Here is another roundup of some of the most thought-provoking reader comments of the week. Comments are selected by our editors and subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity and length.

Click on each topic’s headline to see the article in question.

An Unfriendly Farewell for the City Manager

Given that the concern about [Santa Ana City Manager Paul] Walters seems to have been his close relationship to Pulido (to the exclusion of the council), and that the concern about Pulido seems to have been whether his getting wealthy in the mayor’s position involved any improprieties (which Walters may have been in a position to know and do something about, but if so, apparently didn’t), such a hearing might be a lot more interesting than even Walters and Pulido expect.

Is there immunity from suit for defamation, as exists for court hearings and at least some legislative business, for council members if they bring up their real concerns during this sort of hearing? I don’t know that council members would need to say more than this:

We think that Pulido may have profited improperly from his position as mayor.

We are concerned that the lack of transparency in City Hall may have facilitated any such result.

And we are concerned that, given his close relationship to the mayor, Paul Walters is not the person whom we want running the investigation or in a position to hamper it.

So we are relieving him of his position.

What court would step in and prevent that sort of move under those circumstances?

Oh well, bring on the hearing, if that’s what Walters and Pulido really want.

— Greg Diamond

This council has not considered any outside factors like stakeholders. The council has failed to consider what the bond rating agencies will do to their ability to borrow money.

Lack of stability will cause Santa Ana to have its bond rating downgraded, making it impossible to borrow money. Interest rates will rise, and bond holders will want the money now, not later. We are headed for bankruptcy sooner than later.

Way to go “Stupendous Six!” These council members are over their heads, and when the state takes over, they will be ousted.

— Way to go Santa Ana

The real problem is the City Council. Replacing the city manager is simply a bully’s quest to teach the mayor a lesson and doesn’t move the city one inch closer the utopian vision expressed by the editorial’s author.

— SA Resident

This council should be able to decide the fate of Mr. Walters, and I’m personally offended that he declared he’d stick around for five or six years.

Maybe he doesn’t understand, but he serves at the pleasure of the council. Declaring you are above them and will stay as long as you wish is the ultimate in hubris.

Walters needs to go because he can’t help himself. He’s declared himself king, and that cannot continue.

— Sillysarmiento

Why Only Fullerton?

Homelessness is a county problem. And Fullerton should not be the solution!

Do you not think that the [county] supervisors want to rid the eyesore of the homeless from [the Santa Ana] Civic Center and send them to your backyard? Out of sight, out of mind.

The only reason the supervisors are addressing homelessness today is because they’re reminded of it every morning when they come to work. As soon as they are rid of the eyesore, their problem with go away. It will become yours.

So I ask you not to fall for their scam. Fight them. The homeless population should be distributed proportionately around the county — and yes, to South County too.

[Supervisor Pat] Bates knows that she would get major pushback from the South County residents if she promoted homeless shelters in San Clemente, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, etc. But she has no problem doing it to you.

The route you take is your business. I just want you to know what you’re dealing with up front. I can practically guarantee that a 29,000-square-foot homeless shelter in one city is going to cause nothing but problems for you and your fellow citizens. It simply isn’t a fair solution. A fair solution would be to allot the problem throughout the county and not to impose it primarily on one city.

— Beelzebub

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Here is another roundup of some of the most thought-provoking reader comments of the week. Comments are selected by our editors and subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity and length.

Click on each topic’s headline to see the article in question.

Will Santa Ana Council Majority Push City Manager Out the Door?

I’m sure that they came to a nice gentlemen’s agreement. Maybe Paul will push for a salary or benefit increase for the council? Who knows? But they always seem to work their problems out in a civilized manner. It’s really easy when you’ve got tax dollars to play with, especially when no one is really held accountable for the use or misuse of taxdollars.

— Beelzebub

It is evident there were political negotiations that occurred in the original appointment. Seems that the particulars of those negotiations have eroded and a new evaluation is in effect, void of the original political negotiations with Pulido.

From what I see, Walters needs to communicate to the council that he is loyal to the entire council, not only to Pulido, to pacify the council majority.

