New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: board of supervisors

O.C. Redistricting Commission sets aside some maps and modifies others

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Elections, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

League of United Latin American Citizens
Santa Ana LULAC Council #147
Established: National – 1929 | Santa Ana – 1946
Orange County LULAC District #1
PO Box 1810, Santa Ana, CA 92702-1810

June 8, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT PERSONS: Art Montez, 714-661-4428 / Zeke Hernandez, 714-914-3154

County Redistricting Committee Sets Aside “Phantom” Map Plans + 1 Other; Modifies 3 Others

The Orange County redistricting voted unanimously on Wednesday (June 8) to set aside and not consider the six anonymous plans submitted to the committee by an unnamed person. The “phantom” plans are listed as Plans #9, 10, 11, 13, 14, and 15. In addition, the committee also will not be considering Plan #1, whose author withdrew his support for this plan at the May 26 meeting.

Santa Ana LULAC #147 President Zeke Hernandez thanked the committee for its action, but also advised committee members, because they in essence put these plans “in abeyance” – that he hopes they are not resurrected on the last day of public reviews if the author does show up at the last minute. He states, “As to these maps, I would hope the committee has put them to rest permanently.”

The committee also accepted minor modifications to three map plans (Plans #16, 17, and #18) submitted by District #2 staff and replaced them with Plans #16A, #17A, and #18A. The modifications were very minor and did not affect any population data, percentages as explained by staff during the meeting presentation of all maps.

Hernandez also encouraged committee members, “to whittle down the number of plans that were submitted by county supervisors – to assist staff as they work to provide more details on plans under consideration, such as street boundaries, identification of census tracks and blocks, etc.” The general public attending the meeting was assured that district offices were thinking of this and district staff persons may be seriously considering perhaps withdrawing additional plans or may just narrow their district preferences soon.

Among those attending the first of several public meetings outside of the county hall of administration was Orange County Supervisor – District 4 Shawn Nelson and La Habra City Councilmember Rose Espinoza.

The Redistricting Committee will hold its second community meeting on Thursday, June 9 (6 pm) at the Orange City hall Council Chambers, 300 East Chapman Avenue, Orange.

Two additional community meetings are scheduled to encourage public participation, they are:

June 16 (6 pm) – Westminster City Hall Council Chambers, 8200 Westminster Ave., Westminster.
June 23 (6 pm) – Mission Viejo City Hall Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo.

Established in 1946, Santa Ana LULAC Council #147 is the oldest LULAC council in California and is an affiliate of Orange County LULAC District#1 and LULAC National – founded in 1929 with its national office in Washington , D.C.

The mission and objectives of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is to advance the economic development, educational advancement, public policy outcomes, housing opportunities, health awareness, and general civil rights protection of Latinos in the United States and Puerto Rico through community-based programs and services through more than 700 local LULAC councils nationwide.
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from: Zeke Hernandez
President (Past State Director)
Santa Ana LULAC #147
League of United Latin American Citizens
PO Box 1810, Santa Ana, CA 92702
714-661-4428 (cell)
www.LULACSantaAna.com
www.LULAC.org (National LULAC)

County of Orange seeks input on redistricting proposals

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Elections, Orange, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Westminster 1 Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 2, 2011

Contact: CEO Community/Media Relations: 714.834.6203 office

Orange County Seeks Input on Redistricting Proposals

(Santa Ana, CA) — The Redistricting Committee for the County of Orange will conduct a series of meetings in Buena Park, Orange, Westminster and Mission Viejo to receive public input on the Redistricting proposals being considered by the Committee and the factors the Committee should consider in its deliberations.

