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Tag Archives: OC Board of Supervisors

Chaffee elected Chair of the OC Board of Supervisors and Wagner will be the Vice Chair

Posted on by Posted in Don Wagner, Doug Chaffee, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana, Calif. (January 11, 2022) – Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District, has been chosen unanimously by his Board colleagues to serve as Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors for 2022. Supervisor Donald P. Wagner, Third District, will serve as the Board’s Vice Chairman.

Elected as Fourth District Supervisor in 2018, Chairman Chaffee represents the communities which includes the cities of Anaheim (portion of), Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, Placentia and Stanton. Prior to serving on the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Chaffee was elected to the Fullerton City Council in 2012 and was re-elected in 2014. He twice served as Mayor of Fullerton in 2014 and 2018.

“I look forward to working in partnership with Vice Chairman Wagner and our colleagues on the Board of Supervisors. Our first mission is to win our battle against the COVID-19 virus and achieve economic recovery for the benefit of our Orange County residents.”

Chairman Chaffee is a longtime Fullerton resident, graduating from Fullerton Union High School. He earned a B. A . in Economics from the University of Redlands and a JD from the Northwestern University School of Law. He is married to his wife, Paulette, who serves as Ambassador of the Orange County Fourth District. They have two sons and two grandsons.

Supervisor Don Wagner Elected Vice Chairman

Supervisor Don Wagner was chosen by his fellow board colleagues to be Vice Chairman this year. He represents the residents of the Third District – which includes the cities of Anaheim (portions of), Irvine (portions of), Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Orange (portions of), Rancho Santa Margarita, Tustin (portions of), Villa Park, Yorba Linda and unincorporated areas.

Supervisor Wagner is a practicing attorney, former community college district trustee and six-year state legislator, and past Mayor of Irvine from late 2016 – 2019. Vice Chairman Wagner’s 20 years in public service reflects an impressive commitment to fiscal responsibility, improving public safety, and enhancing the quality of life for Orange County residents.

“It’s an honor to serve as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, representing over 630,000 diverse Orange County residents,” said Vice Chairman Don Wagner. “I look forward to serving with Chairman Chaffee and my colleagues to ensure Orange County is a safe and vibrant place to live.”

Vice Chairman Wagner holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. For over 30 years, Supervisor Wagner’s family has made their home in the Third District.

Garden Grove Councilwoman Nguyen announces her campaign for OC Supervisor

Posted on by Posted in 2022 Elections, Elections, Garden Grove, Kim Nguyen, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Garden Grove, CA — Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Bernice Nguyen today announced her candidacy for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 2, as well as a strong and diverse list of endorsements from across Orange County.

At a time when voters are frustrated with the County’s handling of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Councilwoman Nguyen brings a much needed public health background, having formerly worked for CalOptima and now as a Senior Health Care Analyst for a large health plan.

“We need a bold voice at the County that understands the issues of working families,” Nguyen said in a statement. “I know the struggle of working multiple jobs to make ends meet while attending school and the frustrations of high rent and skyrocketing housing costs. As a lifelong resident of District 2, I’ve watched as the County failed to address our housing crisis, leaving many, especially in my generation, priced out of a home. At the same time, the County has turned a blind eye to our homelessness crisis, creating a public health and safety emergency. I’ve never shied from a fight and will work toward solutions to our toughest problems, it’s what I’ve done as a Councilwoman, it’s what I do everyday as a health care analyst, and it’s what I will continue to do as your Supervisor.”

Re-elected in 2020 with over 70% of the vote, Kim Nguyen is a first-generation Vietnamese and Mexican-American Councilmember in Garden Grove and was the first Latina and youngest person ever elected to the city in 2016. She has already secured endorsements from a diverse coalition of elected officials throughout Orange County. Endorsements from representatives within the Supervisorial District include: Garden Grove Councilmember John R. O’Neill, Garden Grove Councilmember Diedre Thu Ha Nguyen, Santa Ana Councilmember Thai Viet Phan Santa Councilmember David Penaloza, Tustin Councilwoman Letitia Clark, Santa Ana Unified School Board Member Valerie Amezcua, and Orange Unified School Board Members Ana Page and Kris Erickson, among others.

