SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA / A news summary : The Local Review / DEVELOPMENTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Councilman Seeks Grant for Pacoima Youths
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LOS ANGELES — City Councilman Alex Padilla moved Tuesday to force city officials to include Pacoima in an application for a $12-million federal youth jobs program.
Padilla and several other San Fernando Valley political leaders were angered when Pacoima was left out of plans to apply for the U.S. Department of Labor grant. Watts and East Los Angeles were proposed for the program.
Padilla, whose district includes Pacoima, asked the City Council on Tuesday to instruct the Community Development Department to submit an application for Pacoima.
“I’m not going down without a fight in my commitment for the kids in my community,” Padilla said. “The needs of youth in the northeast Valley must be met.
The dispute arose while the grant application was being prepared by the city Community Development Department. Applicants must be from federal empowerment zones, such as Pacoima, Padilla said. It also is desirable, but not required, for the community to be a recipient of a separate federal grant program.
Padilla said there was misinformation conveyed to his office about Pacoima’s eligibility. His office was initially told that Pacoima must receive the federal grant to apply for the youth job program. Pacoima, he said, cannot now apply for the grant because it is not in the service area.
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