On November 14th, the residents of Santa Ana will have the opportunity to decide whether Councilmember Jessie Lopez should retain her seat on the dais.
A sufficient number of signatures were gathered for a recall effort, prompting the City Council to schedule a public vote. The upcoming ballot will ask voters if Lopez should be recalled, and if so, who should replace her until November 2024.
The recall effort, led by the Santa Ana Police Officers Association, accuses Lopez of advocating for the defunding of the police and supporting policies that have led to rent increases. However, Lopez disputes these claims, stating that she actually voted in favor of rent control and the establishment of a police oversight commission. It is her support for these measures that has prompted proponents of the recall to seek her removal.
Lopez expressed concern about the dissemination of false and inaccurate information to residents throughout the process. She maintains that these misleading statements have fueled the recall effort against her.
During a previous meeting, the council debated whether to schedule the recall vote. Some members advocated for waiting until the outcome of a lawsuit, filed on August 1st, contesting the presentation of false or misleading information during the signature gathering phase. This lawsuit is still pending.
The city incurred $22,936 in costs to verify the petition signatures, and the special election is estimated to cost between $607,403 and $666,990.
Councilmember Than Viet Phan expressed frustration over the substantial expenditure of taxpayer dollars – over $600,000 – for an election that will take place in approximately a year. Phan emphasized the importance of being prudent fiscal stewards by using the budget to provide essential services and meet the needs of residents.
Phan was also the target of a recall effort, but the petition did not meet the deadline for submission on August 7th.
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