Politics, Government and Business in Southern California's Inland Empire
June 10, 2013; 03:26 PM
Riverside County supervisors have endorsed a strategy that could double the size of three existing jails and restart planning for a Palm Springs-area mega-jail.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
May 28, 2013; 08:31 PM
Take away their $143,000 salaries and other taxpayer-funded benefits and the Riverside County Board of Supervisors would still be a wealthy lot.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Posted on | April 25, 2013
Maybe it’s not must-see TV. But at least some TV broadcasts of Riverside County Board of Supervisors’ meetings have been cut short.
To read post by Jeff Horseman on The Press Enterprise Watchdog Blog, click here.
April 22, 2013; 03:43 PM
Riverside County is taking the state of California to court over roughly $40 million in funds the county believes it needs to pay off debts of its now-defunct redevelopment agency.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
April 17, 2013; 05:33 PM
Several Riverside County supervisors want to avoid the impression they’re using taxpayer money to buy votes by imposing new restrictions on six-figure funds doled out annually to charities and community groups.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
April 15, 2013; 05:11 PM
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone ended months of speculation by announcing Monday, April 15, that he will not run for Congress against Rep. Ken Calvert in 2014.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
April 05, 2013; 04:01 PM
Donations of $1,000 or more to candidates for Riverside County offices would have to be disclosed year-round under a proposal by Supervisor Kevin Jeffries.
To read story By Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
April 01, 2013; 05:10 PM
Riverside County’s budget shortfall could approach a combined $102 million after July 1, a chasm fueled in party by a projected $39 million gap between what the Sheriff’s Department requested and what county administrators say they can afford.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
March 26, 2013; 10:23 PM
Riverside County supervisors Tuesday, March 26, committed to hiring more deputies over the next five years to enhance law enforcement in unincorporated areas, saying they wanted to reaffirm their dedication to public safety.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
March 25, 2013; 01:48 PM
Riverside County’s probation department wants to collect room and board from those convicted of misdemeanors, even though officials so far have collected less than 1 percent of what felony convicts owe for the cost of their jail stays.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
March 18, 2013; 05:45 PM
If Riverside County’s public hospital were a patient, it might qualify for intensive care.
Right now, Riverside County Regional Medical Center is expected to end the fiscal year with a budget shortfall of around $10 million. The hospital’s shaky footing worries county officials already anxious about how national health care reform will be implemented in California.
To read story by Jeff Horseman and Jim Miller in The Press Enterprise, click here.
March 01, 2013; 06:03 PM
Having identified Rep. Gary Miller as a target for defeat in 2014, Democrats are taking every opportunity to go after the Rancho Cucamonga Republican.
To read column by Imran Ghori, Jeff Horseman and Jim Miller in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Friday, March 1, 2013 – 08:15 a.m.
The winding road to the selection of a new Riverside County Public Defender has an end in sight.
February 27, 2013; 08:35 PM
Riverside County may have found a way to help pay for new jail space and other public services by transferring millions of dollars from a special fund that pays for landfills.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
February 22, 2013; 07:15 PM
You lead a party that picks up four competitive seats in the November election. And for your labors you’re tossed four months later?
To read column by Jeff Horseman, David Olson and Jim Miller in The Press Enterprise, click here.
February 21, 2013; 06:59 PM
Aid packages aimed at stabilizing the finances of two of the county’s newest cities — and staving off the fiscal collapse of Jurupa Valley — will go to Riverside County supervisors next week.
To read story by Sandra Stokley in The Press Enterprise, click here.
February 02, 2013; 06:40 PM
In 2009, Riverside County furloughed workers and closed non-emergency offices on Fridays to cut costs in the face of gaping budget deficits.
The furloughs are over. But a number of county departments remain shuttered on Fridays, including most Board of Supervisors’ offices, the department responsible for processing building permits and workforce development centers. The County Administrative Center in downtown Riverside is closed to the public on Fridays.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
January 13, 2013; 08:18 PM
Kevin Jeffries is still settling into being a Riverside County supervisor. But he’s already enjoying it.
To read column by Jeff Horseman and Imran Ghori in The Press Enterprise, click here.
