Carson has no property tax or utility tax. A gleaming new soccer stadium is bringing in much-needed revenue for the South Bay city with an ethnically balanced population that, for the most part, lives harmoniously.
But in recent years, the industrial city of 90,000 gained a reputation for political strife. Since 2002, four city officials, including two mayors, have pleaded guilty in federal court to bribery, extortion and other charges.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday July 08, 2004 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 3 inches; 121 words Type of Material: Correction
Carson councilman -- A June 10 article in the California section about the city of Carson incorrectly reported that former Carson Councilman Manuel Ontal pleaded guilty to charges in an extortion case involving former Mayor Daryl Sweeney. Sweeney pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to extort money from waste haulers competing for a city contract. Ontal did not plead guilty in that case. Sweeney's prosecution was facilitated by Ontal, who in 2000 approached federal authorities about corruption in Carson and agreed to work undercover as they investigated Sweeney and others. Ontal pleaded guilty in a separate case in 2003 to accepting a $5,000 payoff from a city contractor and of failing to report $33,000 in consultant's income on his tax return.
One hundred days after winning the mayoral race, middle school teacher Jim Dear is hoping to turn that image around and build on the city's economic prosperity.
Dear, a 51-year-old South Bay native, is pushing for the city to attract luxury hotels, trendy restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. His aim is to diversify a local economy that relied heavily on car dealerships.
"It's going to take years to heal the image of a city that was racked with scandal," said Dear. "But the city is healing, no question."
Carson's population is nearly evenly divided among African Americans, Asians, Latinos and whites. Median household income is nearly $55,000 -- more than a third higher than the Los Angeles County average.
The Home Depot Center, a $150-million soccer stadium and tennis venue, opened in June 2003. The 27,000-seat complex, on Avalon Boulevard south of the Artesia Freeway, is home to Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and is a training site for the U.S. track and field team.
City and business leaders are targeting the area around the complex for development, despite some concerns about noise, traffic and crime. Advocates point out the center has a goal of hiring Carson residents for a quarter of its jobs, but the present rate is 37%, or 463 of the 1,250 employees.
Other major employers are Cal State Dominguez Hills and British Petroleum.
The nearby South Bay Pavilion mall on Avalon Boulevard is planning an $80-million renovation, and a 146,000-square-foot Target Greatland store is scheduled to open in July 2005 in the south wing.
Dear also revived a nine-member task force last month to try to attract upscale restaurants such as McCormick & Schmick's. Officials are also trying to woo a movie theater, something the city lacks.
The Home Depot Center "certainly changed the face of our community," said John Wogan, president of the Carson Chamber of Commerce. "They have different track meets across the country.... They don't say they're doing it in L.A. They say it's happening in Carson."
