Inglewood Finance Department misleads residents about public hearing on water rate increases

City of Inglewood Acting Finance Supervisor Peggy Velasquez, is responsible for billing residents for water and trash services. She has made many residents angry with erroneous public hearing notices she mailed out last week.

Related: City of Inglewood Revenue Decreases 2% in Proposed FY 2019-2020 Budget, Water Rates Scheduled to Increased

As previously discussed, the city of Inglewood is proposing to raise water rates effective November 1st but needs to hold a public hearing to receive residents comments on the issue. What Velasquez has done is unconscionable.

Notices were mailed to residents with the WRONG name on the envelope and accompanying letter. This would lead residents to believe the notice was sent in error because THEIR correct name isn’t on the notice.

Outraged residents took to the NextDoor app to express their frustrations.

This is especially a burden on senior citizens who live on a fixed income and might not open the letter if not addressed properly.

Velasquez is well known for shutting off senior citizens water, who then have to call the Mayor’s office, in order for her to turn it back on.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts amended the Inglewood Municipal Code/City Charter to remove evening meetings when a peculiar petition was presented to council on behalf of the seniors. They allegedly wanted the meeting time moved so they could attend earlier in the day.

2 Urban Girls is unable to reach city staff due to ITC Director Matthew Chambers having blocked our email from the city’s server. Shame on Velasquez for her attempts to keep residents from speaking out against the proposed water rate increases, to please her superiors on the 9th floor. Most commonly known as the city’s administration offices.

We have included a form below, that you can print out, and send in to dispute the rate increase. The Public Hearing will take place November 5th @ 2pm in Council Chambers.