The David Benavides cabal on the Santa Ana City Council didn’t wait long to show their true colors. Their pals at the union-funded Voice of OC wrote that they “took another step Monday toward making good on their vow to strip Mayor Miguel Pulido of some of his power by taking away the mayor’s authority to make council subcommittee appointments.” But what they really did was appoint themselves to all of the choice municipal commissions, thereby padding their paychecks.
Appointments included, courtesy of the Voice of OC:
- Councilman David Benavides will head to the Orange County Sanitation District board, with Tinajero as the alternate.
- Councilman Vincent Sarmiento was appointed to the Orange County Water District board, with Councilman Roman Reyna the alternate.
- Tinajero was appointed to the Orange County Fire Authority board, with Councilwoman Angelica Amezcua the alternate.
- And Martinez was appointed to the Foothill-Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency board.
Note that new Council Member Angelica Amezcua only got one assignment – as the alternate to Sal Tinajero on the O.C. Fire Authority Board. But to be fair, new Council Member Roman Reyna is in the same boat, with one assignment as the alternate to Vince Sarmiento on the O.C. Water District Board.
Are any of these Council Members qualified to serve on these Commissions? The only Council Member with an Engineering degree is Mayor Miguel Pulido. Benavides is a realtor. Reyna is apparently selling life insurance, according to his Linkedin Page. Martinez is claiming on Facebook that she now works for the California State Senate. She really has not distinguished herself in any one particular profession. Tinajero and Amezcua are both public school teachers.
The funniest appointment is the one that placed Michele Martinez on the Foothill-Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency Board. They are currently dealing with the aftermath of a very negative state audit of the toll roads they oversee, which aren’t making money and are having a hard time paying back their bonds.
Santa Ana has some of the highest water rates in Orange County even though we have a large aquifer right under our city. What is Sarmiento going to do about that? As a lawyer does he have a clue about water issues?
Wait – the even funnier appointment is Benavides getting appointed to the O.C. Sanitation District Board. How fitting for him to be considering our sewage when he ran perhaps the most foul political campaign this year, in losing to Pulido, that I have ever seen in our city – his supporters disgraced themselves by going after Pulido’s kids!
Well, good luck to this can’t shoot straight bunch. Let’s hope their up to the task.
Cha Ching! These appointments pay big bucks. Some will be making an addition $30-$40,000 for voting to increase our rates and tolls! Poor Angelica is learning that her “I look forward to working as a team” speech got her diddly squat from the spoils of the election. Roman, who may need the money as much as Martinez got left sucking hind teat as well. Pobrecitos Roman y Angelica.
Thanks for the new Council photo Art!. This must be the shortest City Council in Orange County. With Benavides & Reyna topping out at 5′ 6 inches tall they are not going to be winning basketball games any time soon.
One council meeting behind them and the dogs are biting at they heals aready. Not even the 100 day break a new President gets.
After they hold themselves up as agents of change and then become just like those they criticize, it’s fair to call them on it. All those signs, all that negative mail against Pulido and now they settle into the same old same old. Tell me 3 things that they will change with their “new anti-Pulido majority” Mr. Cook?
That is actually a lovely picture of them.
Perfectly balanced.
and I like how Pulido shows off his
Republican-Viet Cong tie. Power dressing.
It is a nice photo but I wish Angie would smile more.
I’m so happy that they all got their sweet little pay days but what I really want to know is when are they going to finish the bike trail along Santiago Creek? Lots of people will be getting bikes for Christmas and will want to ride the trail. Art, how do we get this thing built and get Santa Ana elected officials to help?
Benavides should have gone on the Vecter control board since he’s a real rat fink.
Mr. Art, could you please update the post on the Santigo Creek Bike trail with the current political status? I just picked up a map of the Orange County bike trails and couldn’t help noticing this is the only section in Orange County which really has to be finished. Please Mr. Art.