The race for Santa Ana’s Ward 2 on the City Council is unbelievably crowded. I have previously interviewed Michele Martinez and Tish Leon. They both offer unique perspectives, and at this point I am fairly convinced that neither one will automatically do Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido’s bidding.
Pulido’s horse in this campaign is Tino Rivera, but I am not going to waste my time with him – he shot himself in the foot by going after the OC Democrat endorsement while telling everyone within earshot that he was going to become a Republican after the election.
That leaves one more candidate to talk about – Evangeline Gawronski. She has perhaps the most extensive record of community service and civic activism of the four candidates in Ward 2. A glance at her website tells the story about Gawronski:
- Member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities of Orange County
- President of St. Anne Church Women’s Council (13 yrs.)
- Manager of bingo fundraising, for Saint Anne School, profiting more than $365,000 over a six year period
- Library Volunteer at Mater Dei High School (13 yrs.)
- Honored by S.A. Police Reserve Officers by Volunteerism (1990)
- Received “Exceptional Citizen” Award from Mayor Pulido and City Council (1996)
- Nominated by Chief Paul Walters for award for Citizen Excellence & Woman of the Year (2000)
- Selected as Neighborhood Hero by ComLink (Santa Ana Neighborhood Assns.) (2000)
- Co-founder and Executive Board member of the Santa Ana Police Museum and Heritage Society. (2006)
- Organized and conducted a public forum for city officials, state officials, and residents of Orange County to discuss overcrowding throughout the County (over 200 guests attended)
- Organized the Public Safety Committee for ComLink to work with the city’s N.I.C.E. Committee (Neighborhood Improvement Code Enforcement)
- On behalf of ComLink, recommended new rules for large work trucks (commercial vehicles) parked in residential neighborhoods; commercial and recreational vehicles must park off property, in back yards, and/or out of sight
- Children’s Choir Director (St. Anne School) 6 yrs.
- Long Term Substitute teacher (Mater Dei High School) 20 yrs.
You would think, with Gawronski’s background and experience, that she would have been backed by Pulido. However, he apparently has changes his mind about Mexicans. My readers might recall that a few years ago when Carlos Bustamante ran for the City Council, he was opposed by Pulido, because the latter felt that there were already too many Mexicans on the City Council. Bustamante himself told me that – and of course he has since become Pulido’s best friend on the Council. Pulido apparently now likes some Mexicans. However, he should have gone with Gawronski. Rivera is already finished and we’re not even in October yet.
Gawronski’s take on the issues is also on her website, as follows:
- I believe that Santa Ana has one of the best police and fire departments in the country and that residents need to learn how to work with them.
- I believe that all future city executives such as City Manager, Public Works, Police Dept., who make decisions on a day to day basis, that affect the quality of life for Santa Ana residents, should have to live in the city of Santa Ana as a condition of employment.
- I believe that the city and the school board should work together to see that the school buses are parked in school yards and not use the neighborhoods as their private parking lots at any time.
- I believe that success in business depends on the reputation of all neighborhoods. Businesses can help improve many of the neighborhoods by encouraging residents and city officials to take action on a variety of issues. This relationship could be a win-win situation.
- I believe that the second City Council meeting (3rd Monday of the month) should be televised or taped and played back on TV for the residents. Adelphia is always looking for new material.
- I believe that in working together and setting our differences aside, we can make needed improvements in Santa Ana.
I totally agree with Gawronski with regards to her second and fifth points in particular, although most of her points make sense. It is interesting that she did not include the PIP program in her list. That’s a good thing!
Does Gawronski have a chance? I think she does. Rivera, Martinez and Leo will effectively split the Latino vote. And all three are Democrats – Martinez in fact was endorsed by both the OC Democrat Party and the OC Young Democrats. Gawronski is a Republican – and she is in fact up for endorsement by the Republican Party of Orange County. However, many of her supporters are Democrats, and she figures to have plenty of bipartisan support. Rivera will outspend the field, and Martinez won’t be far behind, so Gawronski will have to raise money in order to ccompete, but she has a lot of very vocal and active supporters on her side. I would not underestimate her.
I have a feeling that the Rivera camp is going to end up going negative on Martinez, who will be perceived as their most serious competitor. Leon is not getting much traction. However, she will take some Latino votes away from Martinez and Rivera. Gawronski won’t have to win a huge majority of the votes to move on to the council. She will just need to garner more votes than each of the other three candidates. That is certainly possible.
If you are interested in donating to Gawronski’s campaign, send your check to TAXPAYERS for EVANGELINE GAWRONSKI, I.D. #1286901, at: 1426 S. Birch St., Santa Ana, CA, 92707. You can email her at this link.
But Mike Metzler and his PAC over at the Santa Ana Chamber tell us to vote for the Mayor and Fortino and David and Jennifer.
Mikes board over at that Chamber includes Victoria “free trip and discounted condo in hawaii” Betancourt and Al ” I screwed up SAUSD” Mijares as well as Al ” I love Miguel” Amezcua and Arturo” I don’t live in this city” Lomeli.
I recommend that every one vote no on all of the above.
Villsenor appeared as a candidate at the last Ward 6 election, running against Mike Garcia.
She got the fewest votes of anyone in that election, and did not even win her own precinct.
Since then she has not attended neighborhood association meetings, has not been involved in any of our community issues and, since that election, has disappeared instead of being active and engaged in Santa Ana neighborhood or city events and issues.
The mayor and Solorio have propped her up as their candidate of choice after failing to get Harvey De La Torre to run for the seat Solorio and Bustamante kicked Mike Garcia out of at the mayors request. That alone is the reason many residents won’t be supporting her, but for others it will simply be her lack of connection to the Santa Ana community.
Most voters are wondering how Villasenor’s opponent plans on informing voters that she’s a propped up and disenfranchised candidate?
As an informed Santa Ana voter,
I would recommend that when you get your copy of city line, that you tear out the endorsement section so as to remind you who not to vote for.The group endorsed by the chamber care only about enriching themselves.
Looks like it will be the dark horse canidate this year for ward 2. Tish Leon.
Since the rest have been bought by special interests.
Dark horse is right…the lights are already out on Tish’s campaign. She will get dead last.
If Evangeline wins I will buy every resident of Santa Ana a steak dinner at Morton’s.
So Art, can we count this as your official endorsement of Evangelyne?
SO I guess you support councilmembers who will peep in people’s yards without permission. Who support sending code enforcement into our homes in violation of the 4th Amendment.
Folks, vote Republican in Ward 2 and vote in their principles, anti-4th Amendment and anti-property rights.