A lifelong resident of District 2, Councilwoman Nguyen attended Clinton-Mendenhall Elementary, Doig Intermediate, and Santiago High School. She graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with a degree in politics and a minor in legal studies. She is the first in her family to graduate high school and receive a college degree.

The 2nd Supervisorial District includes the cities of Santa Ana, portions of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Orange and Tustin. Voters 18-35 comprise the largest age bloc, with over 41% of the district’s registered voters. Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 20 points — making it one of the most competitive local races in California.

Endorsements

  • Tiffany Ackley, Aliso Viejo City Councilmember
  • Richard Hurt, Aliso Viejo City Councilmember
  • Andrea Marr, Costa Mesa City Councilmember
  • Arlis Reynolds, Costa Mesa City Councilmember
  • Glenn Grandis, Fountain Valley City Councilmember
  • John O’Neill, Garden Grove City Councilmember
  • Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen, Garden Grove City Councilmember
  • Dan Kalmick, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
  • Kim Carr, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
  • Rhonda Bolton, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
  • Farrah Khan, Irvine Mayor
  • Tammy Kim, Irvine City Councilmember
  • Ana Page, Orange Unified School Board Trustee
  • Kris Erickson, Orange Unified School Board Trustee
  • David Penaloza, Santa Ana City Councilmember
  • Thai Viet Phan, Santa Ana City Councilmember
  • Valerie Amezcua, Santa Ana Unified School Board Trustee
  • Letitia Clark, Tustin Mayor

(Alphabetical order by jurisdiction, titles for identification purposes only)

Racist hate speech directed at Supervisor Do and New H.B. City Councilwoman Rhonda Bolton condemned

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Hate, Huntington Beach, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. (August 13, 2021) – Last week, our community bore witness to a torrent of racist and xenophobic rhetoric directed towards Chairman Andrew Do, who is of Vietnamese descent, at the Board of Supervisors meeting. The speaker’s tirade was filled with anti-Asian tropes a true picture of the too commonplace hate activity taking place in our country today. Similarly, the first Black woman to be appointed to the Huntington Beach City Council, Rhonda Bolton, was welcomed by jeers and hateful comments by members of the public.

In a recent Statement of Solidarity, the OC Human Relations Commission committed to continuing its mission to “seek out causes of tension and conflict, discrimination and intolerance and attempt to eliminate those causes.” To do the difficult work of promoting respect, equity, and tolerance – the Commission believes it too must condemn and denounce all types of hate speech and racism. When an individual is a victim of hate, it is not only an attack on that one person but an entire community. No one should have to experience this type of vitriol regardless of who you are, skin color, language you speak, where you are from, who you love, or your religious beliefs.

Our country is reeling from the devastating effects of a pandemic that surges on. Our communities of color continue to survive the social and racial injustice and inequities that the pandemic uncovered and exposed. If there was ever a time for unity, it is now. If there ever was a time for respect and empathy, it is today. Orange County Human Relations Commission challenges all residents to look beyond our differences and celebrate the diversity that exists in Orange County. And next time hate knocks at our door – let us rally together and loudly shut it out with a resounding, “Not here, not today, not ever.”

If you have been a victim or know someone who has been a victim of a hate crime or hate incident, please call your local law enforcement agency. Additional ways to report, call our confidential hotline 714-480-6580 or report via our online portal at https://www.ochumanrelations.org/hatecrime/report/.

The OC Board of Supervisors vote to ignore the state’s COVID-19 orders

Posted on by Posted in Michelle Steel, Orange County, Santa Ana 3 Comments

On Tuesday, Dc. 8, 2020, Michelle Steel, Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted alongside her colleagues to adopt the Healthy Communities Resolution, which recognizes that California is geographically diverse and ill-suited to region-wide restrictions and that Orange County is best suited to respond locally to the COVID-19 virus.

The resolution would also commit to the principle that school districts be able to safely open and that in person instruction be allowed to the greatest extent possible without further delay.

