Inglewood residents have big choices to make in the upcoming November election. Residents have begun pulling nomination forms and the clerk’s office has published a list of potential candidates.
MAYOR
Mayor James T. Butts Jr. has drawn the most challengers. Campaign finance reports details he only raised $5000 for the period 7/1/2021 – 12/31/2021. The city clerk’s office hasn’t provided reporting for 1/1/2022 – 6/30/2022.
Here is the list of potential candidates who have pulled papers thus far.
Marvin McCoy, Angelique Johnson, Miya Walker, Chika Ogoke, Raina Carillo, Erick Holly, and Fredrisha Dixon.
DISTRICT 1
Incumbent George Dotson appears incapable of raising money. If it weren’t for the loans provided to him by Mayor Butts he wouldn’t be on the council. Dotson appears to be in declining health and is regularly viewed reading from cue cards during council meetings. Rumors persist that he is only running so he can step down and have the council appoint someone to his seat.
Kevin Taylor, Gloria Gray, Cindy Giardinia, and Yolanda Davidson have pulled papers.
DISTRICT 2
Incumbent Alex Padilla has drawn a couple of potential challengers: Robert Brown and Solomon Meuz.
SCHOOL BOARD
Seat 1: Naomi Hammonds is the incumbent, however, her name isn’t on the list of potential candidates: Ronald Gomez and Zyra McCloud are.
Seat 3: Brandon Myers and Shirley Nichols.
Seat 5: Incumbent Ernesto Castillo is the only potential candidate listed.
Candidates must obtain 40 signatures to qualify for the ballot. Are you familiar with any of these names?
12 Comments
I’m another Pissed Off Resident: Listen Mayor Butts and City Council members are not distributing Covid-19 Rent Relief program Funds, They have only given Housing for Tenants and landlords very little money to serve The resident, the program TBRA which is mainly for Seniors and Honorable Discharge Veteran(homeless). The Board members of housing authority are:Mayor Butts, and the 4 City Council members from District 1, District 2, District 3, and District 4, with no elected person from the resident of City Inglewood, to make sure the Resident are getting their share. Mayor Butts and his people received the 31 million from President Biden, They receive and they distribute the money the way they see fit, no Audit were done on the funds or Accountability to the residents when the resident asked Mayor and Council members where are the remaining funds, If no one is there to check Mayor Butts and City Council Member, they can release funds into the General Funds, so they can use on their re-elect campaigns. Residents from each District should be on the Housing Authority Board. and it should not be a resident the love Mayor Butts and the City Council member in their district. Some one that would stand up to these Politicians as they distribute the state and Federal Funds that are for the Residents of the City of Inglewood during this pandemic. Greed is in the City of Inglewood from the Mayor and his posse ( City Council Members).
I’ve been employed in public policy/public affairs for more than 18 years. Some of the corporate sponsorships/political contributions I have processed were made to the City of Inglewood and the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce. I can confirmed that the behavior stated by one of the commenters on Erick Holly in his role at the Chamber is completely accurate. My employer contributed $70K+ in corporate monetary dues/sponsorships, which I processed, that were earmarked for events/programs for disadvantaged Inglewood students. Those events never took place and to this date, Erick Holly has never provided a full accounting on how those funds were spent. He is rude, incompetent, deceitful and greasy.
The Chamber’s new person, Halimah Guinyard, is no better. Lack of professionalism and zero ability to manage, she can barely put together a coherent email in simple grade school grammar. Furthermore, she had the audacity several months ago to ask for $50K for 2022 event sponsorship. I was so delighted to say NO and reduce her funding by -75%. Sadly, my employer will not allow me to defund Inglewood Chamber due to optics but damn sure I will make sure going forward, money meant for students and senior will go to them directly.
Would love to see some money go directly to students at Morningside High School. Alumni are working hard to turn the school around to avoid future closure. Would love if you look at opportunities to support MHS directly.
Joseph Nelson
MHS Alumni
Class of 84
Academics First Committee
[email protected]
Mr. Nelson,
I will be happy to look into funding for students at Morningside HS. I can confirm that a high school junior residing and attending school in Inglewood did receive a monetary scholarship of more than $34,000 to attend a 4-year college of his/her choice. The student’s teacher was whom I worked with to obtain this scholarship. That teacher, the student and his/her family were ecstatic when they received that check. I have found Inglewood classroom teachers amazing to work with. Inglewood Unified School Board Members not so much, almost all never return phone calls or emails nor can they even write a simple paragraph. I also had to remind them that I do not use student scholarship money for pay to play.
I will keep your email handy for a future introduction. Best wishes.
