The Inglewood City Council will resume regular city council meetings after a two week hiatus. During the council’s time off, a couple of scathing articles hit the media and appropriate action is being taken on this week’s council agenda. The residents will also hear the mid year report on the city’s finances.
During the two weeks off, this blog and the LA Times questioned where and how the city is spending $20 million in FAA funds for soundproofing residential homes sitting under the flight path leading into LAX airport.
Related: Poor neighborhood endures worst LAX noise but is left out of home soundproofing program
2UrbanGirls reported on the many agenda items listed for payment, that have been pulled at the top of the last meeting held on May 14th and the LA Times followed up with a revelation that the more affluent parts of Inglewood, represented by Councilmen George Dotson (District 1) and Alex Padilla (District 2) were on the receiving end while homes south of Century Blvd remain untouched.
The city has listed agenda items 9 and 11 to authorize HHJ Construction Inc. and CSDA Design Group to perform soundproof work on 132 residential homes and items 12 and 13 to authorize CSDA Design Group and the Jones Payne Group to perform acoustic sound testing on 200 residential homes.
At the top of the meeting, the city will deny claims against the city including a claim for “alleged legal matters” filed after July 29, 2018. The individual filing the claim is listed as “Delbra Richardson”. This name is strikingly similar to “Delbra Richardson Price” who was a regular city vendor and is currently married to former Inglewood councilman, now LA councilman Curren Price Jr.
Finally, this week’s council agenda will conclude with a mid year budget presentation by Acting Budget Manager Keauonna Buckhanon.
The city adopted a FY 2018-19 budget of $128 million with expenditures totaling $128 million which left us with a surplus of less than $60k. With carryovers, and increased legal fees, and other costs totaling $8 million, we are now facing expenditures of $136 million. Despite several areas where we have exceeded revenue, over last year this time, the city expects to use reserves to cover the shortfall.
Propety and sales tax continue to increase, while business license, card club, transient occupancy tax, franchise and admission taxes are down from last year. The city attributes the decrease to non-resident construction tax which is significantly less than last year.
Nowhere in this presentation does it list the amount in reserves.
Residents look forward to Councilman George Dotson returning and Mayor James Butts public response to a letter issued by the District Attorney’s office that they have once again violated the Brown Act.
Related: Inglewood meeting to approve Clippers deal violated state law, D.A. says
For optics sake, the city approved the Clippers arena project two times thereafter, after community group Uplift Inglewood made claims that Inglewood residents were not properly notified.