January 09, 2013; 05:39 PM
Take that, Jeff Stone.
Days after the Riverside County supervisor announced that he might challenge incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert in 2014, Calvert counterpunched, announcing that all of Stone’s colleagues on the Board of Supervisors have endorsed him.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013 – 09:15 a.m.
Here’s some news of interest flowing across the transom this week.
San Bernardino County Supe’s elect Rutherford chair
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously elected Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford as it’s new chairperson. Second District Supervisor Gary Ovitt will be vice-chair.
Posted on | January 5, 2013
Wining and dining influential public officials is serious business, according to a Riverside County supervisor who wants to up reimbursement limits for meals in four cities.
To read post by Jeff Horseman on The Press Enterprise Watchdog Blog, click here.
January 04, 2013; 09:29 PM
Angered by U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert’s vote on the fiscal cliff bill, Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone said he’s forming an exploratory committee to pursue a possible run for the veteran Republican’s congressional seat.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Friday, January 4, 2013 – 08:15 a.m.
The search to replace ousted Riverside County Public Defender Gary Windom is in full swing, and two well-known names have surfaced as being interested in replacing him.
December 31, 2012; 05:02 PM
Restoring funding to four cities and securing money for health-services are among the top lobbying priorities for Riverside County in the new year.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Posted on | December 18, 2012
Riverside County Supervisor Bob Buster’s colleagues used his last meeting in office to praise him as an accomplished, thoughtful lawmaker who disagreed without being disagreeable.
To read post by Jeff Horseman on The PE.com, click here.
December 17, 2012; 04:41 PM
Thousands of jobs in Riverside County government are unfilled. And if they stay that way for more than a year, they could be eliminated under a possible policy change.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
December 12, 2012; 01:33 PM
A Lake Elsinore councilman is joining the staff of Riverside County Supervisor-elect Kevin Jeffries.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
December 05, 2012; 06:29 PM
Riverside County’s upgraded radio network for police and firefighters is expected to cost an extra $7.5 million annually to run once it starts up next year — three years later than first planned — and the price tag for building the system is $24 million more than initially budgeted.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
November 30, 2012; 04:15 PM
Kevin Jeffries defeated longtime Riverside County Supervisor Bob Buster thanks to southwest county voters, those who cast ballots in person instead of by mail and voters from Riverside’s outskirts, an analysis of voting records shows.
To read story by Jeff Horseman and Jim Miller in The Press Enterprise, click here.
November 27, 2012 – 04:35 PM
Roughly 600 Riverside County employees could get annual raises for stellar work – or pay cuts for poor work — as part of a pay-for-performance plan approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
50.50% 49.50%
Tuesday, November 20, 2012 – 10:50 a.m.
State Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries has defeated veteran Riverside County First District Supervisor Bob Buster in a very close race.
Published: 19 November 2012 – 06:57 PM
Riverside County’s revenues appear stable, but its public hospital is facing a possible $14 million to $36 million deficit and future budgets will have to absorb new labor and jail costs amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, according to a county report.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 – 09:15 a.m.
Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries has a 954 votes lead over incumbent Riverside County First District Supervisor Bob Buster, with all precincts reporting.
It’s unusual for late absentee and provisional ballot to affect an outcome of this size. But anything is possible.
Monday, November 5, 2012 – 10:30 a.m.
Last modified: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 0 08:30 a.m.
Here’s a few commonsense candidate recommendations, in select contests, for Riverside and San Bernardino County voters to consider.
Published: 03 November 2012 – 07:17 PM
County supervisors earn six-figure salaries, control millions of dollars in spending and serve a vast population. But at its heart, the race for a supervisor’s seat is run like much smaller campaigns — door to door, voter by voter.
To read story by Jeff Horseman and Imran Ghori in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 02 November 2012 – 06:40 PM
Riverside County Supervisor Bob Buster opposes Liberty Quarry. His top campaign contributors include companies supplying the same materials the quarry would produce.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 01 November 2012 – 09:11 AM
The proposed Liberty Quarry could go on the fast-track toward possible approval at an upcoming Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 16 October 2012 – 06:20 PM
Inland Southern California’s congressional candidates raised and spent millions of dollars over the past three months as they battled for a set of newly competitive House seats.
