Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/phil-bacerra/)
Reyna was facing the likelihood of sworn testimony, in public, by other city officials and one of his family members regarding allegations he falsified residency documents. His resignation sets the stage for a potential shift in power at City Hall.
The talks apparently include the possibility of Roman Reyna stepping down from the council.
Roman Reyna is accused of being ineligible for the seat because he was living outside the ward during a city-required residency period and falsified his election paperwork, which Reyna disputes. The outcome could affect the balance of power on the council.
The Nov. 6 election comes as the city faces an ever-worsening financial crisis, pulling $10 million in one-time money this year to make ends meet.
An investigation commissioned by the party found no independent evidence substantiating claims of physical violence committed by Bacerra, but did find evidence of verbal abuse Bacerra and his ex-girlfriend directed at each other, according to a person who has seen the report.
The Democratic Party of Orange County, which endorsed Phil Baccera, has hired an attorney to investigate the allegations, ahead of an Oct. 22 decision on whether to revoke the endorsement.
“What we saw with…the hysteria from Irvine, is this: It’s simply a class-based argument that if ‘I pay enough for where I live, I shouldn’t have to deal with my homeless problem. I should shift it to some other city,’ ” said county Supervisor Andrew Do.
Santa Ana is facing a possible three-way race for mayor in November, has wide-open contests for three of its City Council seats, and the largest fundraising to date has been by the city’s police union, according to the latest campaign reports.
Dubbed OC Bus 360, the program was a response to a 30-percent decline in ridership from 2008 to 2014. But early indications are that the declines are continuing despite the program, according to a preliminary report presented to the Orange County Transportation Authority board.
Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra writes that new market-rate housing developments are largely responsible for the construction of affordable housing units.