Here we go again. The City of Santa Ana’s agenda is online – and it includes this ridiculous item, “50.A: Prohibiting drop off of unsolicited handbills at home.” As usual I need to explain what they really mean. To do this I interviewed an anonymous resident of the Floral Park neighborhood, where Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido lives. I asked her about this measure and here is what she had to say:
“You know, I think what this is really all about is that while we all LIKE the little brown people, we don’t like to see them wandering around in our neighborhood. And all those fliers they drop off are just gross – I mean who eats fast food pizza? It would be one thing if the fliers were for Trader Joe’s or Mother’s Market, or for the California Pizza Kitchen. But really – most of these fliers are for such low class places. It just makes me sick! Plus I don’t like the look of those Mexicans who deliver the fliers…they’re not like the nice brown people who live here in Floral Park. Our Hispanic neighbors are professionals. They wear ties and they like to come to our wine and cheese events. Plus they NEVER speak in some other language. Like our Mayor, he is so nice! I think he is even married to one of us!”
So there you have it – from the horse’s mouth. This is yet another ordinance designed to keep Latino workers out of what few white neighborhoods are left in our city. And the effect of this ordinance, when combined with the City’s witch hunt against Latinos holding signs, will be huge losses for many of the struggling small businesses in our city – many of them owned by minorities.
I am not the only one hammering Santa Ana city officials for the slew of ridiculous measures that have come our way this year. Gustavo Arellano wrote a very wry column about our nutty City Council in today’s L.A. Times. Here are a few choice excerpts:
Teens killing teens. Corrupt school officials. Graffiti that blooms every night. Streets withering into dust. Not enough parks. Two libraries to serve a city of 400,000. A huge, unassimilated and poor immigrant population. Segregated neighborhoods. Overcrowding. Santa Ana, Calif., has all the problems of a metropolis but little of the compensating urban charm. (Although the overpriced downtown lofts amid the quincea
This is STUPID. Just because a few grumpy folks do not like throwing a paper away put on their screen door, they whine and scream to Miguel, and what does he do, APPEASE THEM! Our mayor is friggen STUPID!
We have to find a better way to use our City resources…. I want to know how many hours our city attorneys spent on drafting this ridiculous ordinance. I am CERTAIN there are better places to put that time and money and more pressing needs in our communitites….
Right. And these are the same people who hold up as sacred our system of free enterprise and encourage people to “pull themselves up by their own bootstraps”.
Just don’t do it in my neighborhood. Such hypocrisy.
To me, this is not about the color of people delivering this stuff to my front porch, it is about the practice regardless of what color of person does it.
Every day my front porch is trashed with this hand deliverd junk. On the door mat, tucked into the door jamb, occasionally on the knob but mostly not. I should not have to be bothered to pick it up and trash it on a dailly basis on my own property! How many tree services, gardeners, house painters, etc. and does one need, anyhow?
I have heard that governmental attempts to stop this front porch clutter process have run into the Constitution and that there have been court rulings that says these clutter deliverers have a constitutional right to do so. I wonder then if Santa Ana is tilting at windmills on this one.
Maybe this practice is why more and more homeowners build a wall around their front yard, with wrought iron on top of that, and of course a gate. Too bad we have to turn our homes into a prison to keep this junk from being deposited on our doorsteps.
Also have heard from a couple of law enforcement officers that these guys (almost always guys)are, while making their deliveries of clutter, casing homes for later burglaries. I would not be surprised.
Lastly, the imported kids/young adults knocking on the door trying to earn scholarship money for college by selling subscriptions or whatever. Yeah, right, they are imported – often from LA – and law enforcement tells me this is door to door selling and they need a permit from the city they are working in at the time. Also, casing neighborhoods for later visits.
If I need a service or product I will track it down, do not need solicitations on my doorstep!
#5
People build walls to keep people out, because it’s people like you who peddle the fear-factor.
Poster 5,
“I wonder then if Santa Ana is tilting at windmills on this one.”
Yes they are! This ordinance is a complete waste of our time. Once again our City Council is focusing on red herrings instead of the real problems facing our city.