To read story by Ben Goad in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 12 October 2012 – 04:59 PM
To win a sixth consecutive four-year term as Riverside County supervisor, Bob Buster must do something he hasn’t had to do since 1992 – win a runoff.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 08 October 2012 – 09:37 PM
The two men running for Riverside County supervisor touted their accomplishments while attacking each other’s records and clashing on issues such as a solar fee during a forum Monday, Oct. 8.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 03 October 2012 – 09:59 PM
Democrat Mark Takano attempted to tie his congressional rival to a rigid Republican right in Washington, DC while John Tavaligione portrayed himself as a moderate who will chart an independent course during a spirited debate Wednesday, Oct. 3.
To read story by Imran Ghori in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 25 September 2012 – 05:42 PM
To hear Democrats tell it, Republican congressional candidate John Tavaglione is aligned with a conservative establishment in Washington that wants to take away Medicare and protect the wealthy at the expense of those less fortunate.
To read story by Ben Goad and Jeff Horseman, click here.
Published: 11 September 2012 – 06:51 PM
Riverside County supervisors have approved a final budget that officials say spends only what it takes in and leaves savings untouched for the first time since the Great Recession.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Published: 10 September 2012 – 04:15 PM
The final version of Riverside County’s budget is balanced and restores a contingency fund, but doesn’t provide extra money the sheriff wanted to hire deputies for areas that are not part of cities.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 24 August 2012 – 06:18 PM
House Speaker John Boehner took a major detour on his way to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.
To read column by Ben Goad, Imran Ghori and Jim Miller in the Press-Enterprise, click here.
Published: 22 August 2012 – 07:03 PM
Riverside County’s public employee unions are taking a more passive approach to the District 1 supervisorial race after their favored candidate lost in the June primary.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in the Press-Enterprise, click here.
Monday, August 20, 2012 – 08:00 a.m.
San Bernardino County governments is leaving Riverside County governments behind in forming a highly dubious Ontario International Airport Authority.
At least that’s the way it appears this morning.
Published: 17 August 2012 – 10:59 AM
The city of Ontario and San Bernardino County will vote to create an Ontario International Airport Authority with the ultimate goal of taking control of the Inland airport from Los Angeles.
To read story by Kim Pierceall and Jeff Horseman in the Press-Enterprise, click here.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 10 August 2012 05:15 PM
Inland Rep Mary Bono Mack’s legislation seeking to lift taxes on the cash awards received by Olympic medalists gained a key supporter.
To read column in the Press-Enterprise, click here.
Published: 03 August 2012 04:13 PM
Developers behind on their property taxes to Riverside County will have to pay up before their zoning applications can be processed under a new policy adopted by county supervisors.
To read entire story by Jeff Horseman, click here.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 31 July 2012 06:25 PM
Senior staff in the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, district attorney’s office and other departments will get raises to prevent them from earning less than the people they supervise.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, July 31, voted unanimously to approve the raises, which will cost about $1.6 million this fiscal year. The raises will be absorbed in the current budget and won’t require additional spending.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 31 July 2012 11:04 AM
Riverside County supervisors voted unanimously this morning to give raises to upper-level managers who aren’t represented by unions.
Sheriff Stan Sniff said the raises, which pertain to 11 executives in his office, were critical to his ability to attract employees to executive posts and keep his department running.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 28 July 2012 06:04 PM
Raises for top-level prosecutors and senior sheriff’s department staff are needed so managers don’t earn less than the people they supervise, according to Sheriff Stan Sniff and District Attorney Paul Zellerbach.
They’re backing proposals before the county Board of Supervisors to raise non-union managers’ pay so there’s a wider salary gap between them and their subordinates. The board will consider the raises at their Tuesday, July 31, meeting, which starts at 9 a.m. in the board chambers at the County Administrative Center, 4080 Lemon St. in Riverside.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 26 July 2012 07:31 PM
A rift has developed between two Riverside County supervisors over re-submitted plans for the Liberty Quarry.
