Alright everyone, I was off work for a day (and I'm technically still off in my mind) but it seems Jennifer McLain was keeping the blog pretty interesting with posts about cranky political officials, strange license plates and FPPC fines.

Now let’s get back to Baldwin Park. As if you haven’t already heard enough about the police chief controversy, here are some words Baldwin Park Police Association President Joshua Hendricks had for the City Council Wednesday.

“Let me say this one more time so everyone here understands and there is no confusion. Chief Lopez was fired because he would not cut an additional $500,000 from the budget. Why would the city council ask Lopez to cut $500,000 from the budget you ask? Let me tell you why. I have with me an agenda staff report that will be discussed here later tonight. It is marked as agenda item No. 11. This agenda item is in regards to the completion of the Arts and Recreation Center. What’s interesting about this report is the fact that it shows the project went over budget by $465,632. Pretty interesting that this amount of $465,632 would be covered if there was a cut of $500,000 made to the police department.”

Is it just me, or am I sensing some real tension here? The Arts and Recreation center Hendricks is referring to cost the city more than $5 million. It was essentially a renovation of the city’s old Central School Auditorium on Pacific Avenue. Former Councilman David Olivas took a lot of credit for getting the project off the ground.
What’s more interesting though is that Councilwoman Marlen Garcia has said many times that she did not support the project at the cost.

I guess the city’s paying for it now. No pun intended.