Have you heard about the town of Vernon?

I'm not talking about the lovably eccentric Vernon, Florida -- I'm talking about Vernon, California. 

A private fiefdom four miles from downtown Los Angeles:

Vernon is unique.

The city's motto is "exclusively industrial," and that is almost literally true.

The city is five square miles of low-slung industrial and commercial buildings, laced with railroad tracks. Green space is nearly nonexistent. Among the few splashes of color is the landmark mural of farm animals on the side of the Farmer John pork processing plant.

About 44,000 people work in the city. But only 93 live there, according to the latest census estimate. Nearly all live in heavily subsidized city-owned housing.

The lack of residents means the city doesn't have to offer as many services as more populous cities. But it has considerable revenue. The city has its own police, fire and health departments and municipal utilities that generate tens of millions of dollars selling electricity and gas to local industries. The money has helped provide lucrative careers for a small group of city officials, most notably former City Administrator Bruce V. Malkenhorst Sr., whose son, Bruce Malkenhorst Jr., is the acting city clerk.

The senior Malkenhorst, who collected nearly $600,000 in salary, bonuses and payments for unused vacation before retiring last year, has been a focus of an investigation by the Los Angeles County district attorney's Public Integrity Division into misappropriation of public funds, according to court records.

There are fewer than 60 registered voters in Vernon, and almost all are either city employees or related to a city official. All five council members have served at least 30 years in office.

And what happens if you try to challenge the good thing these folks have got going?  They don't like it, and they get mean:

Twenty-five years after its elected officials last had a contested ballot, eight strangers took up residence in the tiny city four miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Last month, after just a few days in town, three of the newcomers filed petitions to run for City Council in the April 11 election.

Twenty-five years after its elected officials last had a contested ballot, eight strangers took up residence in the tiny city four miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Last month, after just a few days in town, three of the newcomers filed petitions to run for City Council in the April 11 election. . .

At a Vernon City Council meeting Feb. 1, three elderly incumbent council members took turns walking through a door behind their seats. With halting steps, they recused themselves as the council voted to reappoint each of them.

Then the city fathers did the one thing that they almost always do every four years: They voted to cancel the election.

Read the full article for more on intimidation, guns, and how you can get the gold...if you're the one that makes the rules.

Comments

[Chuck]

It's also the most foul-smelling place I've ever been (with the possible exception of one particular gas station bathroom in Ireland and the folks' house after Katrina). The delightful aroma of industrial waste is magnificently overpowered by the unbelievable stench of the eight-block abbatoir that is Farmer John.