“Governor Newsom keeps moving the goalpost. The lumping of more than 22 million people out of the state’s population of 40 million in one region, from San Luis Obispo and Mono Counties in Central California down to the border makes no sense,” said Chairwoman Steel. “The Governor’s top down actions have been an inconsistent mess. He started with deaths and hospitalizations, then positivity rates, then moved the bar to the to the colored tier system, then added health equity and now another lockdown. These moves haven’t stopped the spread of the virus but have severely harmed families ability to make a living.”

“Young, healthy people need to go back to work while we take care of our vulnerable population,” added Chairwoman Steel. “Instead of these top-down orders, I support local control. We know our county better than the Governor. We must be able to protect the most vulnerable and keep residents safe, while also protecting residents’ ability to work and feed their families.”

First elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2014, Michelle Steel represents the residents of the Second District, which includes, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Stanton, the unincorporated area of Rossmoor, and portions of Buena Park and Fountain Valley. Steel, a successful businesswoman and renowned taxpayer advocate, previously served as Vice Chair of the State Board of Equalization where she represented more than eight million people in Southern California, including all of Orange County, as one of the state’s 12 constitutional officers.

SAUSD school employees endorse Contreras for Supervisor

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Labor, Orange County, Politics, SAUSD, Sergio Contreras Leave a comment

WESTMINSTER, CA — Exemplifying the wide-ranging support from students, teachers, and faculty for his campaign for the Orange County Board of Supervisors First District, today Westminster City Councilmember Sergio Contreras garnered the endorsement of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Santa Ana Chapter 41.

In a statement released with the announced endorsement, CSEA Chapter 41 President Eddie Leon remarked:

“As a former School Board member, Sergio has key insight into the importance of a quality education and understands that providing such an education also requires addressing the needs of faculty and school employees. Throughout his career, Sergio has fought to ensure that school employees have fair wages and the benefits they were promised, and his work to update facilities and improve safety made it easier for our members to do their jobs. We know he will be a champion for students, teachers, and faculty on the Board of Supervisors, and are excited to support him.”

In response to the announced endorsement, Contreras commented:

“I am honored to receive this support from CSEA Chapter 41. From my work on the Westminster School Board, I learned that in order for schools to succeed and students to thrive, we must support school employees. Their contributions are immeasurable and crucial. I am grateful to have their support.”

Last week, Contreras earned powerful endorsements from the Coast Federation of Educators, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1911 and Santa Ana Unified School District Board Member John Palacio.

Recently, Contreras’s campaign announced that he has by far the most net cash-on-hand of anybody in the race, with $78,862 after debts. Incumbent Supervisor Andrew Do has $60,345 more in debt than cash-on-hand, while Contreras’s main Democratic opponents Miguel Pulido and Kim Nguyen have $25,706 and $6,972 cash-on-hand after debts, respectively.

Previously, Councilmember Sergio Contreras announced the following endorsements:

  • Organizations:
    • Democratic Party of Orange County
    • Orange County Labor Federation (OCLF)
    • California Nurses Association (CNA)
    • SEIU – USWW
    • SEIU 2015
    • SEIU Local 721
    • Coast Federation of Educators, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1911
    • California School Employees Association (CSEA) Santa Ana Chapter 41
    • American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 36
    • American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) United Domestic Workers (UDW) Local 3930
    • American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2076
    • American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1734
    • Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 652
    • International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 12
    • International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 501
    • National Union of Healthcare Workers
    • United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers Local 220
    • Painters & Allied Trades District Council 36
    • UNITE HERE Local 11
    • Ironworkers Local 433
    • Ironworkers Local 416
    • UFCW Local 324
    • Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties
  • Elected Officials:
    • U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal
    • U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez
    • U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (Ret.)
    • California State Senator Lena Gonzalez
    • California State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva
    • California State Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
    • California Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell
    • California State Senator Josh Newman (Ret.)
    • Garden Grove School Board Trustee Walter Muneton
    • Garden Grove School Board Trustee Teri Rocco
    • Garden Grove Councilmember Kris Beard (Ret.)
    • Westminster School Boardmember Jamison Power
    • Westminster School Boardmember Amy Walsh (Ret.)
    • Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley
    • Costa Mesa Councilman Manuel Chavez
    • Rancho Community College Trustee Lawrence Labrado
    • Santa Ana Unified School District President Valerie Amezcua
    • Santa Ana Unified School District Board Member John Palacio
    • Santa Ana Councilmember Sal Tinajero (Ret.)
    • Santa Ana Councilmember David Benavides (Ret.)
    • Santa Ana School Board Trustee Alfonso Alvarez
    • Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Juan Gabriel Alvarez
    • Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Ryan Ruelas
    • Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Dr. Jose Pablo Magcalas
    • Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember D.R. Heywood (Ret.)
    • Anaheim Union High School District Clerk of the Board, Annemarie Randle-Trejo
    • Huntington Beach Union High School District Trustee Duane Dishno
    • Fullerton School Boardmember Aaruni Thakur
    • Oceanview School District Vice President Gina Clayton-Tarvin
    • Midway City Sanitary District Director Margie L. Rice

