A curious thing happened at the Santa Ana City Council Candidates Forum hosted by Com Link last night. The event moderator asked the candidates if they intended to support three ballot measures that are going to increase our sales, income and property taxes – Measure Q, a bond measure to fund remodeling projects at Santa Ana College; Prop. 30, the tax increase initiative backed by Governor Jerry Brown, which actually restores a few sales and income taxes that would otherwise go away; and Prop. 38, an even bigger tax increased backed by liberal millionaire Molly Munger, much to the chagrin of Brown.
The candidates responded and it is worth noting that the faction that is supporting Council Member David Benavides, including Ward 1 candidate (and incumbent) Vince Sarmiento, Ward 3 candidate Eric M. Alderete and Ward 5 candidate Roman Reyna, all supported all of these tax increase measures.
Think about this for a moment. There are quite a few Democrats who support only one of the two statewise tax increase meaures, either Prop. 30 or Prop. 38, but the Benavides cabal supports both of them – and Measure Q to boot. This is terrible news for seniors and others on fixed incomes!
I am already on record as opposing Measure Q – we are already paying more for a previous bond measure that was wasted by the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Trustees – they spent the money on the Santiago Canyon College campus and on a new Deputy Sheriff Training Center, that we did not need. They did not do what they said they would do with the money, at Santa Ana College. It was a bait and switch. So no, I am not inclined to support yet another of these measures.
Prop. 30 is a tough one. If it does not pass Gov. Brown says he will slash funding to the UC and CS systems and to our community colleges.
Personally I believe that there are other alternatives to raising our taxes, such as getting rid of the death penalty, which wastes millions of dollars every year due to the many death row appeals – and in the end no one ever gets put to death. So why not dump it and just put these inmates in jail for life – in fact you can put them in general population and the other inmates will take care of business themselves.
The state could also save millions by revising Three Strikes to include only violent felonies. And by ending the drug war, particularly the ridiculous war on medical marijuana.
By the way if you think this is it for the tax increases that the Benavides cartel is going to support, you have another thing coming. If Benavides wins and his faction does continue to dominate the City Council, I guarantee that when the Santa Ana police contract comes up these guys will give them everything they want – as the cop union has already endorsed Benavides and company. And then these Council Members will put a public safety assessment on a special election ballot and force yet another tax increase down our throats.
It should be noted that the tax increase measures were opposed at the forum by Ward 3 candidates Charles Hart, Brett Elliott Franklin, Shane Ramon Barrows and Steve Rocco; and Ward 5 candidate Karina Onofre. Kudos to them! The O.C. Register article about the forum did not disclose what the mayoral candidates had to say about the tax increase measures.
Tilly’s Life Center’s (TLC) recently raised over half a million dollars to support their youth…
On November 25, 2024, at approximately 1:46 PM, Fullerton Fire and Police personnel responded to…
OCFA fire crews responded to two significant vehicle accidents in Garden Grove last Friday, requiring…
On November 24th, 2024, at approximately 1:00 a.m. Newport Beach Fire Department units NE63, NT63,…
‼️UPDATE‼️ Earlier today, our robbery detectives arrested November 20, 2024, #WantedWednesday suspect Izaya Cuellar (35)…
Late Friday night, police officers responded to Balearic Park regarding a vehicle doing “donuts” on…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
Editor says:
September 29, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Pulido doesn’t hire a anonymous commenters. And why pick on this guy for not living here when you don’t either?
How do you know Pulido does not hire anonymous commenters???
Are you part of his team with this inside knowledge. If so you need to preface this when you comment negatively on those that oppose Pulido.
Not picking on him for not living in Santa Ana just pointing out his hypocrisy when he point as you do about me.
You point this out about me often but never do about carpetbagger......HIPOCRISY ON YOUR PART.
Everyone knows who is on Pulido's team. Same folks as two years ago. Same folks as all the races before that. Pulido doesn't read blogs. He is busy serving our people and our city.
I have no idea who carpetbagger is or where he lives. But I do know that you live in Orange Park Acres.
Editor says:
September 29, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Pulido is keeping it classy. Benavides has no vision and no ideas. And his voting record is 98 percent with Pulido.
If Benavides votes 98% with Pulido your statement then says they share the same vision and ideas, which makes your statement of Benavides having no vision or ideas wrong.
Or are you saying because they agree in voting 98% of the time Pulido has no vision or ideas as Benavides?
Another explanation is that Pulido had control of the majority council and is why now they have separated.
Those ideas were Pulido's. Benavides continues to have no clue. He is like a lost Chihuahua. All barky and annoying and walking in circles.