I’m interested to know the reasons folks are interested in running for the school board when the role is advisory vs one of decision making power.
What real change can occur?
It feels like the majority of board members show up to photo ops and give politically-inclined speeches at high school graduations and sports partnership events. Do they really know the school’s in the neighborhoods? Have they gotten to know the AMAZING students in these schools? What have they done to increase academic achievement? Asking questions about what’s going on, at board meetings, speaks volumes…it says that we are just as curious as the public as to how or why this or that is occurring. There is a perceived distance between the advisory board and the actual reality of the daily practices within the district.
My final question is: What does each board member have to offer the IUSD students that we serve daily? Most students have no idea of even who the longest standing advisory members are. Maybe they’ve seen them at a sign up to vote visit day or Rams visit day when Ashley from the local news is covering the event. Other than that, there’s no real connection with any one board member to our schools or students.
All of the board members running, excluding Naomi Hammonds, are silent on all matters related to the school district. Hopefully someone runs against Ernesto Castillo because Brandon Myers is a joke.
Very frustrating. Very true. There’s really no accountability due to the “advisory” role. The age gap is over 50 years from the president to our precious younger students. Where is the connection. Had a board member chosen to mentor students? It seems as if two are very opinionated on students they don’t really even know at all. Anyone can make comments! When does the real work of the ADVISORY BOARD begin?
This is why the superintendent needs to be accountable, including the LACOE support, just because they have a title it does not justify competence (research their background, very limited). Inglewood residents should evaluate the work done, if any, any have a say so on who to hire. With a salary of 250k plus, working from home or MIA, District vehicles, paid expenses, it is no wonder they all love Inglewood, money pit. I wonder if the previous CBO resigned due to the shenanigans being done? Inquiring minds want to know? 2urbangirls….how about you do some interviews with the CBO and the others who have flown the coop?
Apparently an Inglewood Unified employee was spotted buying weed while in full IUSD uniform and while driving the school district vehicle.
Why is there a school board seat for district 1 if there is no school in district 1? Also Hammond did nothing to fight the closure of Warren Lane School the only school in the area therefore she should not be allowed consideration.
it covers the schools still open.
Seriously?
Was there an advertisement out there “come one come all carpetbaggers especially desired” ?
Some appear to have been dazzled by the generous benefit package for what the current Clowncil commitment is – maybe one hour a week nodding and saying eye and photo ops at city sponsored events. Some do not appear to have the slightest understanding of what a staff report is or where to find it not to mention analyze the contents for truth or reasonableness.
A few have ties to those high rise developers who have in elections past put generous donations into the prior Mayor Butts campaigns.
A few seem to think running for office is like running for a high school “most likely to ..” nomination rather than research and understanding of impacts of decisions – no that wasn’t a gender slam remember both the Ken and Barbie dolls are empty headed plastic poseables.
The former Chamber President has pulled forms perhaps assuming we won’t remember that he was allegedly terminated for misuse of Chamber funds until Butts insisted he be rehired. He was also appointed by Butts as a planning Commissoner. Unfortunately he has shown his lack of skill in research when I proudly put a photo of an early 1900’s brewery on the cover of the Inglewood Chamber Directory as if it was local – oops he didn’t take time to read that the photo was taken in Inglewood, Calgary CANADA the COUNTRY to the north. Yep that lack of attention to detail might be something to worry about if he is elected !
A few with movie making and fashion interests with no experience in municipal government or personnel hiring/directing supervision have also taken out forms.
As for those with name recognition: can you match the name with their back ground ?
He has analyzed staff reports and shared his view with the council and the public, pleading for reason and transparency! Because of his outspokenness Butts and Co restricted his ability to attend Council Meetings
This prior Inglewood School Board member promised there would be transparency re the Measure K $190 Million Bond and the matching funds but when rubber met the road there was no accountability for those $380 Million dollars. Then Later when at West Basin Water… good grief too much for here -google the resulting drama (using rate payer dollars) of not doing background checks before significant hires impact local water users.
As a former Inglewood School Board member also assured there would be accountability for Measure K Bond funds and additionally led the battle cry to create a separate High School for the “elite students” creating a financial drain of school funds for the students not so elite who remained at the traditional High Schools – Inglewood and Morningside.
The first appointed African American Council Woman known for pleading for transparency and holding people responsible for remaining silent rather than speaking truth to power, often reminding us that Silence implies Consent
Please look at who is sending the mailers, who will benefit from their ties to each candidate, and vote as if our community and each of her residents actually matter.
“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil,
but by those who watch them without doing anything”.
ALBERT EINSTEIN