I decided today to resign from the Santa Ana Housing & Redevelopment Commission, effective immediately. I am doing this as a protest against what the Santa Ana City Council did to my co-blogger, Thomas Gordon, last night.
Also, I am disgusted at how the Santa Ana City Council treated the many citizens who showed up to ask that Thomas be allowed to continue to serve on the EPIC/Gang Commission. I was so proud of everyone that spoke at the meeting. Many of the speakers, including Julie Stroud, really bared their souls. And the Council ignored them. They voted 6-1 to remove Thomas, without ANY debate. They clearly do not respect the people of Santa Ana.
Furthermore, it was utterly dismaying to hear the lame arguments offered by Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, and Council Members Claudia Alvarez and Vince Sarmiento with regard to televising all of the Council meetings.
I don’t want to be a part of this city government anymore. I will now focus my efforts on defeating Measure D – and ending “Clownia’s” political career. If you are interested in donating to the “No on Measure D” campaign, please email me your contact information. Also, let me know if you can help with precinct walking. The campaign starts this weekend! Councilwoman Michele Martinez has already pledged $1,000 to the effort!
I am not the only one who was sickened by the Pulido cabal. Matt/Jubal Cunningham, the editor of Red-County/OC Blog, wrote an amazing post excoriating them for not even having the huevos to vote on Councilwoman Michele Martinez’ agenda item regarding the televising of ALL the Council meetings. Here are a few excerpts from Matt’s article:
I really am astounded at the contempt Santa Ana councilmembers — with the bright exception of Michele Martinez — apparently hold their constituents.
To refresh readers memories, Martinez wants the council to televise every council meeting live on cable and over the internet, and archive meeting videos for five years in an online searchable database.
Her motion died for lack of a second — which conveniently spares the following councilmembers from having to go on record against making council actions more open and available to the people whose votes they ask for and hose taxes they spend:
Mayor Miguel Pulido
Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez
Councilman Sal Tinajero
Councilman Carlos Bustamante
Councilman Vince Sarmiento
Councilman David Benavides
If these councilmembers don’t want their constituents to have a video record of their actions, at least have the intestinal fortitude to second the motion and go on record against it.
The reasons these six councilmembers advanced aren’t laughable. They’re pathetic.
Well said Matt! Be sure to read the rest of Matt’s post as it takes Pulido, Sarmiento and Alvarez to task for their inane comments against Michele’s agenda item.
The Life at the Santiago Street Lofts blog also weighed in on the removal of Thomas from the EPIC/Gang Commission. Here are a few excerpts from their article:
So my friend Thomas Gordon had no chance with the ringleaders of the circus we call city hall. The immediate 6-1 vote in favor of Thomas
I think your resignation is a good move. It will provide you with a lot of extra time to mount your council campaign next year to unseat that useless babboso Bustamante.
Art, what did you expect. You lay down with dogs and you get fleas. After all you and others have written about the city council, school district board, and various others in Santa Ana did you really believe these commission jobs were a reward for your community involvement? They wanted to shut you up.
When that failed, fat Sal did someone’s bidding and took out the first. Had you not resigned I have no doubt you would have been next anyway. Know your enemy.
Fat Sal didn’t move from a hump school board member to city council overnight. His financial status from cheap apartment renter to gated condo community owner didn’t happen overnight either. I don’t think Fullerton School District pays teachers that well. What is the phrase, “Follow the money”.
Well Art they were just recently trying to remove you weren’t they? By you resigning-you gave them what they wanted. Probably woulda been better to stay on and see what happens, but I understand your loyalty.
Mr. Pedroza, in spite of my advice, you have refused to adopt Niccol
This council is done for.
Mr. Pedroza,
Do me favor and do not add any language to my postings or you my face legal action because the actual malice can be shown.
If you do not like my posts please do not print them.
This is my only warning.
-Stanley Fiala
Mr. Fiala,
When you stop submitting comments laden with curse words, we will stop editing them. If you don’t want them edited then don’t submit them.
Fiala,
Go away! You are such a raving maniac. I think you would fit in nicely in Irvine.You make no sense at all and frankly we have more importatnt things to discuss.
Matt did a good thing. This whole clowncil action stinks. Time to get the word out. Pull the stops out, Art. Time for change!
I suspect that you didn’t have the fortitude to stick it out and make a positive change for the City. Then again, gripers rarely do much of anything positive, they are too busy griping. This alone says a lot about your character – and I don’t mean that in a good way. If it’s not YOUR way, it’s the highway. You could have made a difference if you weren’t so emotionally immature. You are now labeled an extremist by resigning. You just cut off your nose to spite your face.
Mr. Fiala,
Stop posting expletives here and your problem goes away.
