Adam Elmahrek over at Voice of OC last night wrote about the hiring of outside counsel to answer Claudia Alvarez’s questions about whether she can run for another two terms on the City Council. In February 2008 the City Council forced a special election to expand term limits for Council members so that Claudia could get another term on the Council. The transparent political favor was even run out of her home. The measure (D) extended the city’s existing term limits for the Council from two four-year terms to three.
Alvarez now wants to know if she can run again based on the theory that the extension of the limit was a new law rather than an extension of a current law. If it is new, then her term clock would have started over and she would be eligible three more four-year terms on the City Council. It looks to me that the City is shopping around for an opinion that supports her desire to run for another term on the Council. The Council has not discussed the hiring of outside counsel and from Adam’s report, it isn’t clear the Council knows for sure what’s going on.
From Adam’s story:
Council members Sal Tinajero and Michele Martinez said they had heard about outside counsel’s involvement but hadn’t confirmed it.
“It’s probably about her [Alvarez],” Martinez said. “She’s the only one that’s going on her 12th year. No one else is.”
You would think that a City on the verge of financial collapse would have a City Council more in touch with what is being spent. Then again, this is the Banana Peel Republic of Santa Ana, why would you expect that?
Santa Ana is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Claudia Alvarez served on the city council for 12 years.
She wants another 4 year term.
QUESTION for municipal voters:
Is this what you want?
She got 40,000 votes in her last win, if she runs again, I expect she would win again.
Most voters want her, does that answer your question.
Alvarez, is subject to the same limits as everyone else. 3 terms, and the 1st term started Nov 2008. So she can run 2008 and 2012 and 2016 and finish her final term in 2020, unless the cattle change term limits again and restart the clock.
“Change is good, but it’s also good when council members stay put,” said Max Madrid, a city parks commissioner. “If you change them all the time, they barely get going and they have to get out of office.”
Looks like Max Madrid loves to get his $ 50 stipend and free Subway sandwiches while dozing during the commission meeting Claudia Alvarez appointed him too.
SOmeone here should do a “Who is Max Madrid” post. Start digging, this guy has some serious skeletons in his closet.
Councilman Sal Tinajero said an extra term would help council members have “better relationships with our city staff, which they really need to get projects done.”
Didn’t Sal Tinajero and his inept fellow Councilmembers fire all those staff members? Guess Sal Tinajero could care less about relationships and only wants the money.
I do not use public resources, such as agency staff time, equipment, supplies or facilities, for private gain or personal purposes.
I demonstrate concern for the proper use of agency assets (such as personnel, time, property, equipment and funds) and follow established procedures.
I am a prudent steward of public resources and actively consider the impact of my decisions on the financial and social stability of the city and its residents.
Using staff and public funds to hire outside counsel with the ultimate goal of extending her corrupet political career is the ultimate violation of the code of ethics. It’s high time the Grand Jury investigate this waste and fraud.
Claudia Alvarez had the following language placed onto the ballot:
“This measure would make all terms of members of boards and commissions in the City four years, and change the terms limits from two to three to coincide with the term limits of city council members proposed by Measure D. If approved by voters, this measure will only become effective if Measure D is also approved by the voters.”
If she hadn’t gone to a third rate lawyer diploma mill she should have stated it as such:
“Shall Section XX of the Santa Ana City Charter be amended to allow Council Members to serve three consecutive terms, rather than two consecutive terms, and to provide that term limits shall be applicable only to future terms rather than to current or prior terms?”
Maybe Claudia Alvarez, Paul Walters and Joseph Straka should be worried more about the current fiscal disaster facing Santa Ana and less about extending the term of the person to blame for most of Santa Ana’s fiscal disaster, Claudia Alvarez.
I struggle understand why all the attention on Alvarez.
Get your neighborhood association to request an appointment with hr (if you live in her ward), or get five or six of your neighbors and call her.
Sit down and explain your grievence.
She is an elected official who was hired and is accountable to us. Why is that so hard to undersatnd. I promise you, none of these politicians would refuse to meet six or eight citizens.
I defy her to refuse a meeting to answer questions from members of her ward. If you don’t live in her ward and are still worried about something she is doing, call YOUR councilmember.
We can complain about money, corruption and a host of other allegations, but the most effective way to deal with a council run afoul is to confront them. Plain and simple. Why don’t you call them?
Again we elected her, her reelection is in our hands.
That sounds good J-MACK, but the problem is .. she doesn’t care what her detractors think (no matter if it were 6 or 20) and the voters are ignorant.
The only thing that is going to beat Claudia is money – money for a lawsuit or money to put up a viable candidate against her.
“but the most effective way to deal with a council run afoul is to confront them.”
Absolutely not true of this city council. Benevides will take a meeting. So will Sarmiento. The rest of them, nope.
The only way Claudia stays on the council in 2013 is if she runs for Mayor
No more time for Alvarez. Twelve years is enough for this council member. We also need to terminate Pulido’s long run as mayor. Whatever good for SA these little politicos did has been done, as is the case for whatever harm (and there is some) that they have done.