Carlos Bustamante’s candidate statement is a work of fiction

The O.C. Voter Registrar finally posted all the candidate statements for the local candidates in Orange County.  I read Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante’s statement – it is chock full of “mentiras.”  I have never seen anything quite like it.  Amongst his whoppers are:

  • An assertion that Bustamante is a business owner.  I suppose technically he is, as a board member and investor in the Santa Ana Business Bank, but that is quite different from operating a small business.  He is playing with other people’s money for the most part – and as a Councilman his work with the bank is rife with conflicts of interest.
  • Bustamante says crime has been going down for four years – incrementally it has but Santa Ana leads the County in violent crime!  This year has seen multiple gang shootings, carjackings and even home invasions.  I doubt you will find two people in our town who think will agree with Bustamante on this one.
  • Bustamante even inserts himself into the SAUSD problem – stating that test scores are going up.  For the most part they aren’t, but what the heck does Bustamante have to do with test scores?  His kids are in private schools, and he does not support opening new libraries.  During his term the City stopped using the slogan “the Education City.”  How appropriate – Bustamante and his Council colleagues have done nothing to improve education in our city.
  • And Bustamante says that the city image has dramatically improved.  Does he even live in Santa Ana?  How can he say that?  In fact his infamous “waterbra” comments brought even more shame upon our city.
  • He tries to insinuate that he supports businesses, but he did nothing to stop the Council when they voted to ban big box stores.  He voted to ban the delivery of leaflets to homes and to ban the use of human signs.  He voted to make numerous businesses illegal, including Hookah bars, massage/spa businesses and tatoo parlors.  And Bustamante has never complained about the high cost of Santa Ana Business Licenses – they cost over ten times what folks pay in other cities in Orange County.  He has done NOTHING to make it easier to open a new business in our town.
  • He saved his biggest lie for last when he stated that “I work for you, the Santa Ana resident and business owner.”  Liar!  Just look at his campaign finance records!  He works for a plethora of special interests and developers.  The LAST people he represents are the residents of our city!  He voted to raise our water rates TWICE in one year and he voted to increase our property taxes.

You can read Bustamante’s statement in its entirety at this link.

If you want the truth you will have to read my statement, which is at this link and which I am reproducing

below:


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"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.