Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/category/regions/central-county/westminster/)
Aggressive police unions, spending on law enforcement over youth programs and few citizen oversight boards — activists and leaders say OC’s debate is years in the making.
Without an extension of a voter-approved sales tax increase, Westminster officials say there’s a $17 million budget deficit on the horizon — one they can only sate with an equal amount in spending cuts.
When the Council unanimously approved the program Wednesday, they also approved the program’s funding source, which took out $1.1 million from a city fund that was initially set up for improvements to poorly maintained properties and structures in the city’s west end. Residents and watchdogs quickly pointed out that the fund is still needed for that area, but has remained untouched for years.
Ever since a leadership vacuum opened up among city executives the city hasn’t had someone at City Hall focused specifically on economic development, according to staff.
Tonight, Fullerton could join other cities in OC requiring face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Cities like Costa Mesa and Buena Park required everyone to cover up when out in public, while others like Santa Ana, Irvine, and Westminster only apply the mandate to employers and workers in essential businesses while residents in those cities are merely encouraged to cover up.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered that Santa Ana’s special recall election –deciding the fate of Councilwoman Ceci Iglesias’ seat — will happen entirely through mail-in ballots. Meanwhile, final election numbers on Westminster city council recall shows majority faction retaining their seats.
More than 700 ballots remain to be counted, though recall election results Tuesday night showed a clear majority of voters chose to keep Westminster City Council members Kimberly Ho, Charlie Nguyen, and Mayor Tri Ta in office.
It would be the latest city to join a growing list banning evictions throughout the county amid the coronavirus public health emergency. Many residents in Little Saigon area live in rental units with many others living in accessory dwelling units and mobile homes.
In-person voting has been cancelled for a special recall election in Westminster. It’s still up in the air whether Santa Ana’s special recall election will follow suit. Meanwhile, county elections officials will proceed to review a referendum movement against a controversial Santa Ana apartments project and a ballot initiative to relocate a planned Veteran’s Cemetery in Irvine.
Recent orders — and subsequent clarifications — by the county health officer weren’t immediately translated into non-English languages when they went into effect Tuesday. Meanwhile, local activists and doctors have taken it upon themselves to ensure key information about the novel coronavirus gets across to immigrant families and businesses where English isn’t the first language.