Inglewood Today Endorses Gloria Gray
IT News Wire
Inglewood voters can put the power back into their hands if they go to the polls on Nov. 8th and elect Gloria Gray for District 1 Council Seat.
When our elected leaders are serving our best interest, they don’t need a pat on the back for just doing their job, but when they are serving their personal interest and that of corporate interest then we should remove them.
In the case of Council District 1, incumbent George Dotson is just no longer fit or capable of doing the job. It is well chronicled he owes the mayor money that was loaned to him in order for him to win the seat and now he’s at the mercy of that debt and the citizens should not be the victims.
Now, the field of candidates for this seat is crowded so the likelihood of any the top finishers in the race getting more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff is slim.
The six challengers against Dotson are Kevin Taylor, Gloria Gray, Alena Cindy Giardina, Yolanda Davidson, Taj Powell and Leonard Redway.
District 1 takes in turf to the north, east and west of Sofi Stadium, that includes The Forum, Carlton Square, Brairwood, Inglewood Cemetery, Ed Vincent Park, Darby Park, Centinela Park, and Morningside Library.
This district deserves an independent voice and Gloria Gray is that voice. Gray, a board member at the West Basin Municipal Water District now running for the council, said she was approached by constituents who wanted a council person with an “independent voice on the council.”
“Most residents see this as a closed government,” Gray said. “I am not afraid to stick up for the community.”
Gray is running for the city council and also is unopposed for her water board seat. She said she would give up that seat if she is elected to the City Council and it is deemed a conflict.
The full-time council members are paid $62,993 annually, plus benefits, and are among the highest paid council members in the state. Their benefits added $1,500 to $51,000 to their total compensation packages in 2021, according to Transparent California.
Dotson’s opponents have taken aim at the $159,000 he owes the mayor for helping to finance his past campaigns, according to financial disclosures.
Critics claim Dotson isn’t accessible to residents and doesn’t vote in his district’s favor.
Davidson agrees. At a recent council meeting, the 50-year resident asked Dotson if he supported the Inglewood Transit Connector Project, a proposal to build a $1 billion people mover to connect Metro to the new SoFi Stadium and future basketball arena. Dotson responded that he leaves such decisions up to a “higher authority.”
“I will put the people first, I am not afraid to say no,” Davidson said. “There is no higher authority than me in District 1 if I’m elected.”
Gray, a board member at the West Basin Municipal Water District now running for the council, said she was approached by constituents who wanted a council person with an “independent voice on the council.”
“Most residents see this as a closed government,” Gray said. “I am not afraid to stick up for the community.”
Gray is running for the city council and also is unopposed for her water board seat. She said she would give up that seat if she is elected to the City Council and it is deemed a conflict.
Giardina, a former school board member, echoed the sentiments of her fellow candidates.
“All of them are bobbleheads,” she said of the current council. “No one contests anything he (the mayor) says.”
Redway is a small business owner and long-time resident of District 1, and also a member of LA Lounge which has endorsed his candidacy. The single parent of a daughter, he has invested wisely into his campaign with van wrap arounds, and has been very visible.
The Daily Breeze contributed to this article