Supervisor John Benoit, who represents desert cities, is supporting efforts to fast track plans for the Temecula-area open pit gravel mine.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 20 July 2012 07:26 PM
It’s been a grim couple of weeks for San Bernardino as city officials decided to declare a fiscal emergency and file for bankruptcy due to a cash-flow crisis and budget deficit. Still, even amid serious discussions, the council found a few moments to debate 19th Century military history at its July 10 meeting.
Echoing a phrase used by one public speaker, Councilman Fred Shorett suggested that this could be a “Waterloo opportunity” allowing the city to get its financial house in order.
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 17 July 2012 06:15 PM
A banking industry group continued to press its opposition to a proposal to use eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages, claiming the tactic would not withstand legal scrutiny and could end up costing San Bernardino County.
The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, a Wall Street trade group, released a legal memo from its law firm on Tuesday, July 17, that attacked the proposal as impermissible under the federal and state constitutions and the county charter.
BY BEN GOAD
WASHINGTON BUREAU
bgoad@pe.com
Published: 16 July 2012 03:41 PM
WASHINGTON – Inland Southern California’s sitting House members are enjoying the spoils of incumbency, collecting large amounts of contributions while their challengers struggle to keep pace, new campaign finance filings show.
And while outside money hasn’t yet begun to arrive, the reports filed with the Federal Election Commission contain hints suggesting that the region’s most contested races could attract large sums from so-called Super PACs and national interests.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 08 July 2012 07:42 PM
Beginning Monday, July 9, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said it will run online ads portraying Rep. Mary Bono Mack and other GOP lawmakers as siding with insurance companies rather than their middle-class constituents in the ongoing national debate over health care.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 07 July 2012 06:12 PM
Pay raises for pension changes. To the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, it’s a fair — if costly — trade.
To get the county’s labor unions to agree to an overhaul of the public employee pension system, supervisors authorized more than $730 million in raises over the next four years. In exchange, officials expect savings of $856 million over the next 10 years as new employees earn lesser pensions and current workers pay more toward their retirement.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 29 June 2012 05:24 PM
Between the Supreme Court’s landmark health care ruling, the House of Representative’s vote to hold U.S. Attorney Gen. Eric Holder in contempt of Congress and downright sweltering conditions, Thursday marked one of the most heated days Washington has seen for years.
Yet through all the partisanship, contention and sweat, Inland Rep. Joe Baca and his colleagues from both sides of the aisle cast aside politics that evening to play in the 51st annual congressional baseball game.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 26 June 2012 04:36 PM
Changes to Riverside County’s public pension system should save $856 million over 10 years and after that, the system’s assets might cover its billions of dollars in liabilities, according to county officials.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, June 26, received an annual report from the Pension Advisory Review Committee, a 9-year-old panel consisting of Treasurer/Tax Collector Don Kent, finance chief Ed Corser and Human Resources Director Barbara Olivier.
John Tavaglione
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 25 June 2012 04:30 PM
A visit to Riverside by a Louisiana congressman underscores the importance of an Inland congressional race to Republicans as they try to keep and add to their House majority in November.
Steve Scalise, R-La., attended a fundraiser Monday, June 25, for John Tavaglione, a Republican and Riverside County supervisor running for the 41st Congressional District seat in a Nov. 6 runoff against Democrat and Riverside Community College District trustee Mark Takano.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 22 June 2012 04:50 PM
A planned park in Wildomar has become a political battlefield in the race for the First District Riverside County supervisor seat.
The field in question is adjacent to Ronald Reagan Elementary School. In making the case for why voters in the southern end of the district aren’t satisfied with incumbent Bob Buster, Wildomar Mayor Ben Benoit cited the playground as an example of an unkept promise by the supervisor.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 19 June 2012 09:17 PM
After months of sometimes rocky talks with organized labor, Riverside County supervisors moved to reduce county pensions for new employees despite concerns from the sheriff, who wanted more time to consider how those changes would affect his ability to recruit and retain deputies.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, June 19, voted 4-0 with John Benoit absent to submit an amendment to the county’s contract with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. The amendment allows for reduced pension benefits for newly hired employees and deputies.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 15 June 2012 05:51 PM
A north/south split in support for incumbent Bob Buster and challenger Kevin Jeffries appeared during the June 5 primary for Riverside County supervisor, an analysis of voting results shows.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 11 June 2012 12:04 PM
For the first time in several years, Riverside County supervisors approved a budget that doesn’t need savings to stay balanced.
