Vernon, Calif., Gets Reprieve; Lawmakers Reject Disincorporation

The two bills that failed Monday were introduced by Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, earlier this year to end what he called decades of corruption.

The bills were approved by the Assembly, but were voted down 17 to 13 by the Senate on Monday.

“The Senate chose to ignore decades of corruption in Vernon,” Perez said in a statement.

Vernon, an industrial city with about 100 residents, though its employers claim more than 50,000 jobs, has been plagued by financial scandals. Three former Vernon officials have been convicted on corruption charges and the Internal Revenue Service is auditing more than $400 million of tax-exempt debt issued in 2009 by the city.