The 24 Redistricting proposals submitted to the Committee are available for review on the County’s website at http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Redistricting. Public meetings will be held at the following locations:

• June 8 – 6 p.m., Buena Park Community Center (Heritage Hall), 8150 Knott Ave., Buena Park
• June 9 – 6 p.m., Orange City Hall, Council Chambers, 300 E. Chapman Ave., Orange
• June 16 – 6 p.m., Westminster City Hall, Council Chambers, 8200 Westminster Blvd., Westminster
• June 23 – 6 p.m., Mission Viejo City Hall, Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo

The Committee will continue its work with a meeting to be held June 30 at 2 p.m. at the County Hall of Administration, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana. If necessary, a Redistricting Committee meeting may also be held July 7 at the Hall of Administration.

The public is encouraged to review the Redistricting proposals on-line and attend one of the meetings to provide their input on the Redistricting process. Comments can be made at the meetings orally or in writing. The Orange County Board of Supervisors is currently scheduled to hold public hearings in July and September to consider the public input and the recommendation of the Redistricting Committee before adopting an ordinance setting new Supervisorial district boundaries.

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LULAC submits proposed redistricting plan to the O.C. Board of Supervisors

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Elections, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

League of United Latin American Citizens, Santa Ana LULAC Council #147
Established: National – 1929 | Santa Ana – 1946
Orange County LULAC District #1
PO Box 1810, Santa Ana , CA 92702-1810

PRESS RELEASE: May 23, 2011

Local Civil Rights Groups to Submit Proposed Redistricting Plans to Orange County Redistricting Committee

Contact Persons: Zeke Hernandez, 714-661-4428 / zekeher@yahoo.com
Arturo Montez, 714-914-3154 / arturomontez@gmail.com

Santa Ana LULAC Council #147 (League of United Latin American Citizens) has submitted it’s completed county supervisorial plans with appropriate population data to the Orange County Redistricting Committee by the May 18 deadline. The Santa Ana LULAC county plan (Plan #3) and data are included in this press release (see also attachment).

Santa Ana LULAC President Zeke Hernandez states, “There are well-over twenty plans being submitted by county supervisors, community groups and individuals. Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Campbell announced at the May 17th board meeting that he himself is submitting four plans, including one suggested by former county supervisor Phil Anthony. We understand another county supervisor has submitted 10-12 plans through his/her appropriate office or through third party intermediaries. Other local elected officials may also be submitting their own plans.”

Due to population changes following the decennial federal census count in 2010, Santa Ana LULAC has been able to draft two supervisorial districts (1 and 4) with over 50% minority population. These two districts have a community of interest – sharing common social and economic interests. The Santa Ana LULAC Plan #3 is affirmed to stand on its merits for the purpose of a community’s fair and effective representation.

Hernandez added, “We have brought to the attention of the Board of Supervisors its concerns that the redistricting committee has not adopted a definitive process on how it will review submitted plans and how it will determine which plans will be recommended for adoption. The committee has acknowledged it may even re-draw a submitted plan by the public to be sent to the Board for approval. Committee members are comprised of staff aides to the supervisors and were appointed by them to act on their behalf. The committee recently revised its writing of the committee meetings, but continues to do its best to provide very little content, thus thwarting public knowledge through written commentary.”

Santa Ana LULAC Public Policy Director Arturo Montez emphasizes, “We have drawn a plan that has ZERO concerns relating to incumbents, political parties and candidates. These plans were drawn, keeping in mind our strong adherence to the U.S. Voting Rights Act and the California Constitution. In addition, we have done our best to take into consideration the public’s concern for transparency and reform in the redistricting process.”

Montez continued, “Santa Ana LULAC feels its Plan #3 surpasses any other 20-23 plans that were submitted by the May 18th deadline. The question that now comes to the forefront: Will the Board of Supervisors recognize the dramatic demographic changes taking place in Orange County ? As proposed, District #1 has an 85% minority population, and District #4 has over 72% minority population. These are most likely the most heavily minority populated county districts in the nation.”

The redistricting committee will hold its first of several public meetings on Thursday, May 26 (2 pm) to review and receive public comments on the submitted plans. This first meeting will be held at Orange County Hall of Administration – Board Hearing Room, 333 West Santa Ana Blvd., 10 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana.

