A Culture of Fear: Santa Ana's Political Machine
The current recall election in Santa Ana, which came about after a majority of Santa Ana city councilmembers rejected the Santa Ana Police Officers...
The current recall election in Santa Ana, which came about after a majority of Santa Ana city councilmembers rejected the Santa Ana Police Officers Association's proposal for police officer raises in contract negotiations with the city, is a clear attempt to undermine democracy. It directly places the SAPOA at odds with the voters of wards 1 and 3, who duly elected councilmembers Thai Viet Phan and Jessie Lopez to represent their respective neighborhoods. A recall should reflect the power of the people to remove elected officials before their terms expire, not simply empower special interests seeking to consolidate power in Santa Ana.