The first Supervisorial District includes the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster, the unincorporated community of Midway City, and parts of Fountain Valley. The first Supervisorial District is 42% Democratic and 24% Republican by registration – making it one of the most flippable major local offices in California.

Sergio Contreras, a husband, father, homeowner, and registered Democrat, has served on the Westminster City Council since 2012, where he successfully championed the largest upgrade to Westminster’s park system since 1996, encompassing 22 park facilities and representing a $10.4 million investment in the community. Contreras oversaw the city’s first general plan update in decades. He also placed emergency call boxes in all Westminster parks to enhance public safety, and fought to place outdoor exercise equipment in local parks to improve public health.

Contreras previously served on the Westminster School Board from 2004 to 2012, including serving as president of the board in 2012. On the School Board, Contreras helped pass a $130 million school bond to modernize Westminster’s school facilities and make them safer. In that role, he established an all-day kindergarten system, making Westminster School District the first in Orange County to provide day-long kindergarten at all school sites. Contreras also increased access to music and arts programs districtwide, while expanding after-school programs.

Now, Contreras works as the Senior Director of Education and Healthy Schools for the Orange County United Way where he creates strategic community partnerships to empower students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Contreras lives in Westminster with his wife Adriana, where their children Sergio III and Chloe attend local schools.

Recently, Contreras’s upbringing and life’s story was featured in the OC Weekly, which you can find here.

For more information visit: https://www.sergiocontrerasforsupervisor.com

O.C. supervisor Andrew Do’s Statement on Cares Act Funding

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Business, Disease, Health and Medical, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

“I’m pleased that the Board of Supervisors approved a plan today that will allocate stimulus funding equally by supervisorial district. This plan ensures that stimulus funds quickly help everyone – not just the rich and well-connected.

Before making funds available, public-private partnerships will be sought after with community organizations, entrepreneurship groups, and small business programs that would provide matching funds or other opportunities for a multiplier effect.

In the First District, real small businesses – the self-employed, sole proprietors, family-owned restaurants, and gig economy workers – will receive first priority. True small businesses will be put first.”

Orange County Vice Chairman Andrew Do represents the First District communities of Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley, and Midway City. In his second term, Vice Chairman Do has reformed Orange County’s mental health services, expanded access to health care, and led efforts to combat homelessness.

Declaración del Vicepresidente Andrew Do Sobre la Financiación de la Ley de Cuidados (CARES Act)

Me complace que la Junta de Supervisores haya aprobado un plan hoy que asignará fondos de estímulo por igual por distrito supervisor. Este plan garantiza que los fondos de estímulo ayuden rápidamente a todos, no solo a los ricos y bien conectados.
 
Antes de poner a disposición fondos, se buscarán asociaciones público-privadas con organizaciones comunitarias, grupos de emprendimiento y programas de pequeñas empresas que proporcionarían fondos equivalentes u otras oportunidades para un efecto multiplicador.
 
En el primer distrito, las pequeñas empresas reales, como los trabajadores independientes, los propietarios únicos, los restaurantes familiares y los trabajadores de la economía del trabajo, recibirán la primera prioridad. Las pequeñas empresas verdaderas serán las primeras.

El Vicepresidente del condado de Orange, Andrew Do, representa a las comunidades del primer distrito de Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley y Midway City. En su segundo termino, el Vicepresidente Do reformó los servicios de salud mental del Condado de Orange, amplió el acceso a la atención médica y dirigió los esfuerzos para combatir la falta de vivienda.

