Montebello meltdown: redevelopment corruption.

• Author: Cavanaugh, Tim
• Position: Citings - Brief article

A PAIR OF state audits recently found new troubles for Montebello, a city in eastern Los Angeles County that has been mismanaged for decades.

California Controller John Chiang's September audits of Montebello's redevelopment agency (RDA) and a municipal gas tax identified "$31 million in questionable spending, loans, and fired transfers" Chiang, who is leading a broad investigation of RDAs across the state, also revealed that a former city manager in the highly politicized city was reimbursed for a lunch meeting with a former city councilwoman at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant.

Montebello has cycled through four city manager/ administrators in recent years. A 2010 recall election purged many members of the local political class. The current city administrator, Larry Kosmont, a real estate developer, says the city has been getting its finances in order, acknowledging that some practices are "not acceptable and need correction." Kosmont disputes the $31 million figure...