Controller Launches Review of Redevelopment Agencies
1/24/2011
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SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang today announced his auditors were beginning reviews of 18 redevelopment agencies (RDA) across the state in an effort to obtain facts on how RDA funds are used and the extent to which they comply with laws governing their activities.
“The heated debate over whether RDAs are the engines of local economic and job growth or are simply scams providing windfalls to political cronies at the expense of public services has largely been based on anecdotal evidence,” Chiang said. “As lawmakers deliberate the Governor’s proposal to close RDAs and divert those funds to local schools and public safety agencies, I believe it is important to provide factual, empirical information about how these agencies perform and what they bring to the communities they serve.”
The 18 RDAs selected for the reviews represent urban, suburban and rural communities. They are geographically diverse and represent a mix of varying populations. The reviews will look at, among other things, how the RDAs define a “blighted” area, whether they are appropriately paying for low- and moderate-income housing as required by law, whether they are accurately “passing through” payments to schools within their community, and how much RDA officials, board members and employees are being compensated for their services.
To assist lawmakers in their budget debates, the reviews will be completed in early March. The chosen RDAs are as follows:
- Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles County)
IT'S VILLARAIGOSA'S, COUNCIL'S & "THE HIGHER LOCAL POWERS THAT BE'S" WORST NIGHTMARE.
Whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp.....WHOOOOOOOOOMP! MORE TO KEEP COMING...