The O.C. Board of Supervisors declares churches to be essential

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Michelle Steel, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Today, The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Chairwoman Michelle Steel’s resolution declaring houses of worship of all faiths as essential in Orange County. A large number of Orange County residents rely on their houses of worship for spiritual guidance in their lives and communion with those that share their faith. Yet while many businesses have been deemed essential by the state, faith communities have not. This resolution confirms that the Orange County Board of Supervisors stands with Orange County residents of all faiths in support of their First Amendment rights, and that these rights are non-negotiable.

“I believe this resolution is very important,” added Chairwoman Steel. “We begin each of our meetings with an invocation because we understand the importance of joining together in prayer. Orange County residents have gone without communal prayer for Easter, Passover and Ramadan, and our residents of all different faiths have missed their regular communal prayers for more than two months. This resolution is a statement that Orange County supports the right of our residents to practice their faith, and that we believe that right is essential.”

First elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2014, Michelle Steel represents the residents of the Second District, which includes, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Stanton, the unincorporated area of Rossmoor, and portions of Buena Park and Fountain Valley. Steel, a successful businesswoman and renowned taxpayer advocate, previously served as Vice Chair of the State Board of Equalization where she represented more than eight million people in Southern California, including all of Orange County, as one of the state’s 12 constitutional officers.

The O.C. Board of Supervisors is joining the fight against Covid-19 patient quarantining in Costa Mesa

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Disease, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana, Calif. (February 25, 2020) – Today the County of Orange Board of Supervisors unanimously directed the Office of County Counsel to file an Amicus brief with the United States District Court regarding pending federal litigation in the City of Costa Mesa, et. al v. United States of America, et. al. regarding the use of the Fairview Development Center for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Further details including the Amicus brief will be provided at a later time.

Pulido endorsed by the O.C. Attorneys Association

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Elections, Lawyers, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido announced today that he has been endorsed by the Orange County Attorneys Association for his campaign effort to be elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The organization, which includes Orange County’s Deputy District Attorneys, represents over 500 attorneys employed by the County of Orange, including those employed by the DA, County Counsel, Public Defender, Alternate Defender, Associate Defender, and Child Support Services.

“We are proud to endorse Mayor Pulido for County Supervisor,” said Orange County Attorney Association President Mena Guirguis. “He has an excellent record of achievement as Mayor of Santa Ana and we believe he will add a lot to our County Board of Supervisors.”

“I am excited to add the support of the Orange County Attorneys Association to my effort for County Supervisor,” said Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido. “Their extensive knowledge, expertise, experience, and hard work are vital to our District Attorney, Public Defender, and other county agency offices. I look forward to working with them after my election to the Board.”

Miguel Pulido was first elected to the Santa Ana City Council in 1986 and is presently serving his 13th term as Mayor, a post he has successfully held since 1994. Under his leadership he has made Public Safety the City’s #1 priority, leading the charge to hire more police officers, crack down on gangs, expand community policing, increase the use of crime fighting technology, and help solve the city’s homeless issue. Crime in Santa Ana is now at its lowest level since the early 1960’s.

Westminster Councilman Contreras is leading in fundraising in the race for District 1 of the O.C. Board of Supervisors

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Elections, Orange County, Santa Ana, Sergio Contreras, Westminster Leave a comment

WESTMINSTER, CA — In another significant boost of momentum and demonstration of the strength and viability of his campaign for Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1, today Westminster City Councilmember Sergio Contreras’s campaign announced that he has by far the most net cash-on-hand of anybody in the race, with $78,862 after debts.

Incumbent Supervisor Andrew Do has $60,345 more in debt than cash-on-hand, while Contreras’s main Democratic opponents Miguel Pulido and Kim Nguyen have $25,706 and $6,972 cash-on-hand after debts, respectively.

