Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government’s attack on Paul Walters misfires

The so-called “Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government” ripped the Santa Ana City Council and Santa Ana Police Department Chief Paul Walters today, in a mass email that questioned how much Walters will get paid as interim Santa Ana City Manager (see the graphic above or click here).

The Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government is registered as a Political Action Committee.  It is run by two Republicans, John Acosta and Art Lomeli, who do not live in Santa Ana.

Walters’ team responded to the mass email thusly:

Double-dipping: Paul is not double-dipping. About 6 years ago, he actually did retire and the city asked him to come back temporarily on a contract basis to groom one of the deputy chiefs to take over his position. During the process, the deputy chief, Dan McCoy, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and subsequently died. The next in line was Bruce Carlson, who was eventually diagnosed with and succumbed to liver cancer. Since there was no one else the city felt comfortable with as chief, they asked Paul to un-retire, which he did.

Actually, it will cost the City of Santa Ana less money for Walters to serve as both Interim City Manager and Chief of the SAPD.  It would cost quite a bit more to pay two people to do those jobs.

The truth is that the Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government is just a mouthpiece for failed Santa Ana Mayoral candidate Al Amezcua.  He dislikes Walters because Amezcua makes a living defending drug dealers and gang bangers in court – while Walters and his department do their best to arrest these people.

I also found it interesting that the Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government’s latest email also focused on Code Enforcement – a tool often used in the past by Santa Ana’s dwindling white minority to make life tough for their Latino neighbors.

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • I wouldn't be surprised if Walters takes over Pulido's job too.

    Santa Ana is most corrupt city council in the OC and Walters hotdoging will eventually catch up with him as it did with Sheriff Carona.

  • Walter has earned respect.

    The city council may have made a mistake, thinking the chief can be bought off, once the cities top cop take control of city management, there may be some embaresing questions being asked.

  • Cook,

    In a civilized world if the police is in charge of the government it is called police state.

    How did Walters earned a respect?

    By using Mexicans for target practice?

    By shooting mother in front of her 18 month old daughter?

    Sometimes Cook, you appear as if you have fell down from your tricycle head first.

    I wander what dirt Walters has against the council members to get them approve this hostile takeover of the city.

  • "Double-dipping: Paul is not double-dipping. About 6 years ago, he actually did retire and the city asked him to come back temporarily on a contract basis to groom one of the deputy chiefs to take over his position. During the process, the deputy chief, Dan McCoy, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and subsequently died. The next in line was Bruce Carlson, who was eventually diagnosed with and succumbed to liver cancer. Since there was no one else the city felt comfortable with as chief, they asked Paul to un-retire, which he did."

    THE HOW AND WHY OF DOUBLE DIPPING IS IRRELEVANT. DOUBLE DIPPING IS DOUBLE DIPPING NO MATTER HOW YOU APPLY THE LIP STICK.

    double dipping

    the practice of receiving compensation, benefits, etc. from two or more sources in a way regarded as unethical, as from a military pension and a government job
    Related Forms:

    •double dipper noun
    Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
    Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

    double dipping

    noun
    The practice of drawing two incomes from the government, usually by holding a government job and receiving a pension, as for prior military service.
    Related Forms:

    •double dipper noun
    The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

  • Lomeli,

    Correa's Chief of Staff is the former Westminster Chief of Police. Are you going to call him a double dipper too?

    If a retired Marine has a city job are you going to rip him too?

    Walters earned his pension. Do you want to strip it from him?

    The City Council got rid of Ream - and you are still unhappy. Clearly there is no pleasing you.

  • Admin,

    Your arguments are irrelevant relative to the definition of double dipping. Pay attention to the definition.

    DOUBLE DIPPING IS , FOR AXAMPLE , WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL RETIRES COLLECTS A PENSION FROM A COUNTY AGENCY THEN RETURNS .............IS HIRED BACK FOR THE SAME POSITION OR FOR THE SAME COUNTY AGENCY- THE SAME EMPLOYER.

    No one I know is interested in ripping any one. We are simply presenting facts. Some like you support this practice , others will not and have a right to voice an opinion and take action. Just like you have the right to support double dipping and to take the initiative to support the practice. America and it's Democracy is beautiful because of this. We should all work to protect and demand Democracy.

    I do not have the power to take or give anything to any one relative to this issue.

  • Admin,
    There is a difference when you retire from a job with pension and then find some other job as something to do and earn extra income, and staying in same job and retire at that job.

    What is a purpose of retiring?....... Huh?
    In many professions a retirement is mandatory (i.e. pilots, military etc.) in which case you cannot continue same work. You must get some other work.

    In military you get 55 and you are out no more military!
    If you want continue working for Blackwater, private military, than that is a OK.

    There is something unethical about retiring and continue working in same capacity for same organization specially when retirement is at 50 and in private sector 66.

  • I should add that if Walters would retire from the SAPD and then be hired as City Manager would not be double dipping IMO.

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