The Santa Ana City Council partied tonight at Councilman Vince Sarmiento’s house, apparently in celebration of Christmas. We can only hope that Councilman Sal Tinajero did not play Santa Claus. The Orange Juice blog team thought about caroling outside the party, with a special carol about Measure D, but in the end we decided to let them eat their gingerbread in peace.
It is hard to believe that an entire year has passed since the current Council Members were elected. I had coffee with a few friends this afternoon, after we spent the day walking precincts with some clever anti Measure D fliers, and we tried to think of what the Council has accomplished this year. And that’s when we decided to do a Santa Ana City Council Year in Review.
And what a year it was. This Council really got on it, from the start. Here are a few of their “accomplishments:”
- Stopped massage parlors. That’s right – never mind the gang violence, graffiti, and robberies. This Council took a bold step by stopping the massage parlors! I am sure this is why we have “only” had 75 shootings this year.
- Stopped human signs. My friends and I met at the Coffee Bean over at the new City Place. And sure enough there was a human sign there touting the slow-selling City Place lofts. Priceless! But doesn’t the City Place developer know that human signs are now illegal in Santa Ana? Ruh roh!
- Tried to stop handbills. Well, this time they failed. But they did indeed try to stop folks from delivering those life-threatening handbills.
- Blew Measure M money on a Maglev train that will never be built. Another incredible feat. I am told that State Senator Lou Correa was furious when the Council voted to spend this money on a train that will NEVER happen.
- Blew a million dollars on repainting a water tower with a new slogan. Never mind the magnetic choo-choo, this expenditure was an even bigger scam. The Council, embarrassed by the fallacious “Education First” logo on the City’s water tower, decided to spend a fortune to repaint it with their new slogan, “Orange County’s Downtown.” Shouldn’t someone sue them for false advertising?
- Voted themselves longer term limits – and wasted $150K to put the measure on the ballot. This ridiculous Council was so proud of its work that they figured we all want them to stay in office four more years. And that’s how we got stuck with Measure D. As for mayoral term limits, sorry! This Council does not believe in them.
- Raised our already too high water rates. Priceless! Thanks to this Council we now pay MORE for our water than the rich folks in Irvine. Gracias very much Pulido and company!
- Voted against the OCTA Quiet Zones. Sure, Pulido promised the folks in Park Santiago that he would back the Quiet Zones, but then he voted against this as a member of the OCTA board of directors. Que mentiroso!
- Banned medicinal marijuana. California’s voters backed a measure to make medicinal marijuana available to those who are deathly ill. But the Santa Ana City Council extended a moratorium against medicinal pot. May their loved ones never need to resort to this option in their own hour of need.
- Supported an ethically questionable business bank. Should politicians be investing in a local business bank? Councilmen Vince Sarmiento and Carlos “Space Commander” Bustamante think so. Book em’ Dano!
- Spent a quarter million taxpayer dollars on ten televisions. Bustamante gave one of his backers an early Christmas gift…at our expense. Ironically, this very Council later took the second monthly Council meetings OFF television. I thought they wanted to keep us informed?
- Voted to approve a housing development despite a flawed traffic study. You have to love Tinajero. He talks a good game about affordable housing, but then he pushed through a luxury housing project in his backyard, complete with a faulty traffic study and a very weak effort to inform the public. Appropriate public meetings were held only after Thomas Gordon and George Collins exposed him!
- Spent thousands of dollars to take pictures of graffiti, while not arresting taggers and not covering graffiti up quickly. Sure – that will stop graffiti. Not.
- Watched thieves steal a dozen historical markers in the downtown area, right under the noses of the local police. Oopsie!
- Covered up after a stretch of Harbor was closed when a water main broke. Keep ignoring that infrastructure!
- Allowed a crooked developer to cut a historic home in half, and leave it to rot in the elements. Pulido and company’s finest hour. Not.
- Saidnothing while the local school district blew another $3 million on fraud and corruption. Wasn’t Tinajero on the SAUSD School Board? And he has NOTHING to say about this?
- Said nothing while the local community college district blew $30 million on the Carona sheriff training center, while ignoring the needs of the students at Santa Ana College
- Allowed a developer to displace hundreds of poor people from their apartments. Tinajero backs this project too.
- Pulido allowed both Council meetings to be televised again. Yay!
- Then changed his mind and hid the second monthly meetings in a small conference room. Boo!
- Did not show up to a town hall meeting about gangs. Except for Councilwoman Michele Martinez.
- Pulido appointed a Minuteman to the Library Board. Such diversity!
- Pulido did nothing to curtail the OCTA bus d
river’s strike. Insiders say he dragged out the strike! Nice going there Pulido. - Pulido endorsed Hillary Clinton in the hope that she will appoint him as ambassador to Mexico. Maybe he can be ambassador to the Oompah Loompahs?
- Pulido said nothing as a school board member he endorsed, Rosie Avila, ripped Latinos again
- Pulido endorsed disgraced O.C. Sheriff Mike Carona. What a great idea! Not.
- Backed a downtown streetcar system that will cost $15 million per mile. Better line it with Kevlar…
- Refused to support Councilwoman Martinez agenda item calling for televising ALL the Council meetings and putting them online in a searchable archive. Pulido said the Council is too young and nervous to speak their minds in front of a camera. Huh? Why did they run for office?
- Threw Thomas Gordon off the EPIC/Gang Commission. That really worked out well…
What a year indeed. Well, if you already did not have enough reasons to vote no on Measure D, just read the above one more time… I wonder if Santa Claus has enough coal for everyone on the Santa Ana City Council? Well, except for Councilwoman Martinez. No coal for her!
I say replace all of them (Tinajero, Martinez, Alavarez, Sarmiento, Benevides, Bustamante and Pulido).
They are all jokes.
Hhmmm,
Sounds like a Brown Act violation to me. Or perhaps good ol’ Fletch was there to keep them in order. Or, maybe The Reemer wasn’t able to make it and there was nobody to pull their strings.
How was the boquet in that French wine the Mayor provided?
Did that nut-job Czech/Serb beat anybody up?
What kind words were said in the toast to honor Mr S. Mill
How about it Art? What knid of shenanigans transpired? Prod your pajaritos to start chirping.