How many times do I have to tell you that a prophet is never honored in his or her own home and nothing screams take me to jail with Mark Ridley-Thomas Jr more than Inglewood Councilman Alex Padilla’s override of the Planning Commission’s denial of a Special Use Permit (SUP).
The council’s own handpicked commissioners’ denial or better yet failure to move on a motion to expand a pre-existing storage business in Padilla’s district resembles Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail or a knockoff version of Las Vegas reminiscent of the shiny new toy feel when you hit the strip in complete awe and amazement as if you never visited.
In fact, I’m sure we have all had that one epic Hangover like story about our Vegas escapades where our relationship with Las Vegas is so intimate and personal that we affectionately refer to her with admiration and respect because hey “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. Taking that advice way too far it appears is Inglewood.
It’s like Tammy Terrell’s compliment to Marvin Gaye’s “ain’t no mountain high enough” and ain’t no RICO conspiracy low enough to keep Inglewood’s mayor and city councilmembers from walking the fine line of criminal prosecution.
Whoever says journalism doesn’t matter doesn’t appreciate the mediator, referee so to speak, between elected officials and the general public on the current state of affairs. Kitchen table discussions that use to define U.S. Presidential campaigns are now being discussed at home and work and we know these facts to be inevitable, precious jewels of truth as 2UrbanGirls masterfully, and within less than 3 hours in Tim Russet Meet the Press like fashion, exposed what appears to be a quid pro quo in discovering Padilla financially benefited from the self-storage owners project by way of a campaign contribution. The fact the project didn’t even get a second from the other planning commissioners after a substantial debate around the safety of women who would potentially be in the facility without the comfort of an intricate surveillance system should cause everyone to pause.
The applicant asked to decrease the requisite number of cameras from 25 to 12 with the most dissension coming from the commissioner appointed by Councilman Eloy Morales, who we just discovered, courtesy of 2UrbanGirls, is raking in an estimated additional $100,000 on the side as a consultant. And if we know anything about this planning commission they’ll vote for anything in the affirmative for some cornbread and autographed coffee mug from ” Clipper Darryl”.
The only thing I can think of that would have prevented the approval is the Planning Commission heard the item on Feb. 1 as District 1 Councilman George Dotson was facing a runoff and the public has no clue who on the dais was supporting him over Gloria Gray. In fact, I will go a step further and say there is friction between Padilla and Mayor Butts that continues to develop with each city council meeting. Padilla was not in attendance for the special city council meeting held March 29 to approve payment on a questionable $200,000 expenditure related to last year’s Super Bowl. It was Padilla who also said “we don’t always agree on projects but vote unanimous, wink wink” during a public meeting not that long ago.
Ah, why such a long face? Is it because I tell the truth?
Okay, let’s take it to another level like Jack Nicholson screaming at Tom Cruise. “YOU WANT THE TRUTH??”
As much as you think you want the truth, the truth is ultimately painful and often times destroys the false illusion we’ve built for self-preservation and survival as in the case of Councilman Alex Padilla because despite our best effort to allow him to appear as the “moral conscious” of our poorly led council it appears he is just a quiet version, by strategic design, no different than Mayor Butts when he voted for a trash contract that benefited him because his brother was hired by the trash hauler then reported on bankruptcy filings Butts was a creditor because he paid him rent.
I smell a rat and its very disappointing because should know better and something tells me there’s more than meets the eye with this donation because based on his campaign filings he raised in excess of $200,000 which are numbers you would expect to see on Mayor Butts’ 460s not a member of the city council.
We would be foolish to think Padilla is seeking a finder’s fee as rumors swirl that the clandestine, but ever calculating Padilla is orchestrating taking over the mayor’s seat as it is well-known the once popular Mayor Butts’ days on the council are numbered and investors need to put their money behind “who’s next”.
Since Butts’ arrival, he has enjoyed adulation and respect and has eaten “high off the hog” literally and figuratively as 2UrbanGirls has masterfully highlighted, and if we need to look any further that the council is eating off their vote look at the change in the appearance of Eloy Morales.
This council has continuously leveraged their vote, for personal gain, and without scrutiny, from either the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office or other law enforcement experts because they are “needed” to finish slicing and dicing Inglewood on behalf of Metro under the guise of expansion of rail projects.
Make no mistake, the authorities are coming after black and brown elected officials and their record is impeccable. Mitch Englander, Jose Huizar, Mark Ridley-Thomas and I would be remiss if I don’t speculate that Inglewood got next.
Marvin McCoy is a lifelong Inglewood resident and can be reached at therealmccoymarketinggroup@gmail.com or on Twitter: @MarvinM83905936 | Instagram: @therealmccoymarketinggroup