Art,
It is official, Santa Ana is a complete laughing stock!
The only thing these folks are proactive about is piddly things like sign twirlers and hand bills. They are able to tackle the real issues facing our city so they go after non-issues to help their standing in the eyes of the “Usual Suspects”.
Why do they cowtow to the “Usual Suspects”? If they really made a difference they council make-up would be much different. There would be no Sal, Vince, Michele or Claudia if they had their way. They only tolerate the other 3, despite their race, because they make them feel important.
It is time to disband the NICE Committee! It is time to hold folks accountable! It is time to put the “Usual Suspects” in their place!
Maybe we should push for the city to close down “Spanky’s” porn shop. That might get their attention seeing as how a few of them are regulars there.
I only ask Santa Ana crack to crack down on the unlicensed taco vendors. You know, the ones at the Northgate Market parking lot on Sunday. Man, whatever they put in there gave me the RUNS!!! I suspect the little helper kid dropped a loogie in the bean batch. All respect to the county restaurant inspectors…
Sean, you are so right on this one. People have been doing door to door sales for a hundred years. At least the flyeros don’t bang on your door because they are just dropping off information. They also have a right to freedom of speech. Should be fun to watch Joe Fletcher lose another law suit! It is an American tradition to market your products and services. Shame on all those Mexicans for trying to be American!
Wow…
the #8 is so intelligent I will like this blog.
Why didn’t Alberta Christy shut down Spanky’s while she was on the council? I don’t think she even tried!
I’m a gringo and I don’t mind the flyers. I found my tree trimmer and my painter with flyers on my screen door. (They fell down between the screen door and the metal kick plate and I had to fish them out with a coat hanger and a wad of gum but it was worth it!) I also get the Mother’s of Floral Park newsletter on my front porch but I don’t hear complaints about that. I guess my neighbor’s don’t mind hot young Gringa mom’s in lycra leaving junk mail out front! I also found my dog walker, my baby sitter, and my carpet cleaner and the window replacement company I used with flyers on my porch. Come to think of it, most people I use for work I found with flyers. How else would I know about their services? I think the funniest one is the flyer I get from Mr. Vo the real estate guy. He puts it in a sandwich bag with some little pebbles and tosses it on my drive way from his bike. I think I’ll list my house with him if I ever move just because I like his unique form of leaving his information.
From the posts here on OJ, It seem that in the opinion of the posters, White residents do not like having trash deposited on their porches and doors and walkways.
It is not said but implied that the brown residents enjoy trash or could care less about the trash.
I pick up all the flyers and door hangers left at my place and I do not need any help from the city in doing so. I doubt that the city can ban the practice.
I would like to hear what the important problems ARE and the solutions offered and priority or rank of them instead of criticizing others concerns As unimportant.
I first thought that this would stop me from sending my daughter out with the community dumpster notices and the Riverview West meeting notices, or the WECOP notices, but surely that can’t be right! That is helping the community and that must be protected. Then I thought that it would stop the flyers that come during the election cycle, but that’s political speech, and surely that can’t be right. The city council would never ban that. Then I thought about how the city would have a hard time silencing commercial speech, since they would surely protect the political speech, and that would set precedence, and commercial speech would simply ride on it’s shirttails. I don’t think it would stop the animal control officers from making their rounds looking for dog license renewal scofflaws, even though they go door to door and leave notices behind. So what or who is this ordinance supposed to stop?
The nuisance factor of picking up the flyers, cards and whatever else they leave behind is really a small price to pay for the great freedoms we enjoy, like our First Amendment! Freedom is never free and rarely are we guaranteed any measure of security when we are free. Freedom is fraught with responsibilities, step up to the plate and be free. Accept those burdens with a slight bit of pride and stop complaining about every little responsibility. Yes there are many things we don’t like, but in freedom we must have tolerance for others who use their freedoms in ways that might annoy us, but don’t cause any harm and are in fact an exercise of their Rights.
Do I like picking it all up, or throwing away all those expensive glossy ads during the campaign cycle?
Nope not a bit! But I will gladly pay that very small price with a smile on my face.
