State Senator Lou Correa is hosting a meeting this Friday, at noon, at his office, at 2323 N. Broadway, to discuss the Santa Ana Renaissance Plan. Correa told me at his Holiday Open House that he opposes the Renaissance Plan. That is great – but why haven’t we heard from Mike Metzler, the Director of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce?
O.C. Register editorial writer Steven Greenhut has lambasted the Renaissance Plan because it is so unfriendly to businesses in the affected area, but why hasn’t the Director of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce stepped up to defend those businesses?
The fact is, Metzler NEVER does anything to oppose Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and his crooked cronies. Metzler supported the ill-fated Ream Assessment, which we defeated. He was SILENT when Pulido and company raised our water rates this year. The cat got his tongue when Pulido and his cabal made massage businesses illegal, even though many Latino workers who have no insurance rely on massages when they throw their backs out.
And we all know now that Metzler threw a big Christmas party this year – and he hired a caterer from Costa Mesa, not from Santa Ana.
So why does Metzler still have a job?
It gets worse. I hear that Metzler has been rationalizing the fact that most of the Chamber’s big events are held OUTSIDE the city of Santa Ana by saying that his chamber wants to be a regional entity. Really? Do the members of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce know their dues are being spent this way? What about the Chambers of Commerce that already serve our surrounding communities? Perhaps they have a say?
Metzler has overstayed his welcome in Santa Ana. He is consistently out of touch with the people of Santa Ana. He never steps up to oppose the harebrained schemes of his buddy Pulido, even when they attack businesses. And Metzler employs an all-white, all-male executive team at the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce. The man clearly has no clue.
So maybe it is time for us to start a new Chamber of Commerce in Santa Ana? One that actually works hard to help and promote SANTA ANA businesses? I applied for membership in the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce weeks ago, and never did hear back from them. Maybe I need to start a competing organization?
Or maybe the board of directors at the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce needs to find a new executive director – and fire the entire so-called executive team?
The SANTA ANA Chamber of Commerce should be a SANTA ANA entity, not a regional entity!
“Pulido and his cabal made massage businesses illegal, even though many Latino workers who have no insurance rely on massages when they throw their backs out”. I have never laughed so hard in my life!!!If my husband gave me that excuse for going to a massage parlor (meaning NOT a chiropractor or spa), his back would be the LEAST of his worries.
We are way over due for a Latino Chamber president in Santa Ana. (How about Dr. Art Lomelei or Teresa Saldavar?) Too bad he can’t be recalled. I still remember when he ran that lame campaign for State Assembly and got embarrased by Ted Moreno and then spanked by Jim Morresey.
To post no. 3 – Richard Porras is the Santa Ana Chamber President and he is doing a great job. He happens to be Latino.
To post no. 1 – By your logic then Santa Ana businesses should do business only in Santa Ana with Santa Ana businesses. Uh, kind of limiting don’t you think?
The massage parlors serve as a means for human trafficking, primarily in the Asian community. Restricting massage parlors is probably the only good thing that the Santa Ana City Council has done in 2007.
#4, the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce is here to serve the businesses of Santa Ana and to promote Santa Ana businesses to those outside of Santa Ana. The Santa Ana Chamber is supposed to be the city’s biggest booster of what is great about Santa Ana. The least that the Santa Ana Chamber could do is to host Santa Ana Chamber events in Santa Ana. Despite Metzler’s delusions of grandeur, the Santa Ana Chamber is NOT a regional entity.
The Chamber should be supporting businesses that are members of the chamber and located in the city of Santa Ana.
having a business and in the past worked with a non-prof (both in SA) i can honestly say that the “chamber” has done NOTHING to help businesses that make this city. the chamber should be making a clear, strong voice above all concerning this matter…this is what they are here for! if they cannot make a statement or stand concerning a MAJOR business development then what are they doing??
the chamber should be about business, not politics.
I’m sorry but you become REGIONAL when you build a strong business sector in your own community. The rest will follow good leadership and innovation. Metzler should try and focus on making Santa Ana outstanding on its own.
It’s a shame to hear that Metzler would rather send Santa Ana business dollars to another city…shame on him.
THE SACOC is a joke they don’t help commerce, they line Metzler’s pockets.
Get Latino business owners to unite and then get the Warner coridor workers and you’ve got a viable organization.
This talk scares the shit out of Metzler, Pulido, et all. but it’s a HUGE gap in the Martienez plan to put the city back in the handsof the people.
#7
the point exactly!
isn’t that the point of the Chamber?
if i belonged to the Chamber, i would be disgusted and kind of embarrassed. especially if my business could offer the same services…do those businesses know? Art, get a hold of them..i think they would be pretty pissed-off!