Santa Ana Can’t Afford More Division

So, Santa Ana is going to be an empowerment zone.

So, the city stands to get $10 million a year for the next 10 years. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t want $100 million?

Amid the joyous weeping and hugging that greeted that news this week, however, one question wasn’t asked:

Is it really a good idea to tempt this city with a windfall? Just as this historically divided city is s-l-o-w-l-y coming together, can it figure out how to spend $100 million without factions eating each other alive?

One longtime resident likened the prospect of so much cash floating around to “throwing chum in the water.”

Perhaps the money question could be asked of any city or dysfunctional family--it is, after all, the root of much evil. But it’s especially apt for Santa Ana, of which one longtime resident says of trying to unite the city: “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men would rather try to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.”

Sadly, the temptation comes at a relatively quiet period in Santa Ana’s life. Indeed, it’s been almost a year since Councilman Brett Franklin accused fellow member Ted Moreno of shoving him, leading Franklin to suggest that Moreno get psychiatric testing.

And it’s been several months since Moreno and Councilmen Tony Espinoza were indicted on federal charges of extortion and money laundering. Both denied the charges and Moreno underlined his denial by running for mayor.

He lost but remains on the council, a veritable lone wolf on the board of seven. Not to be overlooked, though, is that he pulled 30% of the vote in the mayor’s race.

Not that the city has ever lacked for factions.

This is a city that has squabbled over swap meets and street vendors and billboards and police-response time and bilingual education and fundamentalist education.

And that doesn’t even include the two rollicking election contests between Bob Dornan and Loretta Sanchez, in which the growing Latino immigrant community got mad at Mayor Miguel Pulido because he didn’t support Sanchez forcefully. Not to mention that the Latino community itself is split between a liberal crowd linked to immigrant rights and its more ensconced conservative residents.

Even Mayor Pulido, now seen as a consummate insider, got into politics as a consummate outsider. He didn’t like the city’s efforts to redevelop an area where the family muffler shop rested, so he fought and then ran for office.

Santa Ana’s penchant for internecine warfare goes back a ways. Ironically, one of the splits a generation ago revolved around whether the city should even apply for federal redevelopment money. Some thought it was a no-brainer; others thought the money came with too many strings--such as minority group set-asides--and wanted no part of it.

Nowadays, everyone wants the federal money.

That’s progress, I guess.

The city has named a 20-member commission to administer the spending. Already, some people are worried that no two people in town could agree on how to spend that much money, let alone 20.

We’ll see.

The federal largess comes at a time when the historically potent Anglo presence north of 17th Street is ceding more and more power to the emerging Latino population, and as the Pulido-led council faction scuffles with the more liberal immigrant-rights group embodied by Hermandad Mexicana Nacional.

It’s possible that all will go swimmingly. With enough money for everyone’s pet projects, harmony and love may guide the spending decisions.

On the off-chance it doesn’t, a thought:

How about spending the first $10,000 or so on a self-help video: “Don’t Let Money Ruin Your Life.”

Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821, by writing to him at The Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or by e-mail at dana.parsons@latimes.com