Cook,
IMHO the priorities ought to include:
1. Fixing our roads without raising our taxes
2. More parks!
3. More libraries!
4. More after school programs
5. More anti-gang sweeps
6. Mayoral term limits
7. Ward specific council elections
8. Citywide Wi-fi
9. More affordable housing and fixing the current stock of affordable housing
Note that barking dogs, massage parlors, handbills, human signs, etc. are not on my list.
I believe the question to ask here is what kind of “dirt” on pulido do these usual suspects have? Surely pulido isn’t that much of a wimp. I suspect it dates back to the late 80’s when he did his 180 and never looked back.
I mean, come on, they must have something pretty big over this guy, why else would he bend a knee to their every whim?
It seems that this little cabal of usual suspects have their own version of “skull & bones” in SA.
Someone out there knows something and isn’t sharing it with the rest of us.
There are too many frustrated drama queens in SA who cry about little stuff that other cities simply don’t care to make an issue about.
Handbills? My god. Well, here in Irvine some of my tidy neighbors leave a small trash can on the porch that says: “Please put papers here”. And the handbill guy/gal most often just puts the stuff in there. BFD.
I got my trees trimmed. Got a housecleaner. Replaced my kitchen lighting system. Replaced the popcorn ceiling. Tried a new restaurant. Because of handbills.
And the handbill workers didn’t spy in my home. They didn’t ring a bell. They didnt try and kidnap my kids or small pets. In fact when I am working in my yard and they come by, I will SMILE AND THANK THEM for the stuff they are paid to leave. And on occasion I have given the worker a snack or a beverage.
It’s attitude that is keeping SA back. That stingy small-mindedness of trying to control things that don’t much matter in the grand scheme of things. Outmoded thinking should be exposed and shamed. Don’t let up, Art et al.
I would like to complain about something I think hinders residents in SA.
Those electronic tickets that are issued at various intersections. The fees are HUGE and the MONEY GOES TO SOME OUTFIT IN ARIZONA – THE MONEY DOES NOT GO INTO THE HANDS OF THE SA POLICE DEPARTMENT, ROADWORKS DEPARTMENT OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF SANTA ANA.
I spoke with a woman who knew of 5 different tickets that had been issued to various family members over the last 3 months. That is over $350.00/each ticket that will not be spent in Santa Ana. All that money will go to Arizona.
I think that’s just wrong.
And just who is making sure that those camera/intersections are really rigged on the side of safety and fairness, instead of being rigged on the side of maximum ticket issuance?
That little gravy train needs to be looked into, imo
#15
Art, I know it was probably an oversight, but I suggest you add to the list of priorities:
Improved School System
Disabilities Advisory Board
RE: disabilities advisory board – 80% will experience a permanent or temporary disability before we die. There are many issues surrounding disabilities that benefit ALL citizens. Having an advisory committee is a very healthy and productive focus for a city. Those issues are much more real than passing ordinances to fine citizens $1,000 for a barking dog, ticketing paid workers holding signs or dropping off leaflets etc….
If the focus of the city became one of “service and support” to the city’s inhabitants (like the mantra the school system has recently taken) instead of “fine and harass”, you’re going to see a whole new tomorrow.
#17
Your comment about attitude holding Santa Ana back is sooooo spot on!
these companys that send people out should pay postage like everyone else. if the delivery person needs a job, they can lick the stamps and take the envelopes to the post office.
When will Santa Ana have candidates that are actually born and raised there and not imported from another country or city? When will there be candidates who won’t use City Council as a stepping stone to the Assembly? Is Santa Ana so much a lost cause that only people who run for council are those with self-serving intentions? Mayor No Berries ain’t so stupid. He keeps backing brain-dead candidates who serve at his whim. It’s the voting constituents who are retarded. They keep electing idiots who vote for these stupid ordinances.
#22
“When will there be candidates who won’t use City Council as a stepping stone to the Assembly?”
I’ve made this point before…when it comes to term limits, you’ve gotta take the good with the bad. If a new Councilmember know he or she only has 4-8 years to serve on Council, and they want to stay active in public office, the OF COURSE their time on Council tends to be, as you put it, a steppingstone to higher office.
