendar shows a full time schedule

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Miguel Pulido AQMD

Our family vacation interrupted my series of articles about the Santa Ana Council Members’ City Calendars, which are posted for public review on the City’s website.

We have looked at all of the Council Members – and found that most of them were either barely active at all, or were active mostly in wards other than the ones they were elected to represent.  Now it is time to look at Mayor Miguel Pulido’s calendar:

  • He attended the John Aguilar Plaque Unveiling Ceremony on Monday, July 1, 2013, at the SAPD’s headquarters.  Later that night he led the Santa Ana City Council meeting.
  • On Friday, July 5, Pulido participated in the AQMD Governing Board meeting, in Diamond Bar. Continue reading→

Benavides Council faction hides in the shadows as they plot against Walters

Posted on by Posted in Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Gerardo Mouet, Paul Walters, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 52 Comments

Pulido and Mouet

Is Gerardo Mouet the Chosen One?

Do you remember when Santa Ana Council Member David Benavides and his allies were screaming about transparency during his failed campaign for Mayor?  Well that sure went out the window since Benavides lost.

Benavides and company have put a City Council meeting on calendar for this Thursday, at 1:15 pm.  Now think about that for a minute.  It is Christmas week.  Many folks are off on vacation.  The rest of us are working and can’t attend or watch this meeting online.  What is at stake?  Only the future well-being of our city. Continue reading→

Gov. Brown to suspend funding for the Brown Act?

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

The State of California forces local governments to post their meeting agendas, as per the Brown Act.  However, Governor Jerry Brown, in an attempt to cut more state spending, is now talking about suspending payments from the state to those local governments, for posting of public notices, according to the Mercury News.

The state Legislature omitted that funding last year as well – and the question now is whether or not public agencies will have to post their meeting notices at all, as this has become an unfunded state mandate.

The state figures to save about $63 million, by gutting the Brown Act’s funding.

My personal sentiment is that the state should amend the Brown Act so that public agencies can post their meeting agendas online only, and not have to make photocopies and put them on their front doors.  That would be the green thing to do!

The City of Santa Ana is still following the Brown Act mandates to the letter of the law.

Santa Ana City Council pushing for transparency, whether Ream likes it or not

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Politics, Santa Ana 11 Comments

The Santa Ana City Council majority has about had it with City Manager Dave Ream and his staff.  One Council Member I spoke to this week said that it was time for Ream to move on.

What set this off?

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez complained at a recent Santa Ana City Council meeting that city staff was hiding information from the City Council regarding spending.

Alvarez requested memos, which lay out contracts and loan programs worth more than the city’s $25,000 limit. She declined to comment further; other council members either did not return phone calls or said they were still reviewing the memos and could not comment, according to the O.C. Register.

It is highly ironic that failed Santa Ana Mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua and his Anaheim Amigos held a press conference this month demanding transparency when that is exactly what Alvarez and her Council majority are about to deliver.  They surely won’t get any credit from Amezcua and his band of malcontents.

This could all be bad news for Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream, whose staff has been involved in under-informing the City Council about spending.

Community Redevelopment Director Cynthia Nelson in particular has come under fire for spending hundreds of thousands of city dollars without letting the City Council know who was getting the money.

Alvarez said millions may have been spent by Nelson – much of it for facade improvement in the City’s downtown, according to the Voice of OC.

One of Ream’s assistants told me this week that there were no problems with city spending – and she was not too happy with Alvarez’s questions.  But other Council Members have about had it and I think they mean it.  If I were a betting man I would wager that heads may be rolling soon…

Senator Correa to host a town hall meeting today regarding government transparency

Posted on by Posted in 2010 Elections, Civic Affairs, Lou Correa, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Senator Lou Correa is hosting a town hall meeting today entitled “Transparency & Accountability: Pursuing the Public’s Right To Know,” from 1 pm to 3:30 pm, at the Board Chambers of the Rancho Santiago Community College District building.