I believe no one should have a problem or argument against this relationship between the city manager and the council. If this communication does not happen, then the relationship between the manager and Pulido is a problem and, in effect, as the council perceives it.

— Art Lomeli

A New Supervisor and a New Chairman

The new California retirement law went into effect on Jan. 1, I think, so Supervisor [Todd] Spitzer didn’t have a choice. He had to take the lower pension; there was no other benefit plan. It was either that or not accept one at all. When you look at the issue thrrough that lens, he actually took the best retirement plan he could get.

That aside, I think his new initiatives are worth the effort, and I wish him much success, particularly with the homelessness issue in the Civic Center. It’s starting to look like Skid Row in Los Angeles down there.

Several volunteer groups provide food and clothing, which draws a growing population who all camp in the area. Janet Nguyen has paid lip service to the effort for the last few years and accomplished nothing. In fairness, it’s a complicated issue, but they have to find balance with helping these folks and at the same time not turning the area into a cesspool.

— Don Draper

The majority of the county supervisors stampeded to turn El Toro [Marine Corps Air Station] over to the city of Irvine amidst promises by city officials of a regional-type park and assurances from the city manager circa 2001 that neither taxpayer funds would be needed nor would a redevelopment agency be proposed to finance its development.

The supervisors agreed to the property being annexed into the city of Irvine, giving the city full land use jurisdiction, in spite of promises of inclusiveness.

Of course, the promise of no taxpayer or redevelopment agency funds was quickly forgotten. The size of the proposed park shrunk, the number of houses to be approved on the property grew (along with the projected volume of traffic on surrounding roads) and according to news reports, the city has spent over $200 million on planning and related PR. But after 10 years there is little to show for it on the ground.

Given all this, it is hard to imagine how [Supervisor Todd] Spitzer can turn this ship around. If he does, he will earn the confidence of a lot of voters.

I want to also point out that the developer who bought the property and has a development agreement with the city has a huge property right in the base and would, it seems to me, be entitled to compensation should that development agreement be negatively impacted by an initiative and county take over.

This is not just a simple jurisdictional turf war. It would be a legally complex and expensive matter.

— News Hound

[County supervisors] are all experienced, polished politicians. They know what side of their bread is buttered and who put it there. Nobody wants to be the odd man out and catch the short end of the stick.

I predict they all hang together tight and screw the taxpayers to the wall as much as possible. Cronyism will not end with [Shawn] Nelson as the new chairman or with [Todd] Spitzer on the board. It will be business as usual. Mark my words.

For the first couple meetings Spitzer will act tough just like Nelson did. All of them do that. Then Spitzer will enter right into the fold and just become another player.

— Beelzebub

These are a lot of great ideas from Spitzer. So he has had some kind of Christian spiritual awakening? That usually spells “guilty,” but let’s give him a chance to act on it. A lot of people will be looking forward to working with him on tackling Orange County’s homelessness concerns.

— Got your back

Preserving Open Government

It is a shame after all these years the Brown Act still lacks teeth for enforcement and a lack of will to enforce it to any degree. If those charged with enforcing the act would take more minor allegations seriously and slap local government with real consequences like fines and jail time, the number of violations would be drastically reduced.

When local officials know they will never be held accountable, the law is useless. We are fortunate there are now, more than ever, more blogs and news outlets such as Voice of OC willing to “out” transgressors. Still, if officials are not particularly embarrassed by their actions, what good does it do?

— Keepdapeace

Since you've made it this far,

You are obviously connected to your community and value good journalism. As an independent and local nonprofit, our news is accessible to all, regardless of what they can afford. Our newsroom centers on Orange County’s civic and cultural life, not ad-driven clickbait. Our reporters hold powerful interests accountable to protect your quality of life. But it’s not free to produce. It depends on donors like you.

Make a tax-deductible donation

About Voice of OC: Mission | Editorial Policies | Contact Us | Funding | Privacy Policy

Join the conversation: In lieu of comments, we encourage readers to engage with us across a variety of mediums. Join our Facebook discussion. Message us via our website or staff page. Send us a secure tip. Share your thoughts in a community opinion piece.