As reported by 2 Urban Girls, on May 3, 2025, the Inglewood City Council scheduled a public hearing for May 6, 2025, to receive comments on a proposed underground utility district along Crenshaw Boulevard, between Imperial Highway and 116th Street.
Related: Inglewood approves new utility district, police raises
But let’s be clear: this wasn’t some neutral “public improvement” proposal. Critical details were deliberately—and suspiciously—left out. The undergrounding project is not about cleaner streets or modernized infrastructure. It’s about one thing: paving the way for the Inglewood Transit Connector.
According to official reports—information buried from public view—the project’s true purpose is to relocate overhead power and communication lines, a prerequisite for the so-called automated people mover that would link the Metro K Line to Inglewood’s Sports and Entertainment District, which includes the Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium.
And here’s the kicker: creating this underground utility district isn’t just a construction project—it’s a financial trap. It opens the door to new revenue streams, meaning higher taxes and new bonds, all of which will be funneled into financing a transit project that has already been exposed as bloated, broken, and dangerous to taxpayers.
Need proof? Look no further than Congresswoman Maxine Waters. She once supported the project, even helped secure federal funding. But after seeing how wasteful and corrupt it had become, she pulled her support, stripped the funding, and called the connector exactly what it is: a “boondoggle.” Her words—not ours.
So why is Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. and the City Councilmembers still shoving it down residents’ throats?
Because this is who they are and this is what they do.
Time and again, they’ve shown us their allegiance lies with billionaire developers and campaign donors—not the residents who elected them. This underground utility scheme is just the latest entry in their long history of deception.
Meanwhile, the City has already blown through $72 million with nothing to show for it but staged “community engagement” events, heavy on smoke and mirrors, light on truth. Add to that the recent revelations about serious financial deficiencies in City Hall—deficiencies senior staff can’t even explain—and what do we have? A city government that’s turned its back on the people it’s supposed to serve.
Related: Inglewood City Council has spent $72M on transit connector project
Let’s call this what it is: an abusive relationship. The City demands our trust, our patience, and our money—while giving us nothing but lies, debts, and broken promises in return.
Enough is enough. Inglewood residents cannot sit silently any longer.
We cannot allow City Hall to keep draining our pockets while selling our future to billionaires.
We must demand transparency. We must demand accountability. And we must demand a City government that works for us, not the developers who bankroll campaigns.
It’s time for residents to wake up, stand up, and take back our city.
Marvin McCoy is a longtime Inglewood resident