Inglewood’s Economic and Community Development Department is requesting amending the FY 2021-2022 budget in the amount of $3.2 million to provide building and plan check services to the Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center project during the June 21 regular city council meeting. The resolution seeks the funds from the City’s reserves.
Total inspection fees will exceed $5 million to be paid . The City allocated $800,000 under the current budget however the department states the account is nearly “depleted”.
Plan check services are provided under a separate agreement to multiple consultants who are also due to have back invoices paid on the same council agenda. The city expects to spend close to $2.5 million in the current fiscal year and another $2.5 million next fiscal year.
The City provided a lengthy description of capital improvement expenditures during the May 24 regular city council meeting where both the mayor, budget manager, and former city manager all said the projects aren’t expected to be completed during the fiscal year they are approved.
The City’s mid-year budget review detailed a $22 million deficit. During the May 24 regular city council meeting, the council gave City Manager Artie Fields $500,000 signature authority to make payments during the two weeks there were no city council meetings (5/31 & 6/7).
Does the City need to come back and revoke Fields’ authorization? How would taxpayers know if he spent that money or not? Does the Finance Department even know for that matter?
Fields was due to report back to the council on how those funds were spent, however, he wasn’t present at the June 14 meeting. Based on the number of invoices on the June 21 agenda, Fields doesn’t appear to have paid any of the vendors.
Particularly invoices related to the Intuit Dome which Mark Weinberg specifically referenced when he discussed the $22 million deficit at great length.
The mayor responded under his breath ”not gonna happen” when told about the upcoming financial obligation yet here it is on the agenda. You can click here to hear him say it.
Wait. Why are taxpayers paying for this? Has Ballmer actually purchased the land yet?