I think Mr. Fiala’s neighbors need to know that he thinks and says that all Mexicans are stupid and that he has phycological control over Pulido,Benavidez and Bustamante.
He might have to leave town in a hurry.
Pedroza was not forced to resign. He choose to, in order to be more effective.
Thomas was not humiliated. He was made more effective. The humiliation fell on the council members that voted to remove him. The media, different blogs and the county residents are saying so.
Your advice and having phychological control over the council has damaged them. They need to break your spell so they can get in touch with those they are supposed to represent (LOL).
Art Pedroza stated: “Stop posting expletives here and your problem goes away.”
We are not talking about “expletives”!
We are talking about offensive language added by you under my name and forging my signature.
Any offensive language submitted by me is my responsibility.
My problem will go away when I will serve you with summons.
I am sure that once I file legal action many will join since you have done same to others.
I am not only one and others did not post anything here at all and you have printed lies with actual malice about them too.
-Stanley Fiala
Stan,
If your such a fornicating genius, why don’t you explain to all of us, under what exact legal authority you make such threats, or warnings, as you have called them. Are you so culturally devoid to not have heard of the 5 words you can’t say on TV? Well fact is, in most polite conversations, it is not at all correct decorum to use such words. Even those you continually rip, insult and ridicule, for everything including, editing your posts, know that! And you warn them about civilized, educated, lawful behavior?
(YES, I know that speaking to a criminal, about not breaking rules is a complete and total waste of time! It’s simply useless.)
As well, how is it you think you can actually have any kind of power over others, except perhaps invoking involuntary revulsion at being around you and in reality be such an incompetent and ineffectual political groupie? Your one and only strength seems to be increasing the sales of Preparation H. Your lack of communication outside the use of expletives, is a prime example of your lack of quality education and logic skills. Along with your obviously inbreed middle european genes, seems to make you poster child for how not to procreate a species. My only hope is that your wife’s genetic material might just win out.
Being able to make semi educated guesses about how the SA City Council will vote is no big feat. Actually you being able to fill out the speakers cards at the City Council meetings in some semblance or readability is remarkable in it’s own right. Your speaking skills however are remarkable in their own right. It is only on a very rare occasion that anyone can show such consistent lack of logical focus in your ramblings at the microphone as you make some hubristic and animated attempt to argue the majority opinion.
It is my hope that you will crawl back into your hole. We need more casings for the garden.
Art,
Please stop making Stanislav mad! He keeps taking it out on me! Aye Dios mio! Why did I marry this crazy cabron?
#15
You will probably have to explain what you wrote to Mr. Fiala. Obviously what he doesn’t understand is the only malice by legal definition are his posts so far. It would probably be in Art’s best interest just to delete his posts as they detract from the original topic of the conversation and turn it into a written screaming match worthy of CNN.
I always wondered who the nut job was that sits in the front row like a menace to any public speaker. We should all get restraining orders and beat him to the council meetings so he has to stay out.
I have a theory that I would like your comments on. If it tees off some people so be it.
Last night’s meeting started late. Over 15 minutes late, maybe 20. I thought that was strange. What were they discussing?
When the item for Gordon’s dismissal came up for vote, it was over and done with in less than 5 seconds.
ABSOLUTELY NO DISCUSSION
not even from Martinez. I have to repeat. Not even from Martinez. Why? NOT ONE WORD
My guess is that she agreed with with the dismissal OR she made some kind of deal not to talk against it. That is why they were late. They were discussing this item and they were dealing.
Martinez is as much part of this as the rest. Her emphatic no vote was weird as well.
She wanted to make sure her supporters in the audience heard her. Just so that she would not be mixed in with the rest. BUT again, NOT ONE WORD she said. NOT ONE
I think she made a deal…..Comments anyone..
Carlos,
What is your problem with Michele Martinez? She is the ONLY Council Member who voted to support Thomas. She is the only one that tried to get all of our Council meetings televised. And you knock her instead of the other ding-dongs? I don’t get that.
The rest of them had a deal, but please know that they don’t involve Michele in their conversations. She was not part of the effort to toss Thomas. No means no. Not sure why you fail to understand that.
Carlos, I will agree with Art and add this sentiment.
Regardless if Michele agreed with Thomas’s removal… a vote is a vote is a vote.
Last night, Mayor Pulido and Councilmember Alvarez said that the city is doing it’s part to advance “new and innovative” technologies into the city and yet, they voted against broadcasting the council meetings over the internet.
They later claimed to be supportive of the idea, but the fact is they voted against it. There is no other way to spin that other than they don;t want the council meetings videotaped, archived, or streamed over the web. Those two individuals can go to the residents and voters and claim that they are being “innovative,” but when their voting record is brought up, it will seem as though their just blowing steam from their end.
