Dear Culver City: Let's Talk About What's Happening with Our Money

EDITOR'S NOTE: This piece has been updated to include the author's name. We express our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this has caused.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is an editorial piece submitted by a source unaffiliated with Culver Crescent. The sentiments expressed in this article do not represent or confirm the stance or opinions of Culver Crescent or any of its writers.

By Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin

On Tuesday, May 20, three Culver City Councilmembers — Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Bubba Fish, and Vice Mayor Freddy Puza — voted to take $20 million from our city’s funds and emergency reserves and allocate it to a single private affordable housing development.

This was against the direct advice of Chief Financial Officer Lisa Soghor and City Manager John Nachbar — the very people tasked with protecting our city’s financial health. They warned that this decision could cause long-term harm. Our emergency reserves exist to protect Culver City during economic downturns, natural disasters, and emergencies.

As the CFO bluntly put it, draining our reserves is especially dangerous for a city located in an earthquake zone. It's our safety net.

The private development project, called Jubilo Village, proposes to build 93 affordable units at an estimated cost of $858,000 each, with no priority given to community members. Part of the funds will also support construction of a new church on the property, raising additional concerns about the use of taxpayer dollars and city priorities.

Originally proposed as a loan, the CFO warns this $20 million will likely never be repaid, effectively making it a permanent giveaway of money our community urgently needs.

Meanwhile, Culver City is relying on voters to approve a sales tax increase in the upcoming election to avoid massive cuts to essential city services. If the tax measure doesn’t pass, the City Manager warns that up to 50 staff positions could be eliminated, drastically impacting vital services such as parks, police, and fire departments.

And yet, despite these warnings, the Council majority proceeded to drain the emergency reserves we rely on during crises — emergencies like major fires, earthquakes, or acts of terror.

At the same meeting, McMorrin, Fish, and Puza also set aside $250,000 for a budgeting consultant — not to evaluate this housing project or safeguard taxpayer dollars — but to run a vague “community engagement” process around budget decisions. This consultant has not been publicly vetted; there is no clear scope, no transparency, and no accountability for how these funds will be used.

Councilmembers McMorrin, Fish, and Puza ignored the warnings of our financial experts and voted to drain our emergency reserves. Their decision reflects a troubling lack of fiscal responsibility and transparency at a time when Culver City can least afford it. You can watch the May 20 city council meeting video for yourself on the city’s website (CulverCity.org) or YouTube channel.

Mayor Dan O’Brien and Councilmember Albert Vera voted responsibly. They stood up for our community’s financial stability and demanded transparency, but they were outvoted. Culver City needs more leaders like them — leaders who take stewardship of our public funds seriously.

The final budget vote is June 9. There’s still time to act, but not much. Tell the Council to remove the $20 million giveaway to the private development Jubilo Village and the $250,000 for an unvetted consultant.