“For years Santa Ana has been transferring millions of dollars raised from water fees to the general fund to cover public safety costs, a budget-balancing method that city officials say is justified but an attorney with a taxpayers advocates group calls illegal,” according to the Voice of OC.
Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez was the one who called the taxpayer group – the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. But Martinez also admitted that she and her colleagues have “been approving city budgets without knowing that the water fund transfers were taking place.” Continue reading