Hopefully now, the city’s residents are waking up to the lies they’ve been spoon-fed for so long from these so-called civic leaders.
Ryan Trabuco,
Maybe the new and innovative technology that they were refering to was the daisy chain phone calls made from Pulido to Sarmiento and then on to the other puppets telling them all how to vote and reminding them all that any dissent would result in their pet projects being not supported by the cabal of clowns.Let’s hope one of them grows a set of balls and asks the FBI for a phone tap to catch Sarmiento and Pulido in this highly illegal Brown Act violation.
#21, agreed. All it takes is one phone call and this city will change overnight.
It’s kind of a shame I’m not elected up there, cause I’d be more than willing to make the call.
Art,
Carlos sees the damage that has fallen on the six council members and is trying to include Michele in the fiasco.
The fact is that the meeting started late because , a pajarito told be, that the six where discussing the Thomas Gordon issue and getting there ducks in a row. Michele was not included in the discussion, because she oppossed the removal.
Carlos, review the vidio of the meeting .As you say the vote was done in 5 seconds. Tinajero made the motion immidiately it was seconded by Alvarez tnen the Mayor took it to a vote all those in favor?,all those opposse? the mayor never said any discussion?, as it is done on any motion.
That is why Michele did not have a chance to discuss the issue.
Your theory is total garmage except the part about they were meating and dealing but not with Michele.
A motoin a second no discussion an a vote in 5 second is indicative of prior agreement on a vote and indicative of a Brown act violation. Monday morning they were saying they didnot know about the removal item on the agenda but a few hours later they vote the same way without a discussion even though 13 speakers supported Thomas.
This should smell bad to any one reading about the action by Pulido,Samiento,Bustamante Claudia, Tinajero and Banavides.
Definitely looks like a Brown Act violation.
Pathetic. They all need to be called in for accountability.
hello guys
I have no problem per se with Martinez. I think she is a bit green politically but I do like her passion. HOWEVER, back to my original thought, I am still troubled by the fact that she said nothing during the vote.
I couple that with the meeting being late and I am led to believe that some kind of deal was forged.
on another note..does the referendum process exist at the local level?
Can Santa Ana citizens put on the ballot an initiative to get all council meetings televised?
Folks, you are all reading too much into this without understanding that it was Sal who called for removal of a member of Sal’s cabinet in which case the council virtually must affirm!… same as when Sal called for Gordon’s appointment the council affirmed without any discussion.
The Council has [no] right to hold Sal hostage to his prior poor decision to appoint a member to his cabinet — which was done on Sean’s recommendation to start with.
Without Sean influence Gordon would never be appointed by Sal.
However, if the call to remove a Sal’s member of his cabinet would come from any other council member inclusive of Mayor — such removal would be in fact questionable.
People often do not understand the issues and thus get suspicious based on their own ignorance.
Carlos –
Council member Martinez’s strong and loud “NO” vote reveberated throughout chambers. It’s her vote that will galvanize the charge to dump Claudia Alvarez and end Silly Sal’s political career!
VOTE NO ON MEASURE D on Feb. 7!
Post # 23 is my post. Somehow I typed in my name wrong.
Carlos,
I think your idea of placing the question of televising the council meetings on the next vote opportunity is great.
Carlos,
Again she did not have an opportunity to address the item based on how the vote process was structured and managed by the Mayor. it was by design. You are correct in your perception “of a deal was forged”. Michele was not part of any deal though.
ARt,
God love you man…but how stupid
does it get here? Don’t you quite
realize that forcing these people
to remove you from the board seat
is far more powerful than taking
your bat and ball and going home
because you can’t bat clean-up?
Brutal!!!
I am going to retract what I wrote.
I saw a replay of the meeting and by viewing it the second time around it did appear that the motion, second, and call for votes was set up to be fast.
all Martinez could do was to shout no.
Mr. Lomeli is correct
#31
The appearance of collusion rang through loud and clear and that’s one reason Pulido keeps petitioning for “off camera” workshops.
I’ve lived in this city for over 25 years and I have no recollection of the council making a concerted effort to hold council meetings in the various community centers. Furthermore, when Alvarez, Bustamante and Benevides were begging for our votes last election cycle they PROMISED ALL COUNCIL MEETINGS WOULD BE TELEVISED. Televised council meetings was a major issue at the time. At no time did these clowns mention taking council meetings offsite and into the community centers.
Pulido, Alvarez, Bustamante, Sarmiento and Benevides are good at shoveling the shit. Why they continue to operate on the premise that Santa Ana voters are stupid is insulting to their constituents.
DUMP CLAUDIA ALVAREZ – Vote NO on Measure D!