The Santa Ana “Leadership Team” includes Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and Santa Ana Councilman Vince Sarmiento. Earlier today I examined the Pulido half of that equation. Now let’s have a look at Sarmiento, who appears to have a major man-crush on himself:
Um, is it just me or does this flier NOT tell you what the heck Sarmiento has accomplished while on the City Council, nor does it tell us what he expects to do in the next four years should he get elected. What is up with that?
So let’s take a look at his candidate’s statement:
Sarmiento actually had something to say in his statement – que milagro! So let’s dissect it now:
- He wants to improve the quality of life for everyone. How nice. But do his votes reflect that? The last time I looked, certain neighborhoods in town see MORE city money spent in their areas as compared to other neighborhoods.
- Sarmiento says he wants safe neighborhoods – and he wants to fight crime. But the last time I looked the city has less cops on the street than ever before. Hmmm…sounds like failure, not leadership.
- He wants to fix our streets – but why were they allowed to crumble in the first place? Why did Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream allow our city to downslide into disrepair? And why did Sarmiento vote to give him a huge raise this year?
- Sarmiento also says he wants more opportunities for our youth. Great! Why isn’t he advocating for more parks, libraries and youth programs?
Actions speak louder than words Vince! So far your record does not reflect any of your promises. Will four more years change any of this? I don’t think so. You want change in Santa Ana? You won’t get it from this guy.
On the other hand, you could vote for Sarmiento’s opponent, Jim Walker. He has spent years working in the community, dare I say it, as a neighborhood community organizer. And he has a lot of ideas as to how to get folks involved in making our city better. He is a Democrat, so if that is important to you, there you go. You can contact Jim at this link.
The only thing you can expect from Sarmiento if he gets reelected is that he will do whatever Pulido tells him to. If that is what you want for Santa Ana, then by all means please waste your vote on him. Otherwise I suggest you vote for Walker. Maybe we can give Sarmiento a full length mirror as a consolation prize so he can spend the next four years admiring himself and his “outstanding credentials.”
While Jim Walker and I don’t agree on everything (who does) I have always found him to be involved, interested in others ideas, and open to learn new things, even when he may not agree with you, he wants to know why you feel the way you do. He has always been respectful of others and communicates well.
Having known Jim for several years, I trust him to do what he sees as the right thing to do, not always the easiest thing to do. We may not always agree on what that is, but he will certainly give all sides due consideration. I know as well that he isn’t in this to make his name a household word or because he has aspirations of power. He truly wants to make a better city for all of us to live in.
Jim Walker has my vote!
I don’t know why you poeople haven’t been able to see it before. All Sarmiento wants is to set himself up for big paydays just like his “half-brother” Pudrido. Vince has been jealous of Pudrido for many years. He claimed to be an independent voice before he was SELECTED to serve on the Council. Now he wants the same payoffs Pudrido has enjoyed for all these past years.
Don’t kid yourselves. Sarmiento is no man of the people, he is just another wanna-be corrupt politician that is only in the game for the big money paydays.
Ask yourself this, how has Pudrido become a multi-millionare while SA has fallen into such blight and disrepair?
As Jim would say, ‘Vince doesn’t walk the talk.’
SMS
Its a real shame when a native son with those kind of credentials forgets about helping and concentrates on amassing political power. You are right about his track record and probably about the negative influence of Pullido on Vince’s record.
We can’t afford do nothing politicians look at the do-nothing OC Congressman Rohrabacher. Twenty years without anything to show for it except for a few good speeches (most of those were the Gippers) and a too cozy relationship with that Indian ‘giver’ Abrahamoff. The times are too complicated, the problems too serious, to allow our government to be run by ineffectual or anti-intellectual partisan hacks.
Vote for Jim Walker!