Several OJ bloggers were at last night’s Santa Ana City Council meeting – which was not held at Council Chambers. Instead it was held in a conference room. Now why would the City Council move the meeting from its spacious Chambers to a comparably tiny conference room? And why would they NOT film the meeting and make it available to us on television and online?
It just makes it look like they are trying to hide something…which is exactly what they are up to.
This is what they USED to do when they held every other meeting at the police station community room. But now they have resorted to holding every other meeting in a conference room at City Hall, as they try to hide their discussions and actions from the public.
I spoke to Thomas Gordon after the meeting. He has promised to put up a full report, but in the interim, here are a few “lowlights” from the meeting:
- A fellow who the Council kept saying works for the OCTA showed up to talk about the streetcar an Renaissance Plan proposals, and other transportation issues. He gave Thomas his business card after the meeting, and lo and behold it said “Cordoba Corp.” on it. And who owns Cordoba Corp.? None other than millionaire George Pla, the major funder of the Santa Ana Business Bank. I have been warning our readers that this bank would end up having major conflicts of interest because its board is packed with local elected and appointed officials, including Councilman Carlos “Space Commander” Bustamante. And its investors include Councilman Vince Sarmiento. Well, here we have a prime example of what I was talking about!
- George Collins showed up and filmed the meeting, which he is going to put on a Time Warner public access channel. He will also have it up on his website soon. I believe the audio is already available. I was told by a parajito that the city will NOT be televising ANY more meetings, as they don’t have the money to do that! Unbelievable! Yet they are looking to blow $15 million PER MILE for the streetcars? And they still give the Bowers Museum $2 million a year? when are these people going to learn?!?
- The small room the Council met in had very few chairs in it for the public…and they packed those chairs with city administrators. What a joke! This Council and the City Manager, Dave Ream, clearly are sending a message to the public – leave us alone to plot ways to blow your tax money when you are not looking.
- There was discussion about a move to give away a plot of land that is part of the Pacific Electric right of way to a developer, who I am told is Martin Investment Company, consisting of H. Rhoads Martin, J.B. Crowell, James Whitaker and Jacob, Craine and Schantz, a Dental Corporation. Incidentally, they are represented legally by Mark Rosen of the Garden Grove City Council.
There will be more reports about this meeting later from Thomas Gordon and probably from Sean Mill. If there is one lesson to take away from this meeting, it is that the Ream/Pulido cabal does not want the people of Santa Ana to know what they are up to. For some reason they think they can still get away with their old tricks, even though we are here to put the kibosh on them time and time again. They don’t know any other way, apparently, and keep going back to their same old bag of tricks. Now more than ever it is clear that we need to clear out the deadwood at City Hall and on the City Council if we are EVER to have any positive change in our city.
Even though you may be on the right truck, because you are a f*****g a******s, you will have less and less support in your effort from reasonable people like me.
In the end you will lose.
-Stan
Stanley,
There is not much about you that is reasonable. And in the end the people will lose…if we cannot change out our Council and many of the city administrators. But I would not expect you to understand that. You are hell bent on hating me and my fellow bloggers…so the Council and your beloved Pulido will keep pulling the wool over your eyes.
Art,
Do my eyes deceive me? Did you report that the council meetings will no longer be televised?
If so, why not broadcast the meetings on the new jumbotrans. We can all plan on meeting at the Crevier Latte Bar to watch them. After all, these jumbotrans were promoted as an instrument to inform the residents.
this blog should be renamed to the “Santa Ana Juice”. Not as catchy, but more fitting.
Well, well, well, you boys would benefit from reading Luis’ post.
He has the right idea, a little common courtesy, some consensus building, and perhaps working through your electeds to bring your thoughts, concerns and ideas forward.
I know you prefer your current style of constant attack and verbal battery, but even your own blog brother sees the error in this approach.
The powers that be, have found their FIRST way tune you out. I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Poster 4,
You have a point. But we do have other writers from elsewhere in the county. Santa Ana just has more news to report about…as it is so poorly run.
Also, Santa Ana is the county seat. As such what happens here does affect the rest of the county, to an extent.
We continue to add to our team so that we can expand our coverage. We have added bloggers recently from Costa Mesa, Villa Park, Capo, and Orange.
Poster 5,
They are not tuning us out. If anything, the reverse has happened. They have given us even MORE to write about.
They are tuning out the public…and that is a sad turn of events.
You cannot build consensus with people who are not interested in open government. These people want to pilfer our tax money without getting caught. Sorry! We are here to let the public know what is really going on. And we are NOT going away any time soon.
You have made one MAJOR MISTAKE Art, and that is why you will not change anything — you will only create meaningless bottles but will always lose the war.
Here is why,.. so read my lips!!
The entire world is about the land and tribalism and that is why they fight for centuries over nothing and always lose and are therefore poor.
There is only one country, one system, in the world, and that is USA, which is about the constitution.
But that is changing and immigrants are starting fight over the land which my end this social miracle called USA.
THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE MADE THE MAJOR MISTAKE AND START FIGHT OVER THE LAND RATHER THAN CONSTITUTION, ART!… THAT IS WHY YOU WILL NEVER WIN!
I tell you news Art! Everywhere in the world if you come from one village to another you will be rejected even though you are same race and speak same language.
Only in the USA that is not true because we are united not by the land but by the constitution.
If the MEXICANS did not start this crapola of the land and did not start waving the MEXICAN flag there would no immigration problem.
I doubt that you have sufficient IQ to grasp what I am talking about and will continue your meaningless battles and will therefore lose.
