Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/sonia-carvalho/)
After city staff said the council didn’t have the legal authority to rescind or suspend the sales tax increase, which voters approved in 2018, council members David Penaloza and Phil Bacerra criticized Iglesias for bringing up the issue.
Santa Ana is now set to get a new city manager May 1, but will hold a special election this November to fill the vacant City Council seat formerly held by Roman Reyna.
Santa Ana officials are looking for money in other parts of the Police Department budget to fund $4.3 million for police pay increases this fiscal year, as City Council members continue to be deadlocked over whether to fund the raises.
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.
The Santa Ana City Council again delayed deciding if city voters in November will get to vote on whether they want to switch from at-large city council elections to district-based elections.
The city is seeking court orders forcing the mayor to sign paperwork to allow the measure to proceed onto the June ballot.
The budget pressures are prompting warnings from the city manager that services may have to be cut back, despite growth in tax revenues. The funding gap is projected to grow to $40 million in five years.
In a tense meeting this week, City Council members said in coming weeks they will re-approve the original agreement – including the use of emergency reserves.
The city is also charging residents millions of dollars in fees on trash bills and transferring it to the city general fund, which pays for police and other services. Councilwoman Michele Martinez said that violates state law.