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.
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Why?
There isno one else from the Manager's office to fill in?
FYI, there is pension too to acrue even for temporary position 3Xhighest year.
Couldn't Pulido's brother qualify?.... or Walters son?
The fact is that it is unethical in the city which just passes code of ethics so Alvarez can serve three terms.
Admin
Posted May 15, 2011 at 5:46 PM
Stanislav.
It is a temp job.
After retiring and a pension Chief Walters returned as a temp. PD Chief. It has turned into a permanent job.
Admin wrote:
"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."
"State law allows public employees who retire to work for their agency up to 960 hours per year of pay,"
- Is the Chief exempt from this because Santa Ana is a charter city like the city of Bell?
-Is the Chief working for half of his salary at retirement?
-Is the Chief working for free the other 6 months of the year?
-Is the Chief getting the same salary he had at retirement?
-If the Chief has a Part time salary is he collecting full time benefits?
If all the major players of the City of Santa Ana are gone, why doesn't the city council and mayor request the County of take over these functions until they hire someone?
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 11 LOCAL GOVERNMENT
SEC. 8. (a) The Legislature may provide that counties perform
municipal functions at the request of cities within them.
(b) If provided by their respective charters, a county may agree
with a city within it to assume and discharge specified municipal
functions.
Are you kidding Lisann?
The chaos like this is a perfect environment to rip of the city some more.
Yes, that is what I'm worried about the Chief taking over that means that he will be able to invest for Santa Ana and approve funding. So wouldn't it be a conflict of interest to request funds for the police department and then write the checks as city manager to the police department after the city council approves it? I would rather has someone with no interest that can make sound decisions.
lisann,
The conflict of interest and unethical questions in this case and in others are serious. Santa Ana is not the only city with double dipping practices there are other cities and agencies that also practice this.
In addition to what you point out .........remember how the Santa Ana Police Department Political Action Committee funds indirectly campaign expenditures for the Mayor and Council members.
Remember the Chief Walter's robo calls attacking Amezcua this past election? These examples of political support for the sitting council and Mayor justly provide the appearance of political payback. The Council and Mayor can not afford this type of criticism.
The practice of double dipping is legal. The practice is bad because of these types of possible abuses.
Lomeli,
Walters made those calls because Amezcua LIED about having Sanchez' endorsement. Moreover, Walters did not want a guy who defends drug dealers and gang bangers to become our next Mayor. Good call.
"I would rather has someone with no interest that can make sound decisions."........ Hmmm.
And where do you think you can get that someone if they ignored my application for the manager........ Huh?
At this point who cares if they are double dipping or single dipping or going for a full dipping they are not serving the needs of the city!
No responses from city council, no responses from the city planning or police when the public shows actual law breaking!
They are afraid of a lawsuit for anything and the way the world works now thats the only way anything gets done, in court! I ask for a meeting with city officials and I got a call from SA PD what did I want I'm like I called the mayors office the the police dept.!
We need enforcement and maybe a public liason that can show the city the issues in Santa Ana!
"Walters did not want a guy who defends drug dealers"........ Hmmmmm
And who should defend drug dealers in a society in which a defense is constitutionally mandated........ Huh?
This is not Mexico yet.... Zorro!