Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/miguel-pulido/)
Raul Godinez works for the city of Lynwood, which has one-fifth the population of Santa Ana. He previously led the larger public works departments of Oakland and Santa Ana, before his run as city manager of El Monte abruptly ended in controversy.
Former Santa Ana Police Chief Carlos Rojas has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming he was forced to resign after whistleblowing and as part of a concerted effort by the mayor and police union president to push him out.
The Santa Ana City Council is considering filing a lawsuit against the county – and inviting other cities to join – alleging mismanagement of the millions of dollars in federal homelessness money the county gets each year.
Santa Ana is the first city in Orange County to have such an agreement, which requires construction contractors to hire workers through a union referral system.
Roberto Herrera, who works in Santa Ana as the Community Engagement Advocate for Resilience Orange County, argues that Santa Ana City Council members need to get out of the jail business and start investing in other strategies that enhance public safety.
In a legal claim he filed against the city, Carlos Rojas said he “was forced to involuntarily resign his civil service position as a result of potential illegal activity and/or noncompliance [with rules and/or regulations] among city officials.”
The new contract raises the base salary for officers and sergeants by 5.6 percent to 10.6 percent, depending on seniority and work schedule. Supporters say it’s needed to keep compensation competitive, while opponents say Santa Ana can’t afford the increase.
New concerns are being raised about whether the city has been illegally overcharging residents and businesses for trash collection and using the money for other services like police, firefighting, and parks.
Santa Ana’s acting police chief was suddenly switched Tuesday for the second time in as many months. Officials said the change was completely unrelated to the possible hiring of a former CHP officer who made national headlines when video showed him repeatedly punching a woman in the face who was on the ground along the 10 freeway in Los Angeles.
If the deficits continue and the city has to draw from rainy day funds, it could be pushed to the brink of bankruptcy a few years from now. City officials say they’re working hard to find ways to save costs and grow revenues.