Inglewood Mayor James Butts and the city council declared a fiscal emergency in August, citing a $12 million deficit, while sitting on $15.5 million received from the Biden Administration to cover revenue losses attributed to the COVID pandemic. Inglewood’s Assistant Finance Director Sharon Koike gave a presentation to the council, and public, to corroborate that false claim.
“The city of Inglewood has been facing unprecedented times,” said Sharon Koike, the city’s assistant finance director, during an Aug. 3 meeting. “Enduring the impacts of more than a year of a global pandemic has taken a personal and economic toll on the city, its residents and local businesses, with persistent demand for city services with reduced revenues.”
Butts told the Daily Breeze he was waiting on guidance on how to spend the money, however, the newspaper pointed out the guidelines were outlined prior to the city receiving the money in July.
The U.S. Treasury did issue guidance to cities and states in the form of an “Interim Final Rule” in May 2021 — more than a month before Inglewood received the first half of its ARPA payment — which stated the funds can be spent “to replace state, local and tribal government revenue lost due to COVID-19, helping to ensure that governments can continue to provide needed services and avoid cuts or layoffs.”
Weeks later, after declaring a bogus fiscal emergency, and calling for a special election to raise taxes, they gave out raises. The City Clerk, who handles city elections, and who was elected under suspicious circumstances, was given a raise of an additional $1,000 per month. Is she being paid to fix election results?
The City’s staff report to declare the fiscal emergency projected the deficit to last five years.
According to the California State Auditor’s projections, Inglewood’s fiscal crisis is overblown. The city will reportedly see a $4 million decline in revenues from 2019 to 2022 as a result of pandemic. In fact, the vast majority of California’s cities, including Inglewood, will receive far “more stimulus money than they lost during the pandemic” and should be considering tax reductions, not increases, according to the auditor’s report.
Residents, and former Inglewood elected officials, believe the Butts Administration is defrauding the taxpayers, and enjoining city employees in fraud by giving them raises in exchange for their loyalty.
Who made the conscious decision to hide this money from the public?
City Manager Artie Fields? CFO/Assistant City Manager David Esparza? Assistant Finance Director Sharon Koike-Pitpit? Mayor Butts?
Is the Butts Administration engaged in a racketeering conspiracy?
Daily Breeze contributed to this article.
1 Comment
Three interesting questions are asked …
1)Who made the decision?
Please !? no one in city hall can answer the phone without the butt’s permission…..some are probably afraid to go the the bathroom without his approval . He controls every department with his threats. Don’t think so, look at What he did / said about the Treasurer who tried to tell the public the truth. He cut her off from her office staff, comment time and reduced her salary (That is going to cost US—- maybe Ballmer and Kroenke will bail him out of the mess like the Melanie Forum liefest
2) Which of the four given truth would have done that which is right ??????
Given their track record none of the above.!
Artie owed Salinas money when he left there
David was part of the Los Angeles Housing Authority misuse of funds
Sharon was part of the West Basin Water District drama when landed Tyrone Smith in Jail
Jimmie – really? The list of when he has decided to tell the truth is so much shorter than when he has chosen to amend or rearrange or hide the truth , Basic lowlights of falsehoods include
Address on first attempt to run for mayor
Miranda warning does not need be adhered to
Council meetings are copyrighted
A tech company is moving to 104th and Prairie
…….And the all so why on earth would anyone believe him
the stadium won’t cause anymore traffic, and
The stadium project will use no public money
3) Is the administration engaged in racketeering???
Of course not, just like the Al Capone friends were charming, sweet, church deacons who spread love and goodwill….they are simply misunderstood. How is it so many misunderstood that Capone’s men were only doing their best to help the economy by providing work for the local funeral parlors.