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April 21, 2026 Mayor Amezcua and Members of the Council City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 Re: Item 27 - AB 645 Speed Safety System Pilot Program Dear Mayor Amezcua and Members of the Santa Ana City Council, My name is Angeles Ochoa, and I am a resident of Santa Ana in Ward 4, represented by Councilmember Phil Bacerra. I am also the Digital Organizer with Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD). I am writing to express concern regarding Item #27, the proposal to pursue amendments to AB 645 to allow for a Speed Safety System Pilot Program. I want to be clear: our community deserves safe streets. We all want to prevent traffic injuries and protect pedestrians, cyclists and families. However, safety should not come at the cost of increased surveillance, especially when that surveillance has been shown to disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. The proposed program would rely on automated cameras and license plate readers to issue citations. While this may seem like a straightforward solution, evidence from other cities raises serious concerns. In places like Chicago and Washington, D.C., automated enforcement systems have resulted in significantly higher ticketing rates in Black and Latino neighborhoods, reinforcing existing inequities rather than addressing safety in a fair and just way. This concern is especially important given Santa Ana’s recent expansion of surveillance through ALPR technology. Before adding another layer of automated enforcement, the City must take a step back and fully evaluate the cumulative impact these systems may have on residents, particularly immigrant families who may already feel over-policed or at risk. There are also practical concerns. Cities like San Francisco have faced delays and challenges implementing similar programs, raising questions about cost, feasibility and effectiveness. At a time when funding sources like Measure X are set to sunset, the City should be cautious about investing in programs that may create long-term financial obligations without clear outcomes. Most importantly, there are proven, non-surveillance solutions that make streets safer. Investments in infrastructure, such as speed bumps, raised crosswalks, bulb-outs and road design improvements, can reduce speeding and save lives without collecting data or issuing fines that disproportionately burden working families. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the City Council to pause on advancing this resolution and instead conduct thorough research on the outcomes and impacts of AB 645