In response to today’s campaign finance filings, Sergio Contreras’s campaign consultant Mac Zilber released the following statement:

“The people of Orange County are rallying around the common sense, forward-thinking message that Sergio is putting forward, and the Q4 report is just the latest testament to that. This report represents a stunning blow to incumbent Andrew Do — that voters want less politics and more problem solving from their representative on the Board of Supervisors– and underscores Sergio’s place as the best-positioned Democrat in the race. Sergio leads the field of candidates in endorsements and fundraising by a wide margin, demonstrating his broad-based support and that he is far and away the strongest candidate to flip the seat red-to-blue. We are encouraged by Councilmember Contreras’s strong performance and deeply grateful for the support our campaign has received from constituents across the 1st District and will continue working hard to expand his coalition of support in the weeks ahead.”

Previously, Councilmember Sergio Contreras announced the following endorsements:

Organizations:

Democratic Party of Orange County
Orange County Labor Federation (OCLF)
California Nurses Association (CNA)
SEIU – USWW
SEIU 2015
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 36
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) United Domestic Workers (UDW) Local 3930
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2076
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1734
Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 652
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 12
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 501
National Union of Healthcare Workers
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers Local 220
Painters & Allied Trades District Council 36
UNITE HERE Local 11
Ironworkers Local 433
Ironworkers Local 416
UFCW Local 324
Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties

Elected Officials:

U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal
U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez
U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (Ret.)
California State Senator Lena Gonzalez
California State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva
California State Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
California Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell
California State Senator Josh Newman (Ret.)
Garden Grove School Board Trustee Walter Muneton
Garden Grove School Board Trustee Teri Rocco
Garden Grove Councilmember Kris Beard (Ret.)
Westminster School Boardmember Jamison Power
Westminster School Boardmember Amy Walsh (Ret.)
Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley
Costa Mesa Councilman Manuel Chavez
Rancho Community College Trustee Lawrence Labrado
Santa Ana Unified School District President Valerie Amezcua
Santa Ana Councilmember Sal Tinajero (Ret.)
Santa Ana Councilmember David Benavides (Ret.)
Santa Ana School Board Trustee Alfonso Alvarez
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Juan Gabriel Alvarez
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Ryan Ruelas
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Dr. Jose Pablo Magcalas
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember D.R. Heywood (Ret.)
Anaheim Union High School District Clerk of the Board, Annemarie Randle-Trejo
Huntington Beach Union High School District Trustee Duane Dishno
Fullerton School Boardmember Aaruni Thakur
Oceanview School District Vice President Gina Clayton-Tarvin
Midway City Sanitary District Director Margie L. Rice

The first Supervisorial District includes the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster, the unincorporated community of Midway City, and parts of Fountain Valley. The first Supervisorial District is 42% Democratic and 24% Republican by registration – making it one of the most flippable major local offices in California.

Sergio Contreras, a husband, father, homeowner, and registered Democrat, has served on the Westminster City Council since 2012, where he successfully championed the largest upgrade to Westminster’s park system since 1996, encompassing 22 park facilities and representing a $10.4 million investment in the community. Contreras oversaw the city’s first general plan update in decades. He also placed emergency call boxes in all Westminster parks to enhance public safety, and fought to place outdoor exercise equipment in local parks to improve public health.

Contreras previously served on the Westminster School Board from 2004 to 2012, including serving as president of the board in 2012. On the School Board, Contreras helped pass a $130 million school bond to modernize Westminster’s school facilities and make them safer. In that role, he established an all-day kindergarten system, making Westminster School District the first in Orange County to provide day-long kindergarten at all school sites. Contreras also increased access to music and arts programs districtwide, while expanding after-school programs.

Now, Contreras works as the Senior Director of Education and Healthy Schools for the Orange County United Way where he creates strategic community partnerships to empower students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Contreras lives in Westminster with his wife Adriana, where their children Sergio III and Chloe attend local schools.

Recently, Contreras’s upbringing and life’s story was featured in the OC Weekly, which you can find here.

For more information visit: https://www.sergiocontrerasforsupervisor.com

Supervisor Andrew Do launches his reelection campaign

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Andrew Do, Civic Affairs, Elections, homeless, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY – January 3 – The Andrew Do for Supervisor campaign has launched a new ad titled “For Every Family” that began airing January 1 on cable throughout Orange County, backed by a six-figure ad buy.

