Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 – 11:30 p.m.
Could more Inland cities be on the road to municipal bankruptcy?
The answer is yes.
By Phil Willon, Los Angeles Times
July 10, 2012, 11:17 p.m.
San Bernardino on Tuesday became the third California city in less than a month to seek bankruptcy protection, with officials saying the financial situation had become so dire that it could not cover payroll through the summer.
The unexpected vote came at the suggestion of the interim city manager, who said the city faces a $46-million deficit and depleted coffers.
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 10 July 2012 09:28 PM
The San Bernardino City Council voted Tuesday, July 10, to seek bankruptcy protection, calling it the city’s best option to solve a budget crisis in which it faces a $45 million deficit.
The 4-2 vote, with Councilmen Chas Kelley and Fred Shorett opposed, came at the end of a more than three-hour budget workshop where city officials presented a grim picture of the city’s finances. Councilman John Valdivia abstained.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 11 July 2012 06:01 AM
Democratic President Barack Obama fares well among California voters who expect the state’s economy to bounce back, but more pessimistic voters prefer Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the November election, according to a new survey.
Results from the Field Poll released Wednesday, July 11, found that 88 percent of California’s registered voters think the state’s economy is in bad shape. Since 2008, at least 86 percent of respondents said the state was in tough economic times and not since 2001 have a majority of voters felt good about the economy.
BY ALICIA ROBINSON
STAFF WRITER
arobinson@pe.com
Published: 10 July 2012 09:43 PM
After more than an hour of impassioned comments from residents, Riverside City Council members postponed a decision on new ward boundaries to allow further discussion.
The changes were intended to even out the populations of the seven wards, but many speakers on Tuesday, July 10, objected to a plan to move businesses in the Marketplace from Ward 2’s Eastside into Ward 1.
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Created: 07/10/2012 03:13:57 PM PDT
ONTARIO – An investigative audit is being performed of the city’s Convention Center after allegations have been raised of “procedural violations” related to the venue’s operations.
Ontario City Manager Chris Hughes and Bob McClintock, SMG World’s senior vice-president of operations, confirmed that the audit was taking place.
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 07/10/2012 04:12:12 PM PDT
Supervisor Neil Derry’s proposal to form a commission to address animal-control issues in unincorporated areas got the green light Tuesday from the Board of Supervisors.
Derry proposed the formation of the Animal Care Community Outreach Commission in March to increase public awareness on the numbers of stray dogs, cats and other animals that flood the county shelter in Devore and to promote pet adoptions.
Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer
Created: 07/09/2012 11:16:03 PM PDT
UPLAND – Council members have adopted the city’s 2012-13 fiscal year budget, which includes cuts in services and layoffs in the Police Department.
The City Council in June had postponed the adoption of the budget – whose fiscal year started July 1 – to allow staffers more time to negotiate with employee groups on concessions.
By Anthony York, Los Angeles Times
July 11, 2012
SACRAMENTO — A state appellate court has asked Secretary of State Debra Bowen to explain why she allowed Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative to be placed above all other propositions on the November ballot.
Judge Vance W. Raye gave Bowen until July 30 to explain her actions to the court in writing or undo the ballot order she set Monday for the 11 measures. Brown’s tax proposal, Proposition 30, was placed first among all initiatives.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Jul. 11, 2012 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Last Modified: Wednesday, Jul. 11, 2012 – 7:48 am
Whatever its other attributes or deficiencies may be, Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax increase on the November ballot would make the state budget more dependent on personal income taxes and on the relative handful of wealthy Californians who pay most of those taxes.
By the state’s own numbers, income taxes would rise to well over 60 percent of general fund revenues in the just-enacted 2012-13 budget, about twice their proportion when Brown was governor three decades ago.