Correa presented Senate Bill 501 (SB 501) on the Senate Floor in August. This legislative measure requires each officer or designated employee in local government to annually file a compensation disclosure form that provides compensation information for the proceeding year.

Unfortunately the Legislature did not pass this bill in time so Correa plans to bring it back in January, according to the League of Cities.

Locally, the City of Santa Ana quickly acted to post their executive and Council salaries, which you can read by clicking here, after the Bell scandal broke.  Moreover, three Council Members actually started blogs this year in order to further communicate with the public, including Mayor Miguel Pulido, and Council Members Michele Martinez and Sal Tinajero.

Click here to read a Senate Briefing Paper provided by Correa’s office regarding the issue of Transparency in Government.

Here is the official press release from Senator Correa’s office, followed by the actual meeting agenda:

Press Advisory: Oct. 18, 2010

Contact: John Scribner, 714-558-4400

Senate Local Government Committee and Senator Correa to Hold Hearing on Official Pay and Public’s Right to Know

!Santa Ana, CA) – Senate Local Government Committee members, at the request of Senator Lou Correa (Orange County), will convene a special hearing to pursue issues regarding transparency & accountability in local government and the challenges presented by the revelation in the City of Bell and elsewhere.

Senator Correa invited the committee and Chairwoman Senator Christine Kehoe to hold a hearing in Orange County to explore four important policy questions: Should state law require more compensation disclosure? What compensation should public officials disclose? Which public officials should disclosure their compensation? How should public officials disclose their compensation.

According to Senator Correa, “ The taxpayer is the one paying these bills, and they are entitled to a full and complete accounting of where their taxes go. Those in the public sector who seek huge hidden payouts must not be allowed to keep their actions a secret.” The Senator went on to thank the committee Chair for agreeing to hold the hearing in central Orange County.

The topic of the hearing is “Transparency & Accountability: Pursuing the Public’s Right To Know”, and is slated for Wednesday, October 20 in the Board Chambers of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, 2323 North Broadway, Santa Ana, CA
Attached with this advisory is a tentative agenda along with a briefing paper prepared by the Chief Consultant of the Senate Local Government Committee.

Senator Correa authored of Senate Bill 501, which sought to compel broader disclosure by local government officials. It is the Senator’ s intention to reintroduce a similar measure in the upcoming legislative session.

###

P R E L I M I N A R Y A G E N D A

Transparency & Accountability: Pursuing the Public’s Right to Know, A Legislative Oversight Hearing

1:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Board Chambers, Rancho Santiago Community College District

2323 North Broadway, First Floor

Santa Ana, California

1:00 to 1:10 p.m. Introductions.

Senator Christine Kehoe, Vice Chair, Senate Local Government Committee

1:10 to 1:30 p.m. Background & Current Law.

Peter Detwiler, Consultant, Senate Local Government Committee

Lori McGartland, Chief, Employer Services Division

California Public Employees Retirement System

Thomas W. Newton, General Counsel, California Newspaper Publishers Association

1:30 to 1:50 p.m. Public Disclosure Proposals.

Elaine M. Howle, CPA, California State Auditor

Fred Smoller, Public Administration Program Director, Brandman University

1:50 to 2:40 p.m. Local Officials’ Reactions and Advice.

Hon. Kim Dolbow Vann, Colusa County Board of Supervisors, California State Association of Counties

Hon. Judy Mitchell, Rolling Hills Estates Council Member, League of California Cities

Hon. Bette Boatmun, Contra Costa Water District, California Special Districts Association

Richard Bray, Superintendent, Tustin Unified School District, Association of California School Administrators

Dr. James Walker, Community College Search Services, Community College League of California

Nick Berardino, General Manager, Orange County Employees’ Association

2:40 to 3:10 p.m. Advice and Comment.

Time for public comments.

3:10 to 3:30 p.m. Summary Observations.

Time for legislators’ reactions.

3:30 p.m. Adjourn.

Senate Local Government Committee and Senator Correa to Hold Hearing on Official Pay and Public’s Right to Know