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O.C. Supervisors approve response to Grand Jury report on O.C. jails

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 24, 2010

Contact: Howard Sutter, 714.834.6203 office, Howard.Sutter@ocgov.com

Board of Supervisors Approves Response to Grand Jury Report on Detention Facilities

(Santa Ana, CA) — The Orange County Board of Supervisors today approved the proposed response to several findings and recommendations included in the 2010-11 Grand Jury report on Detention Facilities.

“We appreciate the Grand Jury’s review of our detention facilities and the positive conclusions they reached,” said Bill Campbell, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “The jails are an essential part of our public safety system and their proper operation is of great importance.”

The Grand Jury’s report found that Orange County detention facilities appeared to be clean, in good condition and in compliance with state policies and procedures. The report stated that the jails are not overcrowded and noted the Sheriff Department’s efforts to keep disruptions to a minimum.

The County’s response highlights several County initiatives to reduce recidivism including collaborative efforts involving the Sheriff’s Department, Probation Department, Social Services Agency, Health Care Agency, Collaborative Courts and the Orange County Reentry Partnership. The goal of these efforts is to provide a seamless transition for inmates leaving the County jails and integrating back into the community. The response also states that the Sheriff Department contract to house Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees is expected to bring in approximately $21.4 million in revenue during the current fiscal year.

Grand Jury reports and responses to those reports are available on the Grand Jury’s website at http://www.ocgrandjury.org/reports.asp.

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County of Orange Redistricting Committee meeting on May 12

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Elections, Entertainment, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

There will be a meeting of the County of Orange Redistricting Committee this Thursday, May 12th at 2:00 p.m., at the Hall of Administration, in the Public Board Hearing Room, which the public is welcome to attend. The agenda can be found at:

http://egov.ocgov.com/vgnfiles/ocgov/OCGOVPortal/docs/RA05122011.doc

More information about the County’s Redistricting efforts can be found at:

http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Redistricting

Here is the Meeting Agenda:

REGULAR MEETING OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE

ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Thursday, May 12, 2011, 2:00 P.M.

BOARD HEARING ROOM, FIRST FLOOR
333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., 10 Civic Center Plaza
Santa Ana, California

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS: (Items 1 – 2)

At this time, members of the public may ask the Committee to be heard on the following items as those items are called.

1. Update on status of redistricting process

2. Approval of locations and times for May 26, June 9, 16 & 23, 2011 Redistricting Committee meetings

PUBLIC & COMMITTEE COMMENTS:

At this time members of the public may address the Redistricting Committee on any matter not on the agenda but within the jurisdiction of the Committee. The Committee or Chairman may limit the length of time each individual may have to address the Committee.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

COMMITTEE COMMENTS:

ADJOURNMENT

NEXT MEETING:

May 26, 2011 TBA (time and location to be approved as part of Item 2)

Will the O.C. Board of Supervisors recognize Harvey Milk Day?

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Janet Nguyen, LGBT, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Press Release, For Immediate Release: May 9, 2011

Contact: Linda May, Harvey Milk Celebration Committee, Phone 714-649-3453, Cell 714-381-7924

Orange County Board of Supervisors are being asked for a Harvey Milk Day Proclamation

Approximately a dozen residents from across Orange County will take their appeal for a Harvey Milk Day proclamation to the full Board of Supervisors meeting on May 10

Orange County, CA. May 9, 2011: Tuesday morning, May 10th, Orange County residents from coastal cities to mountain communities will be asking the Board of Supervisors to issue a proclamation honoring Harvey Milk’s birthday, May 22. No Supervisor has agreed to put this on the agenda; consequently, speakers will be forced to speak at the open comment time at the end of the regular meeting. Interested persons began contacting their Supervisors during the latter half of April with no luck finding a sponsor.

