Santa Ana mayoral challengers Alfredo Amezcua and Charles Hart
Santa Ana Mayoral candidate Charles Hart clearly outshined the other mayoral challengers at last night’s Com Link City Council candidates forum.
Hart explained in his opening statements that he has worked for seven years at the County of Orange, first in the Sheriff’s Department and now in the Health Care Agency.
He said the top issues are safety, unfriendly business environment, and our schools.
He said that our local Enterprise Zone has had a negative growth rate – and that we failed to attract businesses even with tax cuts. He said that there is no limit on taxes on businesses after the first year. He talked about transparency and mentioned specifically Councilman Benavides and his monthly meetings with residents.
He said we need to “chop from the top.” Hart said he would cut, for example, Code Enforcement middle managers. He mentioned that the Health Care Agency did that, and that they got rid of middle managers. He however somehow hung on to his job even though he has no background or education in health care. He also said he has a good, well-paying job. I am sure he does. And we the taxpayers are footing the bill.
Click here to read the rest of this post.
I hoped somebody asked him how exactly he thinks SanTana used to be good…
Gustavo,
Alas, the moderator didn’t pick that question. Candidates George Collins and Helen Martinez also said the same thing about Santana being good years ago.
I must agree with you in your assessment of Mr. Hart. While I don’t neccessarily agree with his positions I do think he presented them well. I thought that his one word answer for what the best thing about Santa Ana is, “potential”, was the best answer of all the candidates.
Mayor Pulido again showed why he is the Mayor and will be re-elected. He has a much better working knowledge of the office and what we need in a leader. He may not be as personable and energetic as some of his opponents but he is much more connected and in tune with what it takes to be Mayor.
The Mayor’s biggest problem is that he does not publicize all the work he does on behalf of Santa Ana. He works tirelessly on our behalf and does most of the work behind the seems without any credit. Other politicians spend their time clamoring for adulation aand recognition, but Mayor Pulido just stays out of the spotlight.
It was clearly an anti-incumbent crowd last evening. Many of the candidates fed off that and use sound bites to zing the current leaders just to get crowd approval. Charles Hart’s claim that he will not take any compensation if elected was clearly grandstanding.
Gustavo,
Nobody did ask him. I will make a point of it next time I see him. He talked about making Santa Ana the “Golden City” again at last nights forum.
Funny thing is, Ward 6 candidate Helen Martinez is using that same talking point though much less eloquently.
Being born and raised here and being close in age to both of them I really want to know when Santa Ana was this “magical wonderland”. As long as I can remember we have had gangs and such in our city. The downtown area is much nicer today than it was in the 70’s and 80’s when Hart, Martinez and I grew up.
I wish they could both point to a time when Santa Ana was a great as they remember or claim it to be.
Hart talked about having to hang his head in shame when he tells folks he lives in Santa Ana, well I am proud to live here and never hang my head when I say I live here.
Hang his head in shame? What a moron. What a bigot. Even with my problems with the Don Papi, I say SanTana is one of OC’s great cities. Hart: shut the hell up.
You need to get out more…
When I moved to SA and updated my address with my employer’s HR, I got some bad stares. Fact is that SA has a very bad reputation. With Pulido in office for so long, that makes it his failure.
Joe: Well, you should’ve told HR off, then. People in Orange County don’t know what “bad urban” area” is. Chingao, we’re spoiled…
Sounds like it was a great forum. If he does not win, then I hope Mr. Hart will get more involved in city affairs. I think he has a great political future ahead of him. Perhaps he can run for State Assembly or Senate when Solorio and Correa are finished. The Republican party needs men like him. Pulido will win buy Hart will be a not too distant 2nd. Mr. Tinajero is awesome and the best public speaker in Santa Ana politics in my opinion.
Watch the replay on web steam.
Did not seem to be a “debate” just speaches of talking points.
Cook,
Which is why it was called a forum. But the candidates most certainly did take swipes at each other, as one might expect.
Being born and raised here and being close in age to both of them I really want to know when Santa Ana was this “magical wonderland”. As long as I can remember we have had gangs and such in our city…. said Mill.
According to SAPD Tony Harrelson it was prior to 1950 before you were born.
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: RE: The EPIC & The Hazard Crew
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 06:58:40 -0800
From: Harrelson, Anthony
To: Standa
Stanley
You are taking an isolated example (Nunez) and attempting to generalize the gang situation here in Santa Ana. We have a population of over 340,000 residents with 90 documented street gangs that have a rough membership of 5,000. The Santa Ana Police Department has less than 400 total police officers. Our gang situation has existed since the 1950’s and will not be mitigated without a collaborative effort from the private sector, public sector and community based groups. I’m not sure what “fudged” statistics you are referring to regarding EPIC, which was formed to recommend solutions to the City Council and not as an action body.
As always I’m willing to listen to any reasonable idea regarding criminal street gangs and the destruction they cause.
Tony Harrelson
I believe mayoral candidate George Collins was the best speaker in com link forum because his answers and ideas how to get revenue for our city.futhermore he has showed when things can be done even fighting with the burocracy from city hall.
I heard Pulido say in the forum that the police and firefighter unions had talked with all the other candidates and then they endorsed him.
Funny that the other candidates (I talked with some afterwards) have no recollection of having been in talks with the unions.
And, he doesn’t list any endorsements on his website: http://miguelpulido.com/endorsements.html
It appears that Pulido has stretched the truth quite a bit on this topic.
Not something I like to see in a mayor…
It is nothing new by pulido “NOT SAYING THE TRUTH” he has the endorsment of the associations that he mentioned in the forum. looks like He can foresenn things comming!. It is sad that he did not see the debacle of our city budget and crisis and do something about it!. It is time forHIM to LEAVE!. Vote for Collins!!!!!
Personally I felt Amezcua took the show. Amezcua loves this city and Pulido really has not done much. No offence good luck guys.
Diego,
No one I spoke to afterwards thought Amezcua won. He appeared nervous and fidgety and was clearly out-hustled by Hart.
At this point I think Amezcua might come in third place.
“No one I spoke to afterwards thought Amezcua won.”
The women I talk to on my walks in the morning who all watched the debate and keep up on local politics all felt sorry for Al. They said he should run for school board since all he talked about was school issues. He’s not Mayoral material at this point in his life. Maybe down the line.
Yeah.
Well My name is Chris and I LIVE in Long Beach (but I work for the county, sometimes in Santa Ana) and my friend Dan LIVES in Irvine (a really nice WHITE PART CALLED NORTHWOOD). Dan rented a desk in Santa Ana, and on days when I don’t pack my lunch (so I can blog on my own time, not the OCHA’s…IE TAXPAYERS) I sometimes eat at Carls Jr. or Taco Bell there to support the community.
I think that Miguel Pulido is a bad bad man. He thinks just because he lives there and because he is “all that” (plus my friend Dan says he’s not as good a basketball as nicole from irvine!).
We have a good plan for Santa Ana, just because we don’t live there, does’nt mean we don’t get to write about it. Our friend Claudio DOES live there, he sends his kids to EL SOL. You know EL SOL, thats the school that: Pulido, Correa, Gee, Laguna, Olivios, Sophman and Kennedy all sent thier kids too on Cynthia Crioolis urging……Only to have it fail and leave 250 SPANISH SPEAKING KIDS high and dry!
But that does’nt matter, because ALL WE CARE ABOUT IS OURSELVES……(oh and Santa Ana too…..really….)
PS- Matt Cunningham is really a conservative! He is just a spy on the OCF Commission!