May 30, 2019 Page 3
Revenues, Expenditures Increase
as City Council Approves Budget
By Derrick Deane
Hawthorne’s cash reserves continue to increase
as the City Council unanimously approved the
2019-2020 budget at its Tuesday meeting. The
City of Hawthorne will see a yearly revenue
increase from $140.4 million in 2018-2019
to $151.4 million in 2019-2020. The increase
includes more than $3 million from taxes,
including the recently opened hotels near
City Hall as well as more than $700,000 from
vehicle license fees.
Of the $151.4 million, $77.67 million is
from traditional revenue streams such as taxes
and fees while the remaining $73.8 million
comes from grants and the City’s restricted
funds. The restricted funds are monies the City
has already set aside for project payments or
known upcoming costs to avoid running into
a serious spending deficit.
While revenues grow, so do expenditures.
The City will see a yearly expenditure total of
$77.6 million for 2019-2020, up from $72.7
million in 2018-2019. The increases are due
primarily to the minimum wage hike, while
certain departments also have unique circumstances
in regards to expenditure increases.
“Those [spending] increases are due to benefit
rate increases, health, worker’s comp, liability,
the increase in the debt service and the fire
contract, part-time wage increases – that’s all
affecting this increase,” Director of Finance
Felice Lopez said.
One area that won’t be seeing a spending
increase is the City Council, whose expenditures
went down with the newly elected members
choosing not to have health coverage. The
year-over-year cost dropped nearly $5,000
from $145,113 in 2018-2019 to $140,424 in
2019-2020.
Despite the overall surplus, the City would
have been operating with a spending deficit if
not for the funds generated by Measure HH.
Councilman Alex Monteiro acknowledged
that the City thanks the voters of Hawthorne
for passing that measure in last November’s
election. “We have to say thank you to the
voters of Hawthorne for passing Measure
HH because we would be in trouble if they
didn’t vote for Measure HH,” Monteiro said.
“Thank you to all the voters who voted ‘Yes’
on Measure HH.”
Of particular benefit was the ability of the
City to split the Fire Department budget between
regular funds and Measure HH money. All
totaled, the cost went up from $11.2 million
in 2018-2019 to $12.1 million for 2019-2020.
“Since Measure HH is being used for safety
programs, we want to make sure the County
Fire, the RCC which is $3.4 million which
is our 9-1-1 program, those are covered by
Measure HH,” Lopez said. “Any time there
is an increase in revenue from Measure HH,
those funds will be spent directly on these
programs.” Public safety -- which includes
fire, police and 9-1-1 operators --will make
up 72 percent of the 2019-2020 budget at a
total of $55.5 million.
The City Attorney costs went up by more
than $240,000 year-over-year, crossing the $1
million mark in expenditures for 2019-2020, due
primarily to the hiring of a full-time prosecutor.
On the other side of law enforcement,
the Hawthorne Police Department’s budget
increased by more than $3 million. The 2019-
2020 budget will see an expenditure of just
over $39 million versus the 2018-2019 total
of $36.7 million. “The Police Department
has 173 employees, whereas the rest of the
departments have anywhere between five to
40 employees… that’s why you see such a
large increase,” Lopez said.
Minimum wage increases also weigh heavily
on the overall budget. In addition to raises for
A Week of Tributes to Inglewood’s
Brave Service Men and Women
By Haleemon Anderson
Inglewood’s finest were celebrated this
week in a pair of tributes honoring those who
put their lives in harm’s way to protect the
freedom and safety of others. On Monday,
the City of Inglewood held its 71st Annual
Memorial Day Service, under the shadow of
the Inglewood War Memorial on the south
lawn at City Hall. Known as “the obelisk,”
the 16-foot monument bears the names of 255
Gold Star Service men and women. Veterans
of every United States conflict since World
War II were on hand, proudly answering the
request to give their name, rank, unit and
years of service.
Keynote speaker Dennis Tucker noted the
first Memorial Day was commemorated in
1865 by newly freed slaves who decorated
the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers.
Tucker, a 22-year Army combat veteran,
thanked his mother, whom he said rejected
a recruiter three times before finally allowing
her 17-year-old son to enlist.
Tucker talked about the pressing needs of
surviving veterans. “Homelessness, mental
health, suicide, employment…these are the
issues,” he said. “Most people are one or
two generations removed from a serviceman.
And less than one percent actually serve.
So few of us get to see this patriotism with
our own eyes.”
Tucker asked the audience to be mindful
also of families and caregivers who survive
veterans “for those who hold the fort down
when we’re gone. For us, the living, it’s our
duty to fill that silence with our love, our
gratitude and our actions.”
Mayor James T. Butts said his goal is to
give Inglewood’s veterans a city they can
be proud of. He said he instituted a renovation
of the obelisk when it had fallen into
disrepair. “That represents immortality,”
said Butts.
Special guest speaker Congresswoman
Maxine Waters thanked the military families.
She vowed to lobby for legislation to combat
payday loans with exorbitant interest and to
ensure disability benefits are delivered. “I want
$13 billion for veterans and the homeless,”
said Waters, “We’ve got to have the money
to end homelessness in America. I’m going
to look out for you.”
Last Thursday, four Inglewood police officers
were feted at the 45th Annual Medal
of Valor luncheon. This event, sponsored by
the South Bay Police and the Fire Memorial
Foundation, recognizes the “conspicuous acts
of bravery” of police officers and firefighters.
Law enforcement and civic leaders from the
nine participating cities gathered to honor
public safety officers who distinguished
themselves through “bravery, heroism or
other outstanding meritorious actions beyond
the normal demands of protection service.”
Officers are nominated by senior officers in
their departments and then screened by their
department chiefs for approval.
Officers Matthew Amendola, Nicholas
Bobbs, Sara Booth and Stuart Sato of the
Inglewood Police Department were recognized
with the “Distinguished Service” Award.
Twenty-two officers from the other South Bay
Cites were also awarded for “distinguished
or life-saving” service.
No Medal of Valor was awarded this year.
The primary distinction for awarding the
Medal of Valor, according to the Foundation,
is “imminent threat of great bodily harm or
loss of life” to the officer, a colleague, or
a citizen.
The Inglewood City Council meets every
Tuesday, unless otherwise noted, at 2 p.m.
in the Council Chambers on the 9th floor,
Inglewood See City Council, page 5 City Hall. •
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