HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorresponence- Non-Agenda SENT VIA EMAIL
January 31, 2023
Mayor Amezcua
Honorable Members of the City Council
City Hall
Santa Ana, Ca
RE: RECALL OF COUNCILMEMBERS PHAN AND LOPEZ
Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council:
I wish to express my personal and formal opposition to the current efforts to recall Councilmembers
Phan and Lopez.
Why I am against the Recall?
For the record, I support the rental control ordinance,the establishment of the Police Oversight
Commission, and affordable housing. In fact, I am seeking to change state law that would allow Santa
Ana to modify the rental control ordinance to include newer units of senior affordable housing.
While I have some substantive disagreements with the two Councilmembers on certain issues, the
assertion by recall proponents that the two Councilmembers have an ideological premise to defund the
police is not supported by facts.
By my own estimates,the relative percentage of general funds spent for policing has remained the same
for the past few years. In fact, the allocation from the FY 2023 Cannabis Benefit Fund to purchase
additional body cameras was a noteworthy increase of police funding allocations and one which I
vehemently opposed and still do.
In fact, the Council has not been very stringent (in my view) on police spending for leased luxury vehicles
to Lieutenants and Captains under their management contract, excess overtime, workers'
compensation, vendor contracts, vehicle management, and other areas where money can be reallocated
for a more effective government and community health.
What are some background facts on the recall effort?
Without citizen involvement, this recall would not exist.The SAPOA has a first amendment right to fund
and support the recall as do the Councilmembers have the same right to fundraise against it and hold
their offices.
Recalls are a product of progressive politics and are constitutional.
If the recall moves toward an election,the voters of Ward 1 and 3,which includes myself and my
neighbors, will have the final say.
The SAPOA Board of Trustees, which represents over 500 uniformed officers and other public safety
employees as wells as 200 retirees, voted as a majority to support the recall effort.
It is illusory to suggest that the decision of the recall came from the sole effort of one individual.The
interests of the Trustees are with their members. It was the Board, not Gerry Serrano, who gave final
approval to support the recalls.
What are the next steps?
In a few days, I will be speaking to the full SAPOA Board of Trustees in the hopes of getting more
commitment toward resolution and labor peace, which is desperately needed and a benefit to our
community.
The other individuals and parties to the Recall are entitled to continue their efforts, but I hope reason
can prevail.
I hope as a Council you can find a resolution with the SAPOA and as a citizen I do respect both
organizations and enjoy the relationships, but I am troubled on how the climate is moving very rapidly
toward hard politics and escalating vitriol.
A recall of Councilmembers Phan and Lopez is not an effort worthy of the Community's energy.
Finally,for the record, I wrote this letter voluntarily, on my own initiative and effort,without
compensation, and with my sole motive of moving the community forward on critical issues we face.
Sincerely,
Victor D Mendez
Ward 3
CC: Gerry Serrano, President, SAPOA(Via email)
Middleton, Samuel
From: greg@exceptional.org
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 10:30 AM
To: Ridge, Kristine; Penaloza, David; Phan, Thai; Bacerra, Phil; Mendoza, Nelida; Lopez,
Jessie; Hernandez, Johnathan; Saba, Nabil; Sarmiento, Vicente; eComment
Cc: climaterealityprojectoc@gmail.com
Subject: Community Choice Energy for Orange County
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
My name is Gregory Tabat and I live in Santa Ana.
Thank you so much for considering joining the OC Power Authority's Community Choice Energy program. I support this
program because it will save customers money, brings revenue to our community by keeping our rate payer dollars in
Santa Ana, prevents rolling blackouts, makes our grid more resilient, and allows us to convert to renewable energy
faster.
Community Choice Energy will provide our residents and business owners and the municipality with sustainable clean
energy.
When Santa Ana joins with other cities,the program would generate$92 million per year in revenue by 2031.This
money can be used for COVID relief as so many cities are doing now, EV charging stations, subsidies for electric vehicles,
green public transportation --all sorts of programs to green OC. Imagine a future like this for Santa Ana.
Let's do this for our city.To learn more about Community Choice Energy, please visit https:/Coccleanpower.or /
Sincerely,
Gregory Tabat
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