Editor says:
September 29, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Everyone knows who is on Pulido’s team. Same folks as two years ago. Same folks as all the races before that. Pulido doesn’t read blogs. He is busy serving our people and our city.
So how do you know Pulido's campaign doesn't hire commentators,his campaign team, and doesn't read blogs? You can only this if you are close or a participant in his campaign. 99.9% of readers here do not know Pulido's campaign team.
You own one of Pulido's websites.Disclosure is appropriate.
I already have said that I design websites for campaigns and businesses. And that I own a PR company that specializes in blogs and social media. That is public record. I am going to reiterate that I do not get paid to blog. What I post here are my opinions and a lot of press releases and event info.
I talk to a lot of candidates. In fact you and I met with Amezcua in 2009 and I offered to help him. I started this blog to help him and a few weeks later he was hanging out with the Usual Suspects. Just like Benavides. Which is why I am now oppose them both.
Editor wrote,
"I have no idea who carpetbagger is or where he lives. But I do know that you live in Orange Park Acres."
You might not know where carpetbagger lives but you do know he does not live in Santa Ana.
carpetbagger below says he does not live in Santa Ana.
"Sure, CARPETPAGGER will call names: Anonymous, UNAMED, he doesn’t live in SA, He is a hired gun, etc……."
Y que? So you both live elsewhere, so what? He at least seems to be care about our people.
Editor says:
September 29, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Y que? So you both live elsewhere, so what? He at least seems to be care about our people.
The point is you criticize me for living outside of Santa Ana and stating my opinion about issues in Santa Ana. My opinions to you translates to not caring about our people......who are our people?
You state you do not know who carpetbagger is and your perception of him is that he cares about "our people" and I don't based on his political witch hunt of Benavides??????
This is why when carpetbagger makes his opinions about Santa Ana you don't say for him to stay out of the city's politics but you do in my case?
No of course not.YOU WANT ME OUT ON THIS ARGUMENT BECAUSE I CHALLENGE YOU AGENDA TO ATTACK BENAVIDES AND THOSE THAT OPPOSE PULIDO.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPINIONS AND A AGENDA.
Somehow I doubt Carpetbagger is a rich Republican. It is odd though that you're pretty much the only commenter defending Benavides...
Editor says:
September 29, 2012 at 4:17 pm
I already have said that I design websites for campaigns and businesses. And that I own a PR company that specializes in blogs and social media. That is public record. I am going to reiterate that I do not get paid to blog. What I post here are my opinions and a lot of press releases and event info.
So how do you know Pulido’s campaign doesn’t hire commentators,his campaign team, and doesn’t read blogs? You can only this if you are close or a participant in his campaign. 99.9% of readers here do not know Pulido’s campaign team.
So........YOU DON'T KNOW!
Why don't you ask Alderete? He has the same consultant as Pulido, but you knew that, right?
Editor says:
September 29, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Why don’t you ask Alderete? He has the same consultant as Pulido, but you knew that, right?
Alderete nor Alderete's consultant made the statements. You did.
Are you saying consultants should have only on client ....if they don't there is suspicion, consultants share information between clients....how ridiculous.
Wow. You lost me there. What I'm saying is that the same consultant is running both Pulido's and Alderete's campaigns. So ask Eric his number, call the consultant and ask him if his campaign budget includes anon commenters. When he stops laughing perhaps he'll answer your question.
That is a ridiculous suggestion........ask a consultant to divulge a client's strategy? I agree, he would laugh at me for being stupid in asking the question. Don't understand how I lost you.
So how do you know Pulido’s campaign doesn’t hire commentators,his campaign team, and doesn’t read blogs? You can only this if you are close or a participant in his campaign. 99.9% of readers here do not know Pulido’s campaign team.
So……..YOU DON’T KNOW!
I do talk to Miguel every so often. And I know his team is doing what they always do. Indeed they are running the same campaign that thoroughly beat your pal Amezcua two years ago. Benavides is destined to fail too. You sure know how to pick them! LOL!
I am ok with change but I just don't think Benavides has the right stuff to run a city. He says that the guy HE voted with 99.999999% of the time caused the problems in Santa Ana but what does that say about himself when he makes those statements? Pulido's voting record IS Benavides voting record. I'd be open to Lou Correa or Joe Dunn or Jose Solorio as Mayor but voting for Benavides is like hiring a Little League baseball player to pitch in the Majors. Let's recruit Lou or Joe or Jose to run for Mayor in two years.
For those of you who still want to vote for David, I've got a Luxury Suite I'd like to sell you at North East Little League!
Another person I think would be a good Mayor is Eric Alderete and I'd support him after he serves on the Council for 2 years. He understands labor issues.