If you would be intelligent you would line up behind the constitution and start only constitutional battles and than you would win the war.
-Stan
Stan,
The constitution is about “WE The People”.That is what the bloggers argue.The people’s best interests.How do do get that the bloggers are arguing about land.If anything their arguments are about constitutional protection for our residents.
It seems the purpose of the Santa Ana bank will be to produce loans for the planned developments.Maybe it will be a requirement for developers.
Stanley
Up until this post I have had no issue with your silly and incoherent posts, however I do take exception to your latest dribble …
“If the MEXICANS did not start this crapola of the land and did not start waving the MEXICAN flag there would no immigration problem.”
I know you are an emigre and may not be fully steeped in the Constitution, however there is this little old thing called the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments which constitute the Constitution. The first amendment pertains to free speech. The waving of any flag – U.S. or foreign and/or the burning of any flag is protected by this amendment. As an American I am proud that anyone – citizen or not – can wave a flag on American soil without being fearful. This principle embodies the home of the free and the brave.
We AMERICANS value our right to free speech. Our grandfathers, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters have fought to defend it.
You dishonor their service by attempting to trample on the First Amendment.
Art allows you to post your silliness because he values the First Amendment and recognizes your right to free speech on this venue. While you may be an annoyance to him, he is prepared to endure because it’s all about free speech for ALL. Unfortunately, you don’t understand or appreciate that.
Since your primary means of written communication relies on profanity, the above comments will more than likely escape your small mind. So in the words of Richard Nixon, let me make this perfectly clear … you’re fckn nuts. And it makes perfect sense that you’re the water boy for Pulido!
#9 and #10 You have made my point!
I rest my case!
-Stan
Stan,
Thanks for always giving me such great advice.You really know how to keep down those pesky Mexicans.
Best Wishes,
MP
When the city conducted the charette’s on the Renaissance Plan there was no mention of streetcars dotting the landscape. Now it’s easy to understand why this plan has been under wraps, from the public, for over a year.
Council member Sarmiento’s comment, posted below, begs the question — can he vote on this project?
“It really is a defining moment,” Councilman Vincent Sarmiento said. “It really is a way to define ourselves as a city
#13 – If a coucilmember has a stake in the Santa Ana Business Bank and if that bank is financing part or all of the Rennaisance Plan, then they should be recuse themselves from voting on any aspect of the project. Time for yet another federal investigation of Santa Ana City Hall.
#14
Doesn’t council member Sarmiento own property within the Renaissance plan zone? If so, shouldn’t he recuse himself from voting on this project?
And doesn’t Council member Martinez own property within the zone as well?
#15,
The Mayor owns a muffler shop in the Renaissance area,Sarmiento and Martinez own homes in the area and I believe the Alvarez family has a real state business in the area too.Bustamane is a board member of the bank which possibly will be involved in financing projects in the Renaissance area. How are decisions to be made in regards to the Renaissance plan with these conflicts?The Mayor always abstains in voting on issues relative to Downtown, stating his interest in the muffler shop as the reason.
This is a clear example why some people are poor and others rich.
If all you are saying here is true, than you have necessary information based on which you can all capitalize and get one inch closer to living the American dream.
Instead you are acting like anger driven assholes, giving up your opportunity.
That is a core of your problem.
-Stan
# 13
I attendede the Charette Meetings the entire week and you are correct…NEVER a mention of any type of alternate Transportation.
We have waited a year for the RSP to come out of hiding and are ready to once again question it every step of the way.
I will go one step further,
If you think that you are so honest and incorruptible person Art, than you should use your resources to organize Santa Ana Investment Group and collect small investments from the SA poor people, accumulate $1M blocks and invest them into the SA Renaissance projects.
For example that is how the famous Prague National Theater Opera was build and when it was almost finished it burned down and people cry, reinvested and rebuild.
That is why there is so many beautiful buildings in Prague.
In contrast, complaining like you do is immature and childish and creates poverty.
-Stan
Stanley,
Why did the Communist leaders in Prague kick you out of Czechoslovakia when they were willing to kill people just to keep them in. It says a lot about someone when even the Soviet bloc wanted you out.
Claudio,
According to Stan.He was a leading participant in an attempt to overthrow the government of Czechoslovakia.He and his comrades were unsuccessful and fled the country.He ended up in the U.S.A. as a political refugee.
Claudio,
I do not know from were you getting your information, probably from the same book you are getting pictures of the notorious socialists Stalin and Hitler.
The communists did not kick me out. There was so called 1968 Prague Spring Uprising, short democracy was installed under Dupcek and than Russians come in.
Since I was 21 and stupid as you are now, joining others, I start fighting with Russians, they kick our ass and because I was Air Force Officer I had to go to exile.
FYI, communists did not kill any one who wanted to emigrate.
The reason why they did not allow people to go over the border was not to embarrasses neighboring countries with illegal Czechs. In general Europeans hate each other so when I eventually got to Italian refuge camp I was mistreated as any emigrant in the world.
So called Iron Curtain was erected to protect country against CIA paramilitary killers who were killing innocent people in the villages in the border area called Sudetenland.
Of course once in the place Iron Curtain kept people from moving without visa to neighboring countries.
As you know, for same reason, I am against the border between USA and Mexico because it will keep me from going to Mexico as well.
-Stan
a little common courtesy
That’s a two way street.
If the clowns that worked for us in this city really gave half a shit, they would keep the public informed and fight for the residents. They usually spend most of their time hiding.