Council Moves to Audit Cultural Arts Foundation, Other Non-Profits

At Issue: How Are Taxpayer Funds Being Used to Support City Events Run by Non Profits?


On March 5 the city council discussed an item brought forth by Mayor Al Robles to audit the Citizens Cultural Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization that partners with the city on events including the Jazz Festival, the Women�s Health Conference and more.


The city�s staff report states that �events staged and organized by the Foundation are large and highly intertwined with the City�s resources.� Because of this statement, Carson Accountability & Transparency submitted a letter making the case for an accounting of public resources, cash and in-kind, expended to support these activities.


Mayor Robles noted the City of Carson has �provided tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Cultural Foundation� and that the Foundation itself makes donations to other entities.


The audit would seek to clarify how what city resources have gone towards supporting the activities of these non-profits.


CAT believes an accounting of public taxpayer funds used to support the Cultural Arts Foundation, and all non-profit entities receiving public funds, is proper and necessary to accountability and issued a letter supporting these principles.


Councilmember Dear called for the City to be �fair across the board� and not targeting any one entity. �If it is a concern for one it may be a concern for others, said Dear.�


The item was then continued to the March 19 council meeting to be broader and include an audit of �cash and in kind contributions to non-profit organizations that help sponsor community events.�


The council ultimately voted 2-1 to proceed with a broader audit of non-profits, who would have to voluntarily comply with the city�s request. Mayor Pro Tem Hicks voted against the audit, while Councilmember Davis Holmes abstained. Councilmember Dear was absent due to illness.