West Covina : Tax Complaint Gets Results

The City Council has requested a detailed response from city staff to a homeowner’s complaint that his neighborhood has been taxed $650,000 over the past eight years for “landscaping maintenance” that has not been performed.

Frank Barbagallo and more than 100 other homeowners from his South Hills neighborhood asked Monday that the city stop taxing residents until the promised work is concluded. The council requested that the city attorney and city engineer provide additional information for its June 26 meeting.

Barbagallo claims that the city has been misusing at least $1.5 million in taxes from his and two other landscape maintenance districts, which are intended to provide landscaping in the city’s newer neighborhoods. The city is supposed to ensure that home developers install plants and shrubs, which the city subsequently maintains.

Barbagallo charges that the city has instead spent the money to help pay the salaries of city staff, who are not involved in landscaping, and that interest earnings belonging to the 240 homes in the district have instead been added to the city’s general fund.

In a report to the council, City Engineer Harry W. Thomas acknowledged that the landscaping in Barbagallo’s neighborhood has been slow, but he said the work should be completed in coming months. He denied that district funds are being improperly spent.

Barbagallo said he was heartened by the council’s response and hopes to meet individually with council members before the June meeting. “I think what the city wants to do is get a fair and equitable resolution,” he said.