Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/20/2010 03:51:47 PM PDT
SAN BERNARDINO – Scores of local non-partisan elected offices will be on the ballot in the November election, and the local Democratic Party wants to see more of its people filling those offices.
Local party officials say 64 city council members and and mayors will be up for election, as well as 100 seats on various high school and community college boards. There are even more when you add special districts.
Happy Father’s Day from InlandPolitics.com
Sheriff Rod Hoops
10:00 PM PDT on Saturday, June 19, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops said he is trying to put together a plan to avoid layoffs in his department despite a $23 million budget shortfall.
His department’s financial outlook became more complicated last week when the San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association, which represents 3,100 employees, voted to reject a request by the county to forgo previously negotiated pay raises.
10:00 PM PDT on Saturday, June 19, 2010
By DARRELL R. SANTSCHI
The Press-Enterprise
The City Council will have to wait at least another week before taking on tough decisions it must make to trim a projected $24 million budget deficit.
City Manager Charles McNeely told council members this past week that he will stick to the painstaking budget process that began with a retreat earlier this spring.
Prosecutors’ strategy may set stage for future trials
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 06/19/2010 06:14:18 PM PDT
The week-old trial of Rancho Cucamonga Councilman Rex Gutierrez marks the first jury test of the theory by prosecutors that developer Jeff Burum engaged in a broad conspiracy to influence San Bernardino County officials and enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers.
Gutierrez, 50, is charged with felony grand theft, misappropriation of public funds and filing a false claim for allegedly performing political or city business while collecting a salary as an intergovernmental liaison in the county Assessor’s Office.
Gutierrez
Councilman’s work at issue
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 06/19/2010 10:06:49 PM PDT
Prosecutors and a defense attorney battled it out last week in San Bernardino Superior Court in the criminal trial of Rancho Cucamonga Councilman Rex Gutierrez.
Prosecutors allege Gutierrez, 50, was hired at the county Assessor’s Office as a political favor to Rancho Cucamonga developer Jeff Burum and that Gutierrez spent county time furthering his political career.
Created: 06/19/2010 07:08:16 AM PDT
CHINO – The Chino Council last week approved a $44.1 million budget for the new fiscal year – a nearly 10 percent spending decrease from last year.
A projected $4.2 million deficit for the 2010-11 fiscal year, beginning July 1, was blamed on declines in revenue from sales and property taxes, as well as a major slowdown in construction.
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/19/2010 07:11:34 AM PDT
SAN BERNARDINO – After plunging 44 percent in just four years, this city’s sales tax revenue appears to have stopped falling, offering another cautious sign that the economic recovery taking root throughout the state and nation could be gaining momentum in the heart of the Inland Empire.
“Business is getting a bit better,” said Nick DePasquale, a partner at Fairview Ford.
Business at the San Bernardino car dealership is up about 10 percent from the darkest days of the recession in late-2008 and 2009, he said. The improvement is prompting optimism the business can grow again beyond its repair operation.
Jesse B. Gill, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/19/2010 02:24:35 PM PDT
REDLANDS – The City Council could finally vote on the next fiscal year’s budget during a special budget meeting Monday – the third of such meetings in two weeks.
The city is working to close a $8.9 million budget gap before the 2010/2011 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, June 18, 2010
The city of Hemet’s proposed resolution in support of Arizona’s immigration law is scheduled to be voted upon at the 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday, the City Council agenda shows.
The Arizona law requires police officers, when writing a ticket or investigating a crime, to attempt to verify the subject’s immigration status with federal authorities if the officer reasonably believes that the subject might be in the United States illegally.
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, June 18, 2010
The Hemet City Council on Tuesday will consider a proposal by Vice Mayor Jerry Franchville to reduce council members’ pay by 20 percent as part of belt-tightening throughout the city.
Hemet is trying to eliminate almost $5 million in spending before the next fiscal year begins July 1. The council is also scheduled to vote on a 2010-11 budget of $83.5 million Tuesday.
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Sunday, Jun. 20, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 1A
Working under one of the most generous state leave policies in the nation – and the country’s harshest furlough program – California government employees have built up the equivalent of $2.75 billion of paid time off.
Data analyzed by The Bee show that state workers had 75.5 million hours on the books as of May 28. The time was spread across 17 types of leave employees can cash out when they quit or retire. That’s equal to nearly 11 weeks of paid time off owed each of the 176,000 state workers whose leave data are tracked by the state Controller’s Office. Average cash value: $15,655 per person.