| June21, 2004 Budget Watch The 2004-2005 City Budget allocates $25,000 for META 2000 to sponsor "El Grito 2004". META 2000 is an organization managed by local successful business owners with close ties to Mayor John Noguez and Council Member Ed Escareno. The one-day El Grito celebration will cost $25,000 in Public Funds, according the proposed 2004- 2005 City Budget. ............. In comparison: only $16,500 are budgeted for July 4 celebrations which META 2000 is not organizing. City Council Agenda for June 21, 2004 has following item: "OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK (Continued from June 7, 2004) 1. City Clerk Romo presents a request from Mayor Noguez for discussion and/or action regarding META 2000 requesting approval for the 8th Annual “El Grito 2004” celebration on September 15, 2004." ............. In Contrast: City funding for PRE-SCHOOl programs in the 2004-2005 proposed budget is $0.00 In fiscal year 2003-2004 it was $87,929.00. In fiscal year 2002-2003 it was $79,697.00. (according to line item on 2004- 2005 Budget). It seems that the Budget Committee and the rest of City Council Members do not have any close ties with the city's Pre-Schoolers WatchOurCity.com questions funding priorities of the Budget Committee. |
| June 14, 2004 City Budget for 2004-2005 A proposed city budget was submitted to Council Members on June 7, 2004. Other cities allow at least 30 days for review and includes time for citizen participation in the form of public hearings. WatchOurCity.com has the following Questions: Why are Huntington Park Elected Officials NOT transparent with the City's proposed Budget for 2004-2005? ....... Why are only 8 days given to review approximately 500 pages of the proposed budget? ....... Why is citizen input left out? ........ What does the proposed budget contain to prompt the Budget Committee and Council Members to prevent public scrutiny and public comment? ....... These actions, deeds and patterns of behavior by the Budget Committee and City Council Members raise serious questions about their intentions for use of Public Funds due to the seeming lack of transparency, accountability and complete absence of goodwill efforts at public outreach. WHAT IS CITY COUNCIL HIDING? |
| July 1, 2004 Mayor John Noguez and Council Members Ed Escareno, Mario Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez voted on June 21, 2004 to hire "Tigran Z. Marcarian of Santa Monica to set up a card club in the city, even though the state reportedly has stopped issuing card club permits" as reported in the Wave Community Newspaper. "Noguez said he’d still like to see a card club established at 6218 Alameda St., site of the previous Los Angeles Card Club, now Leonardo’s Restaurant." Mayor Noguez has publicly stated in the past that the owner of Leonardo's Restaurant and Night Club is a family relative. Leonardo's gave substantial campaign contributions to Mayor Noguez and Council Members Mario Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez. Council Member Loya voted against the casino proposal. He "had previously recalled that the Los Angeles Card Club never lived up to revenue expectations, and “the last two owners are in jail.” |
| July 7, 2004 "City goes in red for El Grito Program" reports the Los Angeles Wave Newspaper on July 7, 2004. On June 21, 2004 WatchOurCity.com reported regarding the questionable City Council expenditure of $25,000 slated for the September 15, 1-day Meta 2000 El Grito event. On June 24, 2004 WatchOurCity.com reported on City Council voting 5-0 giving an even more questionable amount of $50,000 to Meta 2000 for the 1-day El Grito event (doubling the amount originally budgeted and compounding an already questionable expenditure). On July 6, 2004, the City Clerk presented "a request from Council Member Gomez for City Council to rescind the action taken to donate $50,000 to META 2000 for the 8th Annual El Grito 2004 celebration and to present $30,000 to META 2000 for the El Grito celebration". (Source: City Council Agenda 7-6- 04) "However, City Manager Greg Korduner said the private META group would receive “in-kind services” from the police department, in such things as security and traffic control, for up to $20,000." "Mayor Juan Noguez, who was out of town during last year’s program, said of the over-budget donation, 'I know we are hurting financially, but the exposure El Grito gave the city last year was amazing.'” That's $30,000 + $20,000 = $50,000 Donation of Public Funds to a private group. That is even more amazing. |
| June 14, 2004 WatchOurCity.com reminds Council Members that residents of the City of Huntington Park have a right to participate and be informed, and demand transparency and accountability with the City Budget process. The City of Huntington Park does not seem to have a municipal code section that dictates procedures for public input of proposed City Budget. In comparison, the City Charter for Downey specifically includes Section 1202. BUDGET. SUBMISSION TO CITY COUNCIL which allows at least 35 days for review. Section 1203. BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING allows for public participation and input. Even the City of Compton holds public hearings on the proposed city budget allowing ample time for citizen review and input. In Huntington Park, there is no public hearing scheduled or pubic input sought for the proposed budget. WHAT IS CITY COUNCIL HIDING? |
| June 24, 2004 WatchOurCity.com reported on Monday June 21, 2004 that the evening's City Council Agenda presented a "request from Mayor Noguez for discussion and/or action regarding META 2000 requesting approval for the 8th Annual “El Grito 2004” celebration on September 15, 2004." Reportedly approval was given in a 5-0 vote, along with.......... $50,000 in Public Funds to the business-run group META 2000 for the slated 1-day event. META 2000 is run by business owners. The Public Funds were approved by City Council seemingly: * Without public Bid process. * Without regard to other basic funding needs. * Without regard to budget constraints. * When budget cuts forced recent City layoffs. * When City Agenda item did not list $50,000 in question. * When the 2004-2005 proposed City Budget already included a questionable $25,000 budget item buried 400 pages deep for same event and for same business- run group. *When the city's Salvation Army that serves homeless and low income families asked for city funds and none was given as reported in Wave Community Newspaper. * When proposed Pre-School funding is $0.00 for 2004- 2005 compared to $87,929 Pre- school funding in 2003-2004 Why is this business group being seemingly subsidized with Public Funds at the expense of single mothers, working low-income families and the children of this city? |
| June 21, 2004 Council Member Ofelia Hernandez reportedly surrendered her city issued cell phone. WatchOurCity.com advocates for responsible use of Public Funds for the greatest public benefit. Is Council Member Ofelia Hernandez not confident enough in her responsible use of a city issued cell phone? ....... Mayor John Noguez and Council Members Mario Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez seem to continue to press for a card casino on Alameda, according to the City Council Agenda for June 21, 2004. Mayor John Noguez's family potentially has a financial stake in the proposal. Mayor John Noguez and Council Members Mario Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez are on record for having voted for a card casino despite a state-wide moratorium against card casinos until 2010. |
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