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Orozco, Norma <br />From: Lupita Valeriano < <br />Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 2:06 PM <br />To: eComment <br />Subject: Item 14 - I support - Reside in Ward 6 <br />I am a current resident of Santa Ana, and have been a resident my entire life. If I could go back 15 years when <br />my husband and I purchased our home to raise our family, believe me I would think about purchasing <br />elsewhere. The things that "we" actual residents have to put up with is unacceptable, we have the highest taxes <br />in the county yet live in the worst conditions. People's comments from south county or any other city should <br />have zero weigh in because they do not live nor commute on a daily through "our" city to actually know what <br />really goes on. Their children are not prisoners to their home to avoid seeing everything that goes on. Many <br />times when I drive just to the grocery store with my kids, I have to tell them to look down or away to avoid <br />them looking out the window. <br />Our youth cannot be "kids" because seeing open use drugs or drunks should not be a part of ANY childhood. <br />We live near Memorial Park and my son (14 yrs old) wanted to go for a run to try and get back into shape for <br />when school started (he plays baseball). I thought it was a good idea to drop him off at the Memorial Park while <br />I went to pump gas. Not even 15 minutes had gone by when he called me freaking out because a woman had <br />approached him and solicited herself to him. He was catching his breath when he was approached by her from <br />behind and she grabbed/ pulled his arm. He didn't know what to do and started to run, called me once he <br />thought he was far enough. I rushed over and drove around looking for the individual to report but could not <br />locate. He stated that he thought she was drunk because she smelled like alcohol. It was 3:30pm during a <br />weekday so it wasn't anywhere near being dark. What bothered me even more after I settled down was the <br />thought that IF I had found her and reported her, what would have been done, since he wasn't physically hurt? <br />No one takes in to consideration the emotional part of this incident. My son is a bigger frame type but what if it <br />would have been a smaller frame kid? That situation could have gone south really quick. It's one incident after <br />another and unless you live in Santa Ana you really don't now what goes on. This is the most recent incident but <br />I have 100s, all within the last year that I could take up the entire meeting time to tell you about. It's as simple <br />as kids walking home from school are in danger because these people are not in their right mind yet they are <br />okay to leave to interact with our city's residents. This is not okay and I am glad that this item is finally up for <br />discussion, I support Item 14. We need change in Santa Ana because our kids deserve better! <br />Thank you for your time, <br />Lupita Valeriano <br /> - okto call for further testimony <br />Residing in Ward 6 <br />