Mayor Mario Flores, presiding as chair of the Huntington Park Public Finance Authority, led the authority on Aug. 4, 2025, in a roll-call vote to allocate $1,000,000 from Huntington Park Public Financing Authority Fund 475 toward the city’s emergency operations center project.

City finance staff told the authority the funds are part of a surplus created when tax allocation bonds (TABs) issued in the 1990s were reinstated following direction from the California Department of Finance and various refunding steps in 2004 and 2015. Staff said roughly $5 million has been sitting in the account collecting interest and that the authority was being asked to move $1 million into the appropriate account to support the EOC project.

The allocation was made by motion. Board member Mr. Ray moved to authorize the director of finance to allocate the funds; an unnamed board member seconded. Board Member Macias and Board Member Martis abstained. Board Member Sanabria and Vice Chair Martinez voted yes. Chair Flores abstained. The roll call recorded two yes votes and three abstentions.

City staff clarified to the authority that the action taken was an allocation of funds and not an award or payment to a contractor. The city manager said the council will later receive presentations on the emergency operations center design and, at that later time, may decide whether to award contracts or change the allocation. Staff described the PFA allocation as akin to moving money from a savings account into a checking account: the funds are being placed where the city can use them when it is ready to proceed.

No written public comment specific to the PFA item was submitted, and no public commenters came forward during the PFA public-comment period. City staff said the allocation will be brought back to the council when the EOC presentation and possible contract awards are on the regular agenda.

Background: finance staff summarized that the city’s current Public Financing Authority balances trace to redevelopment-era tax allocation bonds issued in 1994, refinanced in 2004, and refunded in 2015. In December 2016 the California Department of Finance directed reinstatement of the 1994 TABs, producing a surplus that staff says has been available for projects such as civic buildings. Staff said there is no immediate impact to the general fund from the allocation itself.

Discussion vs. decision: the authority’s action was a formal allocation of funds. Staff repeatedly distinguished that allocation from any later contractual award or expenditure; future council action is required to obligate the funds for construction or contractor payments.

What happens next: staff and council members said the EOC project design and procurement will appear on a future regular-council agenda for review and possible award decisions; the allocation itself will remain subject to later council review and action.