Homelessness has become rampant throughout Orange County and California, though under Supervisor Do’s leadership and hard work, the county has seen tremendous improvement on eliminating homelessness, thanks to significant investment and action from the county.

“It was a crisis, so we got to work and made a difference,” Do said. “The homeless are our family–no family deserves to live on the street. We’re ending homelessness one at a time, until no family is left behind.”

Chief Strategist for the Andrew Do for Supervisor campaign, John Thomas, said: “Very rarely do we see a politician keep his or her word and make good on campaign promises, but Andrew Do is doing just that. He’s laid the foundation for ending homelessness and it’s exciting to dream about what he can accomplish with four more years.”

About Supervisor Andrew Do

A former prosecutor, educator, businessman and judge pro tem, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is fighting for Orange County taxpayers and working families in the First District communities of Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, Midway City, Santa Ana and Westminster.

As Orange County Supervisor, Andrew Do has increased funding for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and expanded access to vital health care services for seniors and working families. He has cut taxes on small businesses, eliminated regulatory obstacles that impede innovation and defended Prop. 13 by expanding OC taxpayers’ rights to appeal their property tax bills.

During the Fall of Saigon, Andrew Do and his family fled Vietnam with just the clothes on their back and a suitcase full of dictionaries. Thanks to supportive teachers and faculty at Garden Grove’s Jordan Intermediate and Bolsa Grande High School, Andrew developed the educational foundation to earn his bachelor’s degree from University of California, Davis.

His education continued at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he volunteered with the public interest law project to address homelessness and aid marginalized communities. After law school, he taught as an Adjunct Professor at Cal State University, Fullerton and then served as a Judge Pro Tem at Orange County West Municipal Court.

After several years providing legal representation to poor and indigent defendants, Andrew Do joined the Orange County District Attorney’s office – with his last assignment prosecuting sexually violent predators as a member of the D.A.’s Sexual Assault Unit. His skills in the courtroom earned him national recognition from the U.S. Department of Justice, when he was chosen to represent Orange County at the National District Attorney Association Advocacy College at the University of South Carolina.

Andrew Do previously served as a Councilmember for the City of Garden Grove and as Chief of Staff to an Orange County Supervisor. His lifetime of community involvement includes service as President of the Asian Bar of California and President of the Vietnamese-American Bar Association of Southern California as well as service on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bar Association.

The County of Orange has approved $25M for new housing for the homeless

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Homelessness: Orange County Approves $25 Million for Permanent Supportive Housing, Greenlights 3 New Supportive Housing Projects

Santa Ana, California – Orange County is closer to achieving its goal of building 2,700 new permanent supportive housing units for the homeless.

On Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved $25 million in Mental Health Services Act funding (MHSA) for permanent supportive housing and gave the green light to three new housing projects in Central Orange County. Continue reading→

Orange County will install new fences to keep the homeless out of the flood control channels

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Crime, homeless, OC Sheriff, Orange County, Public Safety, Public Works, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Current fencing at Fisher Park

Public Safety: Orange County Installs Secure Fencing at 24 Sites along Flood Control Channels to Prevent Homeless Encampments

Santa Ana, California – The County of Orange is installing new fencing at 24 sites along flood control channels to keep neighborhoods safe and prevent homeless encampments.

Supervisor Andrew Do, Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, worked with city leaders, county staff and law enforcement agencies on the fencing projects in Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Westminster after reports of criminal activity, including a series of fires set by a homeless arsonist. Continue reading→

OC Supervisor Do’s plan to restore independent oversight and accountability at the County of Orange

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Chairman Andrew Do’s Plan to Restore Independent Oversight & Accountability

Do’s Proposal: Restore Funding & Direct Office of Independent Review to Explore Nexus between Law Enforcement & Social Services in Addressing the Homeless Crisis

Proposal:

  1. Restore Funding to County’s Office of Independent Review (OIR); and
  2. Provide Specific Direction to Focus on Nexus between Law Enforcement & Social Services in Addressing the County’s Homeless Crisis; and
  3. Return to the Board of Supervisors in six months to reevaluate the scope of work for OIR and review preliminary findings.

OIR Purpose: The Office of Independent Review is intended to: Continue reading→