The Chair of the Board, Bill Campbell, was specifically approached with a sample proclamation and information on the historic importance of Harvey Milk.

“I don’t think he is prejudiced against gay people,” said Minerva Figueroa, one of the organizers. “I think he is just afraid of what other people will think.”

Speakers are determined to have Orange County join other communities around the country and across political spectrums that commemorate Milk’s birthday with a proclamation that, among other things, recognizes Milk’s bravery and honesty as he championed the rights of the elderly, small businesses, ethnic communities, and a growing gay community.

Milk was the first openly gay person elected to office in a major American city. Milk was assassinated November 1978 in the San Francisco City Hall office. His life has increasingly become an example of the importance of hope and visibility for lesbian, gay, transgender, and ally struggle for equality and human rights.

With or without a proclamation, the Harvey Milk Day celebration will go on, Friday evening, May 20th, at French Plaza in downtown Santa Ana. Twenty four organizations and businesses are sponsoring the event that includes a pre-show at 5 PM, main show at 7 PM, and dancing and a birthday cake at 8:30 PM.

Important dates approach in Orange County redistricting effort

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2011
Contact: Howard Sutter, 714.834.6203 office, Howard.Sutter@ocgov.com

Important Dates Approach in County Redistricting Effort

(Santa Ana, CA) — The month of May is an important time on the Redistricting calendar for the County of Orange as the effort to establish Supervisorial District boundaries for the next ten years reaches a critical period.

Individuals and groups planning to submit a Redistricting plan who wish to have the Center for Demographic Research (CDR) at California State University, Fullerton conduct a preliminary review for accuracy of data and conformance with requirements need to submit their proposals by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4. The final date to submit a complete Redistricting plan for consideration is Wednesday, May 18 at 5 p.m. For questions about developing and submitting Redistricting plans, contact CDR staff by calling (657) 278-4670.

Information about the requirements for submitting Redistricting plans and the resources available to assist in developing a plan is also available on the County’s website at http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Redistricting. Computer workstations with the software needed to create a Redistricting plan are available at 35 locations throughout Orange County. A map of these sites is posted on the Redistricting webpage.

The next meeting of the County’s Redistricting Committee is scheduled for Thursday, May 12 at 2 p.m. in the Board Hearing Room of the Hall of Administration, 333 W. Santa Ana Boulevard, Santa Ana 92701.

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Public notice of County of Orange Redistricting Committee meeting on April 1

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Elections, Entertainment, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COUNTY OF ORANGE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE MEETINGS

THE NEXT MEETING OF THE REDISTRICTNG COMMITTEE WILL BE FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011 AT 2 P.M. IN BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEARING ROOM

The County of Orange Board of Supervisors is required to adjust the boundaries of Supervisorial Districts following the decennial federal census, using that census as a basis, pursuant to California Elections Code Section 21500. The County has established a Redistricting Committee to consider public input on proposed changes to the boundaries of Supervisorial Districts and to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.

The next public meeting of the Redistricting Committee will be Friday, April 1, 2011 at 2 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room. The Redistricting Committee will have meetings on the second Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., 10 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, through July 14, 2011, if necessary. Additional meetings through May, June or, if necessary, July, 2011, will be established by the Redistricting Committee.

If you would like further information on the Redistricting Committee, please contact the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, attn: Jamie Ross, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., 10 Civic Center Plaza, Room 465, Santa Ana, CA 92701, 714-834-2206, or email jamie.ross@ocgov.com. Notice of future Redistricting Committee meetings will only be provided to those who have requested such notice from the Clerk of the Board. Meeting agendas and other materials are available at the Redistricting Committee website at: http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Redistricting.

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What is Redistricting?

Redistricting is the process of drawing new boundary lines for public offices that are elected by district, such as the Board of Supervisors. One of the goals of redistricting is that the districts be “nearly equal in population.” Information gathered through the 2010 U.S. Census is essential to the redistricting process.

What Law Governs Redistricting?

