The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood
Daily News on a Weekly Basis - Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - October 5, 2017
SBWIB Helps Teen Center
Celebrate 4th Anniversary
Event host South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB) commemorated with students, staff and community civic leaders at the Inglewood Teen Center’s fourth anniversary event last month. Pictured
from left to right: SBWIB Executive Director Jan Vogel; Member of the Year recipient Jaylen Gilchrist and Inglewood City Councilmember Ralph Franklin. Photo Provided by SBWIB
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City Council Confident on Money Matters,
Will Keep Cannabis Out of City Streets
By Haleemon Anderson
like the Mayor said. The City is in the best
The Inglewood City Council passed a
shape since I’ve been here,” said Morales.
balanced budget during last week’s meeting,
Councilmember Alex Padilla characterized
making adjustments for a projected shortfall--
the budget situation as positive. “It is refreshing
and it moved to continue a ban on the sale and
to see what we see in the financial situation.
cultivation of marijuana. City Manager Artie
It’s brighter than it’s ever been,” he said.
Fields gave a presentation outlining the 2017-
In public comments, resident Diane Sambrano
18 budget. Details from the massive agenda
questioned agenda items related to the budget,
packet on the City of Inglewood’s website
saying theCcouncil has deliberately shortened
(beginning at page 658 of 984 pages) place
the allotted time for individual departments to
the total operational budget at $242 million.
elaborate on their budgets.
With a total general fund of $127.9 million,
The Council also opened a public hearing
Fields detailed a “shortfall” of $17.7 million.
on amending marijuana zoning codes. The
He pointed out three areas for potential
action seeks to ban the sale or cultivation of
adjustments which he characterized as “within
marijuana within the city.
our control:” salaries, public employee costs
Chris Jackson, Manager, Economic and
and healthcare costs. The report continued,
Community Development, gave background
“In order to close this shortfall, The Fiscal
on statewide legalization of the substance in
Year 2017-18 Proposed General Fund Budget
2016. Jackson noted the state will begin issuing
includes two primary ‘budget strategies.’ Staff
licenses next year and said the amendment to
is seeking Council approval to include the
the municipal code will retain the exemption
following budget balancing strategies…”
for illness, but will ban sales or cultivation in
The calculated adjustments include using
the city of Inglewood. “Proposition 64 bans
general fund reserves of $11.5 million;
smoking in public places,” said Jackson, “the
healthcare cost savings of $3.7 million; and
same as with cigarettes.”
vacancy savings of $2.5 million.
Tracy Salvatore gave impassioned remarks
Mayor James T. Butts, Jr. spoke to the issue,
asking the Council to pass the ordinance and
saying, “We’ve ended the last few years with
prohibit the drug. “I support the City’s decision
a surplus. Every year we forecast a shortfall,
to ban the commercial sale of marijuana and
taking a pessimistic view, but structurally,
maintain the health and safety of our residents,”
we’ve been balanced every year for the last
said Salvatore.
five years.”
“This would only open the floodgates of
Councilmember Eloy Morales, Jr. took a
access to our youth,” said another resident.
similar view. “The budget is a living document,
The ban was passed and strengthened by
unanimous vote.
Representatives of Uplift Inglewood spoke
during public comments. The community group
is advocating for affordable housing within the
current development boom in the city. Leon
Norris asked if housing could be built on the
site proposed for development of a basketball
arena. Aldean Stein asked the Council to “do
no harm to residents who are already here,”
when they are raising revenues.
Reverend Francisco Garcia spoke on his
family’s 100-year history in Inglewood. “The
vision of the community cannot continue
without the residents,” he said.
Councilmember Ralph L. Franklin said that
community perceptions about the designated
area south of Century Boulevard are mistaken.
“People have to do their homework. There
can’t be housing on that site,” he said, citing
FAA and LAWA rulings.
Councilmember Morales also spoke to
the community outcry on housing and the
connection to the NFL and proposed NBA
entertainment developments. “There is no true
connection between these two,” he said. “The
opportunity does exist to start that discussion.
But, a city has only a limited area of really
valuable land to use for revenue generation.”
Morales said rents in Inglewood are still below
those of Los Angeles County. He pointed
to a $13 million project at Regent Square.
See City Council page 8