When word got out that Irvine’s Newsong Church was in escrow to buy the landmark Santora building in Downtown Santa Ana, the artists community in our Downtown Artists Village area erupted.
A group of artists concerned about the sale of downtown Santa Ana’s Santora building to Newsong Church said that City Councilman David Benavides’ attendance at the church’s services should preclude him from serving on an ad hoc committee examining the sale, according to the Voice of OC.
The Voice of OC also reported that “Some artists suspect that Benavides, who is a real estate agent, has a financial interest in the sale. They question whether Benavides is representing the artists’, the city’s or the church’s interests on the committee. He appeared in a video about the building and the city made for the Newsong congregation.”
Benavides’ behavior stands in stark contrast to that of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, who was honored by the denizens of the Artists Village when they recently celebrated the Santora Arts Building’s 84th birthday. Pulido was instrumental in the creation and funding of the Artists Village.
“I consider it the heart of the Artists Village,” the mayor said to applause. “We care about the use of the Santora building. We want to make sure that the Artists Village continues to thrive.”
I have since found a way for the Newsong Church to minister in Santa Ana, for a lot less than the six million dollars they were prepared to pay for the Santora building. And I am very excited about that prospect. But what role did Benavides play in the Santora fiasco? Why didn’t he explore alternatives, such as the one I came up with?
While some of the artists in Downtown Santa Ana appear to be enthralled by Benavides’s schtick and empty promises, those who are in the know understand that they simply cannot trust him, period.
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Carpetbagger,
Satire requires be associated as a literary work piece . Your blogging hardly resembles literary work. Political witch hunt is the correct description.
I do not hate Mayor Pulido. We speak on occasion . On occasion we have met in his office when he was seeking my opinion on a city issue. I respect the Mayor even though I have differences of opinion relative to the city's development. I believe he feels the same.
So you believe all of us that support Benavides are stupid? When Pulido was elected mayor his experience was beign a seating councilman and working at his father's muffler shop. Benavides has better qualifications at the same stage. Voters disagreed with your argument now and elected Pulido then . Voters will disagree with your argument now.
I have not espoused my views of my morality in any shape, on the other hand you are fanatic on shoving your views of morality down reader's throats .
Follow what your belief is in this matter and don't vote for Benavides. Why so ravid based on rumors if your agenda is not a political witch hunt.
I agree with Mr. Lomeli and think that the mean spirited attacks do not help our city unite to take on the problems which face us.
What about the mean spirited attacks referring to Pulido as "Claudia's bitch"?
Do you condemn those too? Does Mr. Lomeli?
Carlos's Jr.
That is wrong too. Not at the level of here but yes. Political maneuvering was at play relative to that blog piece. Hate produces irresponsible comments as those other agendas.
OK I'll stop.
But let me say, in the coming weeks when David is embarrassly confronted with these and other humiliating questions, I will judge him his answers and how he delivers them.
That's only fair.
I will be back here, just as I was after Julio Perez LOST his race because he was an inferior canidate who LIED to the people about where he lived.
He took down an otherwise well meaning reporter and made a mokery out of his chief defender, as I image you will be Doctor Lomeli. Stert your defense mechanisms now:
It's Private.
That was last year.
Miguel has been in office too long......
I am ready for the debate on the issues or on the TRUTH.
See you on the other side bootickers.
Kudos to Mr. Lomeli for always taking the high road even when he does not agree with someone. I wish more bloggers here did the same. I wish both campains, Pulido and Benavides would agree to only talk about the issues and keep the campaigns clean. The voters do not respond well to all this negativity. Perhaps Santa Ana New or others can bring the candidates together for an honest clean campaign without all of this negativity. Give peace a chance.
1)Lomeli is a commenter, not a blogger.
2) Benavides Fidelity IS an issue, a huge issue, it points to his honesty, character and his integrity (which seems sorely lacking).
3) The voters don't respond well to being lied to either.
4) The voters respond to action, another thing missing from David's plans. He uses the word vibrant twenty times on his website, he used the same word several times in response to a question on crime recently. VIBRANT really? Are most Santa Ana residents looking for a "vibrant" community or one with low crime good streets and quality education.
I wish a REAL civic activist would step up and not an upward mobile politican, a relic from the past or a crazy guy from the Chech republic (although the latter often outshines the others).
The voters will decide who is elected as Mayor in Nov.
Exactly,
This is whats so concerning about Lomeli and company pushing this guy.
Just likethe fight in Anaheim, we have a bunch of people from Orange, Irvine, Laguna Hills and Long Beach championing David Benavides.
None of them have a stake to claim.
I don't like them trying to influence the voters.
Show me where I am pushing . I am commenting about a political witch hunt. Do you have a problem with PACS ,Police, Fire etc providing money to influence elections? Most members live out side the city. Very ignorant post.
I appreciate Mr. Lomeli's post and what he says is correct. Does every member of the Chamber of Commerce PAC or the Labor Union PACS (SEIU,Police,Fire) or the Teachers Unions PAC or the Auto Dealers PAC, or the Hispanic Chamber PAC or Mike Harrah or Bob Bisno or George Pla or Chris Townsend, or Rueban Smith or Irv Chase live in Santa Ana? We have let them decide our elections for years and yet no one complains about them being from out of town? Mr. Lomeli has a downtown Santa Ana business serving our community and yet he is not supposed to voice his opinion? I for one hope he keeps speaking up until things really do change in Santa Ana for the better.