Some Santa Ana residents said this week they no longer trust City Hall, pointing to incomplete information released by the city about the resignation of former City Manager Kristine Ridge.
“Santa Ana voters are losing so much faith in the system,” said resident Ray Diaz. “Time and time again we see this distrust of the police, and now we see this distrust of our elected officials.
“If we can’t trust the systems or institutions that are supposed to be for and by the people, then what are we supposed to believe in? »
Diaz was referring to the city’s decision to keep information about Ridge’s departure — including a $163,000 payment — out of public view.
Late last year, after four years as Santa Ana’s city manager, Ridge threatened to sue the city, alleging harassment and hostile working conditions, according to a letter from his attorney sent in September . When Ridge resigned in October, the city agreed to pay him $489,000 in salary compensation and nearly $163,000 more for what was described in the severance agreement as “alleged personal/physical injuries and emotional distress.”
But the city’s press release regarding Ridge’s departure made no mention of his allegations or the taxpayer money the city spent to address the problem. Additionally, the language of the severance agreement states that the press release would be the only public statement regarding Ridge’s departure.
Following Ridge’s departure, the city launched — and then expanded — an internal investigation into his allegations. Ridge claimed, among other things, that Mayor Valerie Amezcua made public statements suggesting that Ridge was not qualified for her position because she did not speak Spanish and was not Latina.
Six months later, Santa Ana city officials still aren’t providing any details about the city’s spending or Ridge’s allegations. This week, they declined to release an unredacted version of the September letter sent by Ridge’s attorney.
Several passages of that letter were redacted by Santa Ana officials before it was made public following an official records request from the Orange County Register. City officials on Tuesday (April 2) refused a request to fully unseal the letter, saying the redactions could not be made public to protect the privacy of staff and confidential negotiation conversations.
City spokesman Paul Eakins also declined to comment on issues related to the city’s incomplete press release following Ridge’s resignation.
David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition, a nonprofit that promotes press freedom, said a city can make valid arguments about drafting a document. He also said he did not have enough information to say whether Santa Ana was legally required to notify taxpayers about money spent on their behalf or allegations made against city employees.
But he added that personnel issues are not a blank check for a city not to be very open about issues that concern taxpayers and voters. Political inconvenience or potential financial risks due to illegal actions are not valid reasons for withholding information from the public.
“Only personnel matters could constitute an unwanted invasion of privacy,” he added. “It’s a bit of a sliding scale. It depends on who the person is. Is this a high-ranking employee or just a low-ranking employee or someone on the front lines? »
Loy said it can be argued that the higher you are in the chain of command, the less expectation of privacy you can have.
“Cases that talk about people like school principals or allegations of misconduct against superintendents, the public has a right to know how these issues are resolved, even if it turns out to be completely without foundation,” he added. “The public has an interest in knowing how this investigation was conducted and was this outcome appropriate?
Legally, Loy said the city of Santa Ana is not required to announce to the public when it settles allegations of misconduct with taxpayer dollars.
But the legal obligations, he added, constitute a strict minimum.
“I think they should, as a matter of best practice, be more transparent.”
Some residents, like Diaz, suggested it was frustrating to pay city officials who then don’t explain to them how their tax money is spent.
“What is the city trying to hide?” This is (more than) $100,000, taxpayer money that otherwise could have been spent on any other much-needed service,” Diaz said.
Complaints about spending could become louder as the city’s budget shrinks.
Measure other services, police retention, homeless assistance and graffiti removal. The city stands to lose up to $30 million in revenue within a few years.
“Discussions are taking place at City Hall around the looming financial problems the city will have once Measure X is completed. It’s very disappointing to know that the money we have right now is being spent on these claims,” said Santa Ana resident Carlos Perea, former commissioner of the Measure X committee.
“Now we have to pay money that could be used for other things, like parks or other essential services. We do not know if there will be any further complaints. I think the public should be concerned about any future exposure to litigation.
Perea added that the city’s failure to disclose expenses and other details related to Ridge’s resignation does the public a disservice.
“Since Mayor (Miguel) Pulido, our city has come a long way to ensure that City Hall is more transparent, more accessible to the public – and that residents can trust the word of its government officials,” he said. Perea said.
“The city’s lack of transparency on this issue puts us two steps back from where we were before. It’s not about politics. This is not about elections. It’s about what’s at stake here in the city when we can’t trust leaders.”
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