Inglewood’s alleged “corruption” and eminent domain dominates city council candidates forum
photo: 2UrbanGirls
The Inglewood Teachers Association and League of Women Voters Beach Cities held the first candidates forum for candidates seeking office on the city council, school board and community college boards.
The meeting began with candidates for the Inglewood City Council and only two candidates were present.
Aisha Thompson, is running for city clerk and against Deandre Warren who was not present. Angelique Jackson, is a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy, an entrepreneur and on-air personality “Angelique on the Links”, is a write in candidate for District 4 to replace Ralph Franklin.
Thompson was asked to clarify her candidacy and ability to run for city council, after 2UrbanGirls reported the Inglewood Municipal Code mandates employees must first resign before pulling papers.
“I sought a legal opinion and the 1st Amendment guarantees me the right to pull nomination papers and run for city council,” said Thompson. She also asserted the code needs to be addressed.
2UrbanGirls believes City Attorney Ken Campos should immediately prepare a staff report, seeking to repeal sections 2-48, 2-49 and 2-50, as Thompson’s legal opinion clearly states it violates the Constitution of the United States.
Jackson said she isn’t fully aware of the city’s municipal code, but wrote down the question and would look into the issue.
Thompson eloquently discussed her plans to increase voter participation of Inglewood students and hoped to collaborate with Inglewood Unified School District to achieve more involvement in the electoral process.
“We are far behind in getting our youth to vote and that is my priority,” said Thompson.
The questions then turned to “corruption” and the candidates had conflicting perceptions of what is transpiring in Inglewood City Hall.
“Unfortunately I am not aware of any corruption in the city,” said Thompson. “I am a civil service employee that works alongside with the council and mayor and to my knowledge I am not aware of any corruption that the city of Inglewood has.”
“I am going to have some challenges going against the old guard in Inglewood,” said Jackson. “It is time for some change and in order to have a proud city we have to have a proud government. Our entire brand is at stake and if it’s not right its got to go.”
When the topic of eminent domain came up, as it relates to the city potentially acquiring properties for the proposed Clippers Arena, Thompson stated in the capacity of city clerk, she has no direct involvement in the process and Jackson reiterated people should have a right to retain their property and homes.
“To be honest I don’t play a part or role with any developments or decisions the council makes on development,” said Thompson. “I sign off on contracts and that would be my responsibility.”
“On the subject of eminent domain my goal is to have this be a community again,” said Jackson. “I want Inglewood to feel like home and have people feel safe and secure and not worry about being put out of their home.” She pledged to research more on the subject.
When asked their opinions of defunding the Inglewood Police Department both Jackson and Thompson don’t believe that will solve the city’s problems and said IPD needs all available resources to carry out their duties.
You need to let us knowvwhats going on! Are we going to have a place to live or sew we going to get kicked out over the Clippers or whatever!We live on the 3700 block of Weat 104 th.
I’m having a hard time understanding the confusion -The City Municipal Code ,of which each item must go through the City Attorneys Office, clearly states employees must resign before running for elected office is not a addressed in the FIRST AMENDMENT which is about speech NOT THE RIGHT TO RUN FOR ELECTED OFFICE.
And then there is that response regarding eminent domain , as a mid level civil service employee today Thompson is not / will not “play a role in decisions “ made by the council. That is a job description response but not responsive to what she believes.
With regard to what the clerk’s office does require -Perhaps it would be interesting to have her address the destruction of public records which her office is charged with safeguarding! Would she have done what the Mayor wanted her to or what the public has a right expect. As a “want to be Department head” supervising others, did she choose to elaborate on how she would better serve the public in that position or will she embrace and serve as a leader of the “IT AIN’T MY JOB” mentality for her entire Department.
The recently enacted rules document regarding actual speech limitations when addressing the City Council was typed /or a least photocopied by the clerks office. That the public heard no objection from this employee re their free speech seems that running now screaming free speech is more about Employee Thompson being only interested in HER OWN potential payroll security and bonuses rather than ensuring the public right to free speech and the careful maintaining of correct and accurate public records which include what the public actually states when addressing the City Council.
Was this the same employee who so feared interacting with the public a security buzzer is required to enter the since 1970 open counter area?
As for Being unaware of corruption …..she may have been the top student at the Helen Keller Occupational Center….her teachers should be proud.
Well as for the reason why the City Clerk office is locked and you have to be buzzed in the narrative that is being pushed is that I was the cause of it or at least part of the reason.
Ask Aishia why
I feel it was an unfortunate choice of words to ask about “defunding” the police. The term is outdated and apparently resulted in responses from the candidates that were of little use. For months, those seeking law enforcement reform have explained that what is sought is not to spiteful take resources from police departments and ask them to perform the same duties. but to RELIEVE police departments from handling, or at least taking the lead in, events that they are not even close to being trained for and should not, for everyone’s sake, be expected to do. just for instance, police officers are not trained to handle a crisis where the subject has severe mental health issues, which has led to police shootings of both innocent participants and killings of the mentally ill individual. “Funding” that had gone to just hiring more police to poorly handle any and all events they are not trained to handle, should be diverted to hiring actual professionals in the necessary fields, who are supported if necessary by officers. More mental health professionals, suicide counselors. social workers, youth counselors, etc. provide a better response in many cases and tend not to escalate a minor issue to a deadly issue.