What is the deal with City of Industry, California? Who named it that, and why? I’ve run across this a couple of times. It has the quasi-socialist sound of some provincial center in the developing world, where companies have addresses like “Area of Industrial Behavior 7, Cinderblock 2B.” Also, is it true that City of Industry was the subject of the original version of “Under the Bridge,” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers?
Don’t forget it’s twin, the City of Commerce. Those Californians with their creative names!
It is a tax thing.
If (in this case) the city of Los Angeles is expanding toward your area, you can preempt them by forming your own city. Supposedly one such city is just a bunch of cemeteries with a half-dozen live residents.
Consider the advantages. You (the local cemetery bosses) can set tax rates whatever you like. You don’t have to pay taxes for schools, or police or much of anything else. Instead you maintain a handful of roads, contract with the Sheriff for nightly patrols and be done with it.
Another example in California is Beverly Hills. It was founded by Rich People to keep Poor People from messing with their neighborhood. (Charlie Chaplain has a statue as a Founding Father in front of City Hall.)
(University Park, Maryland is another prime example.)
This works in some states but not others based upon local laws.
In Pennsylvania there is a sleepy lil hamlet called Petrolia. A bunch of houses built around some huge petroleum distillation plants. http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/pennsylvania/petrolia
Here in WA there is a town called Concrete.
Well, JohnnyLA’s link got me the who, and **Paul ** explained the why, as far as incorporating, but I still wonder, why did they call it “City of Industry?” Was it a wish disguised as an observation?
The “City” was an area zoned for heavy industry. It had 300 residents, 100 of whom were registered voters. One of the attractions of having your property in that zone was that there would be no property taxes. Some property owners wanted to not be included because of the zoning.
I’ve always been amused by the community name Industry Hills. Guess it’s a part of the City of Industry. Either that, or it’s a neighbor.
Firesign Theater fans are familiar with the City of Fine Music, home of Ralph Spoilsport Motors.
Goodbye, friends, and happy motoring back on the Freeway, which is already in progress …
I ordered some items recently from a company and the address given to send the payment was just Industry, California, not City of Industry. Are they dropping the City of?
The USPS still uses “City of Commerce” and “City of Industry”, but in general parlance out here, people just say “Commerce” and “Industry.”
Commerce has a casino called “The Commerce Casino”. Industry has the Industry Hills Country Club and a big hotel. The golf course there is a good place to lose a lot of golf balls and take 6-7 hours to play a round.
The more interesting city in Los Angeles County is Vernon, population 90.
http://www.examiner.com/a-76480~Voting_Coercion_Charges_Fly_in_Calif__City.html
Ah, Vernon, home of Hog Heaven, the Farmer John meat packing plant with a mural hundreds of feet long depicting the bucolic life that awaits all swine who enter in.