Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/santa-ana-city-council/)
An update of ballot counts Wednesday evening showed Anaheim and Santa Ana candidates retaining the leads they had in election night counts. At least 40 percent of ballots are still left to count across Orange County, which could take weeks to finish counting.
The outcome will decide control over Santa Ana’s city government.
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.
The Santa Ana City Council moved forward Tuesday on redrawing district boundaries that could mean some of the three incoming council members, who will be elected Nov. 6, would be out in 2020.
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.
Santa Ana is moving ahead to open a new 200-bed homeless shelter by the end of the year, following unanimous Santa Ana City Council approval of a one year operations contract. The location hasn’t been announced.
Santa Ana City Attorney Sonia Carvalho adjourned Tuesday’s city council meeting in the middle of public comment while people were still waiting — some for four hours — to address a half-empty dais.
Federal judge David O. Carter has warned cities against pushing homeless people to other areas, saying it raises constitutional issues.
City officials say they need the extra $63 million to maintain existing service levels and fix aging infrastructure. Most of the increase apparently would go toward maintaining existing services and the pension cost increases for the existing workforce and retirees.