Tabor’s victory celebration (Photo by Jasmyne Cannick)
Councilmember Danny Tabor Was Elected Mayor of Inglewood in a Unanimous Victory — though he will be mayor for 62 days.
By Francis Taylor
Sentinel Contributing Writer
With a commanding win in a city-wide election, Daniel K. Tabor, was proclaimed the new Mayor of the City of Inglewood, California, on Tuesday evening, August 31, at 9:15 pm. He prevailed over substitute candidate Judy Dunlap. “I am delighted that the voters in the City of Inglewood determined that I have the best plan to lead our city to a better future,” Tabor remarked as it became clear that he would win the special election to serve as the city’s mayor for the next 62 days. “As I look forward to the November election, I will focus on making decisions that will benefit our city and will actively seek the input of our citizens in order to demonstrate that I am the best choice for mayor for the next term.”
The city of Inglewood has been “mayorless” since former Inglewood Mayor Roosevelt F. Dorn stepped down after pleading guilty in January to a public corruption charge. Now Inglewood voters have elected 1 st District Councilmember Danny Tabor as their next mayor.
With most of the votes counted, Tabor bested his nearest opponent, 2nd District Councilmember Judy Dunlap. The election of Tabor officially brings to an end one of Inglewood’s most embarrassing moments which left the city of 120,000 without an official leader.
Now, Mayor Tabor will serve out the remainder of Dorn’s 62 days in office while running for re-election in the Nov. 2 General Election. While in office, he plans to hit the ground running in an effort to make up for the nine months Inglewood operated without a Mayor.
“We’ve still got to balance our budget,” explained Tabor. “Inglewood is potentially facing a $15 million deficit. So while I am elated at the being elected Mayor, quite frankly now is not the time for celebration; it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
Tabor’s new job title also comes with a salary increase. In Inglewood, the mayor, which is a full-time position makes $111,300 a year. Council members are paid $61,884 a year.
The filing period for nomination papers and candidate’s statements for the November-2nd general election closed on the 6th of August. At that time, Tabor along with Councilmember Dunlap, retired Santa Monica police chief, James T. Butts, Michael Stevens, and Joseph A. Soto were officially listed as candidates.
Butts, who came in second place during the June-8 primary was disqualified from runoff after his refusal to sign an affidavit that his residency requirements were filed on time after a question had arisen regarding his eligibility relative to residency requirements.
Tabor’s position as Mayor will not be official until the vote is certified by the city council on Sep. 14, at which time, he will be sworn into office by retired Superior Court Judge James N. Reese.
