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July 5, 2022 Dear Mayor and City Council of Santa Ana and Orange County Supervisors and other interested parties: On June 30, 2022, The City Council of Santa Ana posted a statement on the city website: "The City of Santa Ana recently learned that one of its officials and the official's family were threatened with physical violence. The City Council wants to make it absolutely clear that it will not tolerate threats against public officials and employees of the City of Santa Ana. The City will work in partnership with the Orange County District Attorney and other state and federal authorities to ensure that any threats which violate criminal law are fully investigated and prosecuted...." This is noble and right. Will you make the same efforts for citizens of Santa Ana? The nightmare of last night, July 4, 2022 from 7 PM to AFTER IAM must never be allowed to happen again. I am referring to the out-of-control illegal fireworks raging across our city and the surrounding areas. I have lived here for over six years, and this is getting worse and worse. And may I add that in Santa Ana, the explosions are year-around. I live near the corner of Macarthur and Main on the top floor of the Pinnacle apts. I have an almost 360 view of the surrounding cities. A few years ago, it was fun to watch a few shows in the distance.Now on July 4,horrible explosions are happening nearer and nearer to my residence. My heart was saddened by my call to dispatchers who reported trying to keep up with the "hundreds of phone calls" they received the night of July 4. I suffered in absolute terror at the bombs going of all around me for hours and hours. I made my calls, there was nothing anyone could do. If "hundreds" of calls came in last night reporting this, I am not the only one who has had enough and I am guessing thousands more people like me tried to get through on the lines. I heard a helicopter around 9 or IOPM. I suspect they were not able to do anything at this point. The last time I called dispatch, she said they were dealing with emergencies. I called the Fireworks line a few days before July 4 and was told that more officers were to be put on from July 1-5. Then I saw on the website fireworks are allowed during those days. Why should any fireworks be allowed on any day other than July 4? In December, 2021, a proposal was introduced by some council members in response to citizens requests to ban all fireworks in Santa Ana. I learned the TNT Fireworks company tugged on the heartstrings of the board, and did not make any changes to policy. Their reasoning was funding for the band and athletics departments. Hogwash. The Santa Ana Unified School District budget is over$700,000,000 with 85% going to salaries and benefits! hi that Dec. 2021 proposal (www.newssanta.org is-it-time-to-ban-all-fireworks-in-santa-ana), the proponents and opponents argued about smoke, trash, culture, non-profit revenues. According to this article, the number of total fireworks seized in Santa Ana alone increased from 1,725 in 2017 to 59,493 in 2021! This is unacceptable.