The vote on the preliminary budget for fiscal 2012-13 came after a public hearing Monday, June 11, in which Sheriff Stan Sniff asked supervisors to let him recruit and hire more deputies for unincorporated areas, where budget cuts have taken a bite out of coverage.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 10 June 2012 06:45 PM
Rep. Gary Miller and his financial backers spent almost $100 for every vote the Republican lawmaker collected on his way to a first-place showing in last week’s primary election in California’s 31st Congressional District.
The contest for the San Bernardino-area seat continues to reverberate around the country. Democrats who hoped to snag the seat on their way to retaking the House majority were shut out of the race entirely, as Miller and state Sen. Bob Dutton claimed the top two spots in the primary.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 08 June 2012 06:59 PM
Riverside County supervisors will review a recommended budget that, unlike recent editions, doesn’t dip into reserves to make ends meet.
But that doesn’t mean the spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1 will stay balanced. A projected $10 million drop in property tax revenues could open another hole, and at least 229 county workers are losing their jobs as the county faces a sluggish economic recovery and tens of millions of dollars in new spending mandates.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 06 June 2012 05:34 PM
Bob Buster is facing a runoff for the first time in 20 years as he tries to protect his seat on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors from well-known, well-funded challenger Kevin Jeffries.
Semiofficial results from the Tuesday, June 5, primary election show Buster with roughly 39 percent of the vote in the First District race. Jeffries, a Republican state assemblyman from Lake Elsinore, got 31 percent; Mike Soubirous, a retired California Highway Patrol officer, trailed Jeffries by about 400 votes.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 04 June 2012 07:16 PM
Riverside County’s sheriff and one of the county’s largest unions have joined other critics — including most county supervisors — in attacking a plan to raise elected leaders’ pay amid ongoing layoffs.
BY IMRAN GHORI
ighori@pe.com
Published: 01 June 2012 05:58 PM
Employee unions are among those spending heavily to support candidates they back in both the San Bernardino and Riverside County supervisorial races.
Mike Soubirous, who is one of two challengers running against Riverside County Supervisor Bob Buster in the 1st District, has been the largest beneficiary of union support, according to campaign reports.
BY ALICIA ROBINSON
STAFF WRITER
arobinson@pe.com
Published: 01 June 2012 11:21 PM
Though Riverside County is in the midst of laying off nearly 230 employees to balance its budget, its supervisors are poised to consider giving county elected officials salary hikes of more than 25 percent over the next three years.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 17 May 2012 08:27 PM
It’s easy to see who Riverside County’s public employee unions want for First District county supervisor.
They’re knocking on doors, offering endorsements and spending thousands of dollars to help Mike Soubirous oust incumbent Bob Buster in the June 5 primary. Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, is the third candidate, setting the stage for a possible two-man runoff in November.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN AND NELSY RODRIGUEZ
STAFF WRITERS
jhorseman@pe.com | nrodriguez@pe.com
Published: 16 May 2012 06:41 PM
Liberty Quarry opponents said Wednesday, May 16, that their dismay over county supervisors’ Tuesday decision to accept a report on the environmental affects of the quarry had turned to anger at the supervisor who cast the swing vote.
BY JEFF HORSEMAN
STAFF WRITER
jhorseman@pe.com
Published: 11 May 2012 12:18 PM
Riverside County and the sheriff’s deputies’ union tentatively agreed Friday on a four-year contract, nearly a year after county supervisors angered the union by imposing pay cuts and pension changes on deputies.
Agreed to early Friday morning, the proposed pact with the Riverside Sheriff’s Association would also scuttle litigation the association filed against the county over alleged unfair labor practices and a pension-related ballot measure, a county news release read.
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