On May 14, Gov. Jerry Brown announced revisions to his proposed 2015-16 state budget, boosting the General Fund expenditures to a total of $115.3 billion, an increase of $6.7 billion. “The state is definitely on a rebound from just a few years ago when the state was mired in red ink,” Brown said at his…
Residents of Riverside County’s unincorporated areas, including Idyllwild, will be asked to approve a special assessment in order to maintain the county’s pest control program — such as pertains to mosquitoes and rodents. At its May 12 meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved a resolution authorizing the Proposition 218 ballot, which the county began mailing…
On April 20, the 4th District Court of Appeal, Division 3, decided the case of Capistrano Taxpayers Association Inc. vs. City of San Juan Capistrano, in which the taxpayers sought to overturn the action of a local governmental body to impose, unilaterally without a vote, tiered rates not based on cost of service for the…
At its May 11 budget workshop, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors reviewed the current budget and discussed the potential deficit projected in fiscal 2015-16, which begins July 1. The next day, it approved the rates to be charged to county cities that contract for Sheriff’s Department services. While the fiscal problems at the county’s…
Joshua Tree National Park announced that effective June 1, park fees will increase. These increases come after extensive civic engagement from Oct. 21 to Nov. 22, 2014, and a high level of support from federal, state and county stakeholders, as well as commercial operators. Outreach included radio broadcasts, town hall meetings, local community events, print…
Riverside County is re-organizing its emergency and disaster service agencies. The new Emergency Management Department will be composed of two public health agencies — the Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch and the Emergency Medical Services Agency — and the Office of Emergency Services from the county Fire Department. “Through discussions among staff and administrators, it…
The current-year Riverside County budget continues to show a deficit and preliminary indications are that the next fiscal-year budget, which starts July 1, will continue the shortfalls. The initial projected deficit is about $127 million, of which $65 million is just the Sheriff’s Department’s initial request. While these deficits are offset from reserves, the county…
Lupe Ramos Watson, mayor of Indio, is the first announced challenger to Rep. Dr. Raul Ruiz’s (D) seat representing the 36th Congressional District in 2016. Watson, a Republican, is a Coachella Valley native. She was born and raised in Indio, the fourth generation of her family in the district. Since 2004, she has been a…
Rep. Dr. Raul Ruiz was re-elected to the House of Representatives in November. He still has 20 months in his second term and 18 until the next election. But last week, Indio Mayor Lupe Ramos Watson announced her intention to challenge Ruiz in 2016. (See accompanying story.) Watson was born and raised in Indio and…
Wasters of water, recalcitrant users in violation of Gov. Jerry Brown’s drought regulations, may be fined $10,000 if the governor’s new proposed legislation were enacted. On Tuesday, April 28, he announced proposed legislation to help local officials better enforce conservation requirements. Besides the new big fine, the proposal also would allow both wholesale and retail…
