COMPTON STATE AUDIT RATES THE CITY AT HIGH RISK: CONDEMNING REPORT GOES TO CALIFORNIA Governor

By Cynthia Macon

For the fifth straight year, the City of Compton has been rated financially unstable and inadequate by the California State Comptroller. Now, also, in a damning report completed by the state audit agency and submitted to California Governor Gavin Newsom and the heads of both the Senate and state Assembly, Compton has been pointed out for his mismanagement financial and lack of leadership that threatens the health of the city much capacity to serve the public.

The audit was approved in May 2021 after the state legislature voted to conduct a detailed audit of the city given its repeated appearance at the top of the list of financially troubled cities. Revealingly, Compton ranked last across all of the 482 cities in all categories monitored by the State Comptroller. A straight red line on the board while other cities saw green or yellow in at least one or more categories.

Concerned Compton residents and activists who supported the audits approval observed and called on the legislature to monitor the voting in Sacramento and ensure a separate detailed, state audit was approved. The constant exaggerations and denials, as well as the lack of significant transparency, have seriously impeded the public’s ability to discern the truth about the state of the city. But now, with rumors circulating about the appearance of the state audit team, as well as other agencies like the IRS and the FBI, citizens will finally hear the truth from the hands of independent, informed and former, outside experts seasoned. These are the eyes of the government that eventually watches the disappearance of taxpayers dollars.

The poignant report is 48 pages and is an absolute must-read reference guide to fully understanding the broken state of Compton City Council. The report criticizes the city’s high-risk condition in the infrastructure area with its streets dilapidated and even a compromised water and sewer system.

Confirming residents’ fears, Compton has financially misappropriated the funds by placing money in the general fund, has inadequate purchase guarantees that allow fraud and abuse, has no plan to improve and address the financial deficit and lost potential income by not updating the prices charged. Surprisingly, the city was even condemned for its budget practices that left unspent money, sitting in accounts, that could be used to address residents’ needs.

Even the leadership came under fire for a constant series of high turnovers, vacancies in key administrative positions, staff change, unskilled personnel, a weak HR department and lack of training from the municipal council on its duties to carry out financial and operational oversight.

The report warns the City, saying: “Our recommendations outline a road map for the City to achieve stability and ensure it can provide essential services to its residents. However, if over the next three years Compton cannot yet properly address its long-standing challenges, we believe it may be necessary for the Legislature to consider implementing continuous external oversight of its finances and operations and the city.”

Translation: state oversight. Compton’s newcomer Jonathan Bowers told them the truth in his presentation to Council that Compton is in a physically deplorable condition. Now, the City of Compton has been officially warned and residents officially told to stop believing in the exaggerations and cover-ups and…
Wake up Compton !

Here is the link to the official State Auditor’s Report which contains tables, graphs, charts, examples, facts
and data.. Please take the time to read. Here are the receipts as they say.
http://auditor.ca.gov/reports/2021-802/index.html#section1