The basic state legal requirements for the redistricting of Supervisorial districts are found in the California Election Code, Section 21500-21506. California Election Code Section 21500 reads:

“Following each decennial federal census, and using that census as a basis, the board shall adjust the boundaries of any or all of the supervisorial districts of the county so that the districts shall be as nearly equal in population as may be and shall comply with the applicable provisions of Section 1973 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended. In establishing the boundaries of the districts the board may give consideration to the following factors: (a) topography, (b) geography, (c) cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity, and compactness of territory, and (d) community of interests of the districts.”

Other laws may also apply to redistricting.

The Process

The County of Orange Board of Supervisors has appointed a five person committee to guide the redistricting process and bring back to the Board a recommended Decennial Redistricting Plan for consideration and possible adoption.

Members of the Committee are:

District Committee Member Alternate

District 1 – Office of Supervisor Janet Nguyen Matt Harper Christie Delp
District 2 – Office of Supervisor John M. W. Moorlach Rick Francis (Vice-Chair) Kathy Moran
District 3 – Office of Supervisor Bill Campbell Whitney Secor Lou Bronstein
District 4 – Office of Supervisor Shawn Nelson Denis Bilodeau David Zenger
District 5 – Office of Supervisor Patricia Bates Don Hughes (Chairman) Ray Grangoff

The Committee’s Regular Meetings will be held on the second Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Board Hearing Room of the County Hall of Administration. Additional meetings may be called as necessary to complete the work of the Committee. Meetings of the Committee will be subject to the Brown Act and agendas will be posted prior to the meetings. The Committee has adopted a Public Participation Plan to inform the public concerning the work of the Committee and to encourage public participation.

Could SAUSD Trustee Roman Reyna beat GOP Supervisor Janet Nguyen in 2012?

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Elections, Janet Nguyen, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD 10 Comments

Well, it looks like none of the Santa Ana City Council Members are going to challenge Republican Supervisor Janet Nguyen in 2012, so are there any viable Democrats out there who might consider taking her on?

There are a few Democratic School Board Members in Anaheim, but Santa Ana still dominates Nguyen’s First District.

The only guy I can think of who might contend is Santa Ana Unified School District Trustee Roman Reyna. He is up for reelection too, in 2012, but the Supervisorial election is in the spring, while Reyna would have to run for the School Board in November. That means he could conceivably run against Nguyen in June – and even if he lost he would have increased his name I.D. considerably. He could even re-use his signs and get a multi-use website, such as www.reyna2012.com. Continue reading→

Supervisor Janet Nguyen issues a proclamation of emergency due to severe weather

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Art Pedroza Posted in Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Santa Ana, Water, Weather Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2010
Contact: Howard Sutter, 714.834.6203 office, Howard.Sutter@ocgov.com

Proclamation of Local Emergency Issued Due to Severe Winter Storms

(Santa Ana, CA) — Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Janet Nguyen has issued a Proclamation of Local Emergency for the County of Orange due to the severe winter storms currently affecting the county.

The proclamation cites existing conditions related to the storms that began on December 18 as well as forecast weather conditions that may result in flooding, debris flows, utility outages and damage from tidal surge. “Proclaiming an emergency allows the County to request additional resources as needed to respond
to changing conditions,” said Donna Boston, the County’s Emergency Manager.

“The County is actively managing response to any emergency incidents reported and is coordinating its response with all cities in the county. Having the proclamation of local emergency in place widens the County’s response capabilities during these storms.”

The County has also received State approval to operate the two emergency shelter locations on a 24/7 basis during this weather event, offering continuous shelter opportunities for the homeless. The shelters are located in the National Guard armories in Santa Ana at 612 E. Warner and in Fullerton at 400 S. Brookhurst.

County staff will assist with the shelter operations during these extended hours. Orange County residents are encouraged to monitor weather conditions through Wednesday and give special attention to any weather watches or warnings issued for their area.

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