Santa Ana's Budget Crunch: Protest Costs Mount

0:00It's April 22nd. This is California News Today, powered by AI, Santa Ana staring down a $16 million budget shortfall, and the bill from last summer's anti-ice protests is making it worse. City officials revealed they dropped about $500,000 just responding to those demonstrations. Most of that cash, around $400,000, went to four chaotic days last June, the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 14th. It started when the city attorney got a heads up call from the Department of Justice, prompting police to step in. Protesters flooded downtown streets, fired up over tougher immigration crackdowns from the Trump era. Local cops aim to keep space between residents and federal agents, but that move sparked heady criticism from the community. Now legal headaches are stacking up, with four claims and one full lawsuit against the police actions. Officials have no clue yet on the total payout, but it could balloon way beyond what they've already spent. As the budget crunch titans, Santa Ana's weighing how to absorb these hits without slashing

1:02services citywide could get real messy from here.