As Compton residents continue to publicly complain about the status of their decrepit streets, Councilwoman Janna Zurita made an appearance on KJLH’s Front Page with Dominique Diprima, to explain her actions.
It is well known, throughout Compton, that Councilwoman Zurita didn’t support Measure P, a general sales tax increase, nor does she support a bond to create funding to accelerate street repairs to address the growing pothole crisis.
“Our bad, we’ll fix it,” said Compton City Manager Cecil Rhambo Jr.
By the time Measure P passed in 2016, two scathing audits hit the city stating they were misspending money. In total, $5.2 million meant for street repairs were found to have been misused between 2007 to 2016 and according to the LATimes it has to be paid back.
Related: Compton misused gas tax funds, state audit finds
Eric Perrodin served as mayor of Compton from 2001-2013 and Mayor Aja Brown followed right after in 2013. LOGICALLY, the lack of street repairs CAN NOT be blamed on former mayor Omar Bradley. Janna Zurita was elected in 2011.
On today’s show, Diprima asked Councilwoman Zurita about the street repairs, which she confidently stated would be entirely completed in four years. She gloated that all major roads have been resurfaced, however a large amount of potholes are visible throughout the residential streets, many blocking homeowners driveways.
We had to first complete a payment plan study before funds could be spent from Measure P.
Councilwoman Janna Zurita
2UrbanGirls sought clarification from Councilwoman Zurita in a Facebook community group and so far we haven’t received a response.
For some reason, when the media discusses the city’s woes, they ALWAYS track back to the Bradley Administration and conveniently sidestep former Mayor Eric Perrodin and HIS administration, which includes Councilwoman Zurita, who spent millions of taxpayer and street repair dollars to revitalize the city’s disbanded police department.
The city’s crumbling infrastructure and deficit are squarely rooted in the Perrodin Administration and city residents continue to pay for his mismanagement of the city’s money.
With the Measure P money tied to the General Fund, with authority to be spent on police, fire, parks and what not, and solely not the streets, what is the BEST way to fund street repairs? A bond with accelerated funding, or a pay as you go situation like what we have already been seeing?
If you missed today’s interview featuring Councilwoman Zurita and her challenger Michelle Chambers, you can listen by clicking here.