On top of that, let’s assume that you have a career and are interested in advancing it. Would YOU want to have the same job when you’re 50 that you had when you’re 30?
#23. I was referring to the council members who are elected and less than two years later are running for higher office, i.e., Carlos Bustamanate/OC Board of Supv, Claudia Alvarez/Assembly, etc. etc. Elected Office is a privilege not a job.
#24
That clarification is important.
But now that you mention that elected office is a privilege and not a job, allow me to add that being on the SA City Council is also quite a sacrifice, precisely because it isn’t a job. Say what you will about each Councilmember, but outside of a small monthly stipend and some other perks, these folks are giving a lot of their time for the city. Now, is that a scenario that would tempt YOU to stay with the Council for as long as you can?
n2justice,
You know very well that Pulido and Ream place their friends on boards where they can make thousands of dollars over the course of a year.
And Pulido became a millionaire while on the City Council. He worked his political connections to his financial advantage. Look at all the boards he sits on!
I am told that Pulido and company got Solorio his job at the OCTA and they got Benavides a job this year at Downey Savings.
I don’t feel bad for these folks at all. They know how to milk the Santa Ana cow.
Art,
Despite my friendship with David, I do NOT “know very well that Pulido and Ream place their friends on boards where they can make thousands of dollars over the course of a year.”
That’s the sort of inside information YOU care about…not me.
Art,
Additionally, who told you that “Pulido and company got Solorio his job at the OCTA and they got Benavides a job this year at Downey Savings.”?
Were those the same people that told you I was Jon Gothold? LOL.
Gustavo Arellano is a real gem from Santa Ana. He’s got stay power. I always enjoy reading his essays and stories.
Thanks for sharing that.
#17
There are too many frustrated drama queens in Santa Ana and
Julie Stroud, Debbie McEwen and Mary Bloom Ramos top the list.
Good afternoon all.
I just got back from a meeting of the Usual Suspects Club. Guess what? Not one of the U.S. had anything at all to do with this current doorhanger, handbill, front porch ephemera issue. You can of coarse, go ahead and continue to falsely lay the blame on us, but wouldn’t you rather direct your vituperation towards the real culprit.
Go figure, all that venom, the vitriol, wasted…. and it wasn’t even us U.S.
Poster 31,
Sean Mill already addressed this, but in case you missed his post, here is what we now know: Carlos Bustamante is responsible for drafting this insipid ordinance.
And Carlos is of course a guy that the Usual Suspects have championed at every turn. They got him elected and they will no doubt help him in his reelection campaign.
I am told that Bustamante drafted this ordinance because a lady who lives on Heliotrope complained. You guys might want to invite her into your gang. She sounds like a perfect fit!
Poster #32 is correct the leader of the Usual Suspects Club prominently displayed a Bustamante lawn sign at her Riverview home and tirelessly worked on his campaign. Bustmante is prepping for reelection and is pandering to the Usual Suspects Club and his constituents north of 17th Street.
Next thing we know Bustamante will be pushing ward specific elections to ensure reelection.
News flash!
Yesterday my HOA tossed the monthly letter on my porch! On. My. Porch.
If this ordinance had been in place they would have had to put a stamp on it and it would have been safely tucked in my mailbox. Instead I had to endure the humiliation of picking it up and bringing it in!
AND there was a carpet cleaning handbill hanging from my door when I got home later in the evening!!
Just where WILL it stop?! Next thing you know, I’ll get a little pad of paper from the local RE agent. Such the dread.
Outrage! How will I recover? What is Carlos’ number? I think we call ALL agree that this is a 911 issue.
#34
Help is on the way!
A group of concerned citizens are in the process of putting together
a Handbill Recovery Club (HRC). I, like you, shutter at the thought of returning home to a porch of illegal handbills scattered on my property.
We’re in the process of developing a 12-step program, website and 24-hr. intervention line. As soon as these items are finalized we plan to announce HRC’s first meeting on the OJ.
Save your handbills for group depression sessions and journal the feelings you’re experiencing during this difficult time.
We know it’s a trying time. Help is on the way and HRC is there for you.