City of Vernon's $5 Million "gift" to Senator De Leon's connected-non-profit Legacy LA

Blogger notes: The Eastern Group Publications along with City of Vernon officials confirm that State Senator Kevin De Leon extracted a "steep tribute" for his support of maintaining the City of Vernon's "Incorporation status". Thus, beating back Assembly Speaker John Perez's AB 46 which would have dissolved the small business-friendly fiefdom. We had noted here earlier the speculation behind the cost for Senator De Leon support of Vernon Cityhood---Scott Johnson.   

City of Vernon's $10 Million "Reparation Payments" to State Senator Kevin De Leon's pet projects is part of the price for remaining an "Incorporated City".

Somewhere near a bottle of wine, former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez must be toasting his San Diego friend State Senator Kevin De Leon who pulled a "Collective SPACE" on the City of Vernon as the cost for his non-support of Assembly Speaker John Perez AB 46 efforts to vanish the tiny fiefdom.

"Collective SPACE" was the small Pico-Union connected non-profit once run by current Mayor Villar staffer Rafa Gonzalez, that was recipient of hundreds of thousands of Special Interest dollars. Money that could not be donated to Nunez's campaign accounts went to pay for events such as "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Toy Drive," "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Soccerfest 2006," "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Inaugural Legislative Youth Conference" and airplane flights for 50 children from Nunez's district for "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Sacramento Student Summit," according to state documents. 

Some years later, Senator De Leon is replicating Nunez's "Collective SPACE" dubious dealings for his favorite connected non-profit Legacy LA, as part of the price in retaining his support against Speaker Perez AB 46.


The EGP reported that The city council late last week unanimously approved the reform package that includes increasing accountability and transparency, doubling the size of the city's electorate, and reparation payments to surrounding communities that have "born the brunt" of "Vernon's shortsightedness." They agreed to give $5 million each to the Hazard Park Youth Armory in Boyle Heights and to renovate Salt Lake Park in the city of Huntington Park. Another $50 million will be spent over the next ten years on services for the surrounding community as part of a "good neighbors program." (** $60 Million Dollar Shakedown by Senator De Leon?)

CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar wonders where is his "Vernon Reparation Love"

If any one group in CD 14 born the brunt of City of Vernon's political mis-adventures, it was the Resurrection Parish in the south end of Boyle Heights that led the effort against the proposed Vernon Power Plant. Yet, Senator De Leon chooses to reward his former "Woman of the Year" and Legacy LA Executive Director Lou Calanche, who's supporters/employees former Ramona Gardens RAC members Liliana Martinez and Martha Gonzalez "born the brunt" of Senator De Leon's efforts to support more beer and wine sales for Corporate 7-Eleven.

Recently, the bad karma of supporting beer and wine sales in sensitive communities, cause Legacy LA to lose their GRYD Prevention Contract to another groups of providers led by Barrio Action of El Sereno. Thus, maybe Senator De Leon may want to reconsider who gets his "Vernon Payoff/Reparation Love"?

Your thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14.