The battle over Santa Ana district elections could be headed to court, with another attempt at an emergency city council meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today about getting the measure on the June ballot. The measure was rejected by the county’s Registrar of Voters after Mayor Miguel Pulido refused to sign the paperwork by last Friday’s deadline.
Author Archives: Nick Gerda
Nick covers the city of Santa Ana, as well as the County of Orange, often reporting on issues like homelessness, public safety, mental health, and the role of money in politics.
Since joining Voice of OC in 2011, Nick has regularly shed light on topics that are often kept in the shadows. He’s reported on systemic problems in the county’s mental health system. He also led a reporting team that produced sophisticated looks at how the Disney corporation campaign contributions influenced recent elections in Anaheim.
Nick also revealed evidence of elected leaders using their official powers to apparently pressure government contractors into donating to their election campaigns, in an article that was awarded best news story of the year by the Orange County Press Club. He firmly believes journalism should inform the public and help hold the powerful accountable.
An Orange County native, Nick first started covering local government in his mid-teens, before attending Santa Ana College, the American University in Cairo, and UC Irvine, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Languages spoken: English, elementary Spanish, minimal Arabic and minimal Japanese
Areas of expertise: Local government, local politics, homelessness, mental health policy, campaign finance, California Public Records Act, Ralph M. Brown Act, County of Orange government, Santa Ana city government and municipal finance.
Posted inPolitics & Elections, Santa Ana
Santa Ana District Elections Appear Dead for June Ballot. But Maybe Not.
The county’s chief elections official rejected a last-ditch effort to put the district elections on the ballot, after the mayor refused to sign the necessary paperwork. A majority of council members also apparently held an illegal strategy meeting via group text messages.
Posted inPolitics & Elections, Santa Ana
Santa Ana Voters Will Decide in June on District Elections (Maybe)
After an emotional and contentious debate Tuesday, council members voted 4-3 to put the districting issue to voters in June. Mayor Miguel Pulido, who opposes the measure, apparently has refused to sign the paperwork needed to put the measure on the ballot.
Posted inTop Stories
Orange County Has At Least $230 Million It Could Use to Address Homelessness
Orange County supervisors appear to have at least $230 million in unspent money they can use, in collaboration with other officials and community groups, to help address homelessness, a Voice of OC examination of county government finances has found.
Posted inPolitics & Elections, Santa Ana
Santa Ana Voters Could Decide in June Whether to Switch to District Elections
City Council members appear likely to place the question on the ballot during their Tuesday night meeting.
Posted inCountywide, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories
Broad-Based Campaign Launched to Help and House Homeless People in Orange County
More than 40 local leaders in business, health care, local government and professional sports teams have said they’re on board with the effort, according to organizers at the United Way.
Posted inGovernment, Politics & Elections, Top Stories
OC Supervisors Reject Most Proposed Limits on Taxpayer Mailers That Feature Themselves
The proposed restrictions came amid concerns that supervisors have been using government resources to send what effectively are re-election campaign mailers.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Health & Wellness, Housing & Homelessness, Orange, Top Stories
County Finalizes Purchase of Building for Mental Health Services
The proposed mental health center is seen by advocates and officials as a major step toward addressing a severe shortage of mental health service options in Orange County. There was no word Tuesday on when services will start at the property.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Most OC Cities Support Adding 2,700 New Homes For Homeless, Organizer Says
If built, the 2,700 new units would be enough to house more than half of the 4,792 homeless people counted in Orange County during the latest official count in January 2017.
Posted inInvestigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Santa Ana
Santa Ana Appoints David Valentin as Permanent Police Chief
Valentin is a longtime Santa Ana police officer and manager who has served as interim chief for the past nine months. His leadership of the police department has been supported by City Council members as well as the police officers’ union.
