HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE - 55B
Orozco, Norma
From:Melissa Palmerin <palmerinmelissa@yahoo.com>
Sent:Monday, July 06, 2020 10:52 PM
To:eComment
Subject:item number 25g, 55B, 65d.
My name is Melissa Palmerin. I live in ward 6 and today I will be addressing item numbers 25g, 55B, and 65d,
Item number 25g:
I hope that as council members, you all see the extension of the wages over the next 2 years, not as a symbol of
generosity, but rather a confirmation of the claims many in the community have made about the police department and the
POA. The fact that the POA are using the plight that the city of Santa Ana are in to push their agenda of increasing funds
allocated to the police department, in any form is absurd. To add the 2% ($1,226,321) increase for the retiree health fund
for police officers, that tax payers will have to pay, when many of us do not want to, is built on the assumption that the city
council is in favor of all things police. This assumption is built on the actions brought forth from this council during the 2
previous city council meetings. The $200,000+ in vehicles, the majority of the city council in favor of the budget as
presented, the claims affirming the jobs of police officers regardless of the neglect and abuse residents of Santa Ana
endure from the SAPD. I vote to take out the one-time contribution to the retiree health fund. Instead, I would like to see
those funds, that we seem to have, be allocated to Covid testing for those who do not have insurance, for remote therapy
for those who are experiencing mental health issues enhanced by the pandemic, and financial support for those
unemployed. If the best the city council can do is providing sanitizer and supporting the wearing of masks, during a time
when we have the highest cases in OC, demonstrates the priorities for the council. If we have the $1,226,321 to give to
the police retiree health fund, we have the funds to provide testing, medicine, money to those unemployed and
uninsured. Many of you may have voted to increase the salaries of police wages, but I urge each and everyone of the
council members to represent the residents of Santa Ana, in the manner in which we have told you. We have stated that
we do not want to fund the police department, this also means the benefits police officers get.
Item number 55B:
I vote against the council charging candidates for the 200 or 400 word candidate statement. Why is there a cost for an
electronic copy? According to the statement in the staff report "election code allows the Council to establish a charge to
be levied against candidates in order to recover the cost of printing, handling and mailing these statements (pg 2).
Therefore, why is there a charge for the electronic copy? Shouldn't the city council give all those running to have the same
opportunity to advocate for themselves without the burden of having to pay $2,601.10 for a candidate statement. I find it
unfair for those who are running, who do not have the means to pay these funds, regardless if it is optional, having to opt
out. As a resident of Santa Ana, I want to hear the voices of each candidate equally. Why can't each candidate post their
statement on the Santa-ana.org website under city hall for free? Having candidates statements included in the voter
pamphlet should not be based on monetary returns for printing, handling and shipping. It is our rights as residents to have
every candidate represented in the voter pamphlet, regardless if the candidates can pay the cost or not.
Item number 65D:
I oppose the budget, along with many residents in Santa Ana. I would like to refer to statements from Villegas and Pulido
in 2017. A The reason why I want to bring up certain statements from 2017, is because during this time there was $17
million in legal fees taxpayers had to pay for the killings and use of excessive force by SAPD. In 2017, there was not a
large public demand to defund the police, but rather to create a citizen oversight committee. According to the Voice of
OC, Pulido stated in response to the committee in 2017, “I think it’s not broken. Don’t fix it, leave it
alone. They have plenty, plenty of review.” Villegas stated "People make mistakes. We all
make mistakes". Now 3 years later, residents of Santa Ana are calling for both, the defunding of SAPD and a
citizen oversight committee. Yet, for members in the city council, the rhetoric for three years have stayed the same.
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Villegas still states in 2020, "we all make mistakes". Pulido still believes that "if it isn't broken, don't fix it". After hearing,
many residents call in the previous council meeting about the abuse, harassment, and negligence demonstrated by
SAPD, we still has Solorio, Pulido, and Villegas vocally state that SAPD either needs more funding or is doing a great job.
The residents of Santa Ana have spoken, we want to defund the police and allocate those funds to youth programs,
homelessness, education, college prep, mental health programs, affordable housing, helping those who are
undocumented, and drug addiction programs. The programs we, as residents, want to see are those that are not
associated with criminalizing our youth, rather providing them with better paying jobs, better teachers, better curriculum,
summer programs, mentors, and therapists. If ones worry is the crime in Santa Ana, then one should not look for the
solution in the police department, but rather look at the causes. Unemployment, racial discrimination, lack of resources
and programs, homelessness, lack of affordable housing, and racist policies. To fund the police, to increase their
salaries, is to criminalize people who are most affected by unemployment, racial discrimination, lack of resources and
programs, homelessness, lack of affordable housing, lack of insurance, and racist policies. The problem is not those who
are being criminalized or are perceived as criminals, it's the racist policies put in place, that subjugates low-income POC
to act in a manner that is perceived criminal, to those who have the means to survive or thrive in a capitalistic country.
Census:
- 23%= educational attainment of a high school degree
- 17.7%= poverty rate
- $29,970= the female median yearly wage in Santa Ana
- $32,489= the male median yearly wage in Santa Ana
Personal experience:
- there are hardly any apartments that are decent that cost less than $2,000 a month.
- Minimum wage jobs hardly give benefits or wages to support oneself financially.
- Many are discouraged to go to college by teachers and councilors.
- Lack of resources or programs at all SAUSD schools to prepare students for college.
- Many of my friends who work full-time had to drop out of college.
- Many people I know have mental health issues.
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