Sunday, February 5, 2012 – 06:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, February 6, 2012 – 10:55 a.m.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos must be wanting a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in the worst way.

Since 2010, a whopping $592,000 has been funneled to two Ramos-controlled campaign committees.

By whom you ask?

Indian gambling interests.

An amount making up 82.41% of his total campaign war-chest raised.

For a candidate with many vulnerabilities, this falls into the category of major stupid

Ramos, a democrat, has been trying to distance himself from his title as Tribal chairman, and instead adopt the bait and switch title of businessman, hasn’t figured out that the already received money is now a landmine.

Throwing the Tribe’s money around the community in an effort to raise his profile likely isn’t enough to counteract the negatives.

Supervisor Neil Derry, the republican that Ramos is trying to unseat, has a twelve-point party registration advantage in the conservative Third District.

Ramos likely has a solid thirty-percent of the vote at best.

Sources say Ramos’ own internal polling shows as much.

The attempt at buying the seat combined with not paying various state income and property taxes is problematic.

The more of this type of ammo that Ramos provides Derry makes Ramos’ defeat less and less costly.

Some of the issues at hand already has Ramos’ supporters second guessing themselves.

Here is a more detailed look at Ramos’ casino-related campaign windfall.

.

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE RAMOS, RAMOS FAMILY, AND OTHER TRIBAL MEMBERS
DATE       CONTRIBUTOR                                      AMOUNT
02/10/10   JAMES RAMOS SR.                                  $   5,000
03/01/10   CARLA RODRIGUEZ                                  $   1,500
04/14/10   LYNN VALBUENA                                    $     500
09/22/10   CARLA RODRIGUEZ                                  $   2,500
05/10/11   RAMOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD COMMITTEE          $  50,000
06/13/11   VANESSA RAMOS                                    $   5,000
06/15/11   ROWENA RAMOS                                     $  10,000
06/16/11   JAMES RAMOS                                      $  50,000 (LOAN)
06/19/11   ALAINA MATTHEWS                                  $   5,000
06/19/11   THERESA RAMOS                                    $   5,000
06/22/11   SANDRA MARQUEZ                                   $   6,000
06/28/11   RAMOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD COMMITTEE          $ 150,000
09/06/11   DELORES FIELDS                                   $   1,000
11/14/11   KEN RAMIREZ                                      $  10,000
12/26/11   CARLA RODRIGUEZ                                  $  10,000
12/27/11   JAMES RAMOS                                      $  50,000 (LOAN)
SUB-TOTAL $ 376,500
.
INDIAN TRIBES
DATE       CONTRIBUTOR                                      AMOUNT
02/03/10   SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS               $  15,000
02/16/10   SOBOBA INDIAN TRIBE                              $   1,000
02/22/10   SANTA YNEZ INDIAN TRIBE                          $   5,000
03/04/10   ONEIDA INDIAN NATION                             $   5,000
03/19/10   MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                  $   5,000
03/20/10   BARONA INDIAN TRIBE                              $   1,000
03/25/10   SYCUAN BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                   $   1,500
04/14/10   AGUA CALIENTE INDIAN TRIBE                       $     500
05/26/10   SHINGLE SPRINGS BAND OF MIWOK INDIANS            $     500
09/01/10   SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS               $   5,000
09/22/10   ONEIDA INDIAN NATION                             $   5,000
09/27/10   MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                  $   5,000
09/28/10   PALA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                     $   2,500
09/28/10   SANTA YNEZ INDIAN TRIBE                          $   1,000
03/30/11   SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS               $  15,000
05/10/11   SANTA YNEZ INDIAN TRIBE                          $  10,000
05/31/11   RINCON BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS                   $  10,000
06/16/11   SYCUAN BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                   $   2,500
06/19/11   MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                  $  10,000
10/03/11   SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS               $  10,000
10/25/11   PALA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                     $   5,000
11/15/11   MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                  $  10,000
11/18/11   SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS               $  10,000
11/18/11   SOBOBA INDIAN TRIBE                              $   5,000
11/18/11   YOCHA DEHE WINTON NATION                         $   5,000
12/12/11   SYCUAN BAND KUMEYAAY NATION                      $   5,000
12/14/11   AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS           $   2,500
12/14/11   SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS               $  10,000
12/15/11   SAN PASQUAL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS              $     500
12/27/11   29 PALMS BAND OF MISSION INDIANS                 $   1,000
SUB-TOTAL $ 164,500 . OTHER CALIFORNIA CASINOS AND GAMBLING ASSOCIATIONS
DATE       CONTRIBUTOR                                      AMOUNT
10/26/10   CALIFORNIA NATIONS INDIAN GAMING ASSN.           $    1,000
06/16/11   CALIFORNIA COMMERCE CLUB                         $   10,000
06/22/11   CALIFORNIA NATIONS INDIAN GAMING ASSN.           $    5,000
11/14/11   CALIFORNIA COMMERCE CLUB                         $   10,000
11/15/11   HAWAIIAN GARDENS CASINO                          $    5,000
11/18/11   HOLLYWOOD PARK RACETRACK AND CASINO              $    2,500
11/15/11   THE BICYCLE CASINO                               $    5,000
12/15/11   LAKE ELSINORE HOTEL AND CASINO                   $    2,500
12/22/11   CALIFORNIA NATIONS INDIAN GAMING ASSN.           $   10,000
SUB-TOTAL $ 51,000
.
TOTAL $ 592,000
.
Source: San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters

Supervisor Neil Derry left. San Manuel Tribal Chairman James Ramos right.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Published: 05 February 2012 07:09 PM

Fun time is over in the increasingly rough race between San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry and San Manuel tribal Chairman James Ramos for the 3rd District seat.

In a Derry campaign flier that was emailed to 11,000 residents this week, Derry accuses Ramos of links to “gang members … drug dealers … killers for hire.” It goes on to describe him as a “casino boss” and includes pictures of what is suggested to be a gang member, drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Dave Gilliard, a political consultant for Ramos, described the piece as “gutter” politics. “To call it desperate would be charitable,” he said.

Derry defended the flier as accurate and said the public deserves to know the truth about Ramos’ stewardship as chairman. As for the tone of the piece, he said, “I totally expect (Ramos) to go negative.”

The flier refers to a 2008 law enforcement investigation into criminal gang activity, including members of the Mexican Mafia, on the San Manuel reservation. Derry said crime continues to be a problem on the reservation, but Ramos says the reservation is a safe community.

Ramos, however, said he tackled the criminal element when he took over as chairman a few months after the criminal problems came to light. The tribe agreed to allow county sheriff’s deputies and prosecutors access to the reservation, he said, and held the tribe’s members to account in tribal court.

His campaign has cited endorsements from leaders in the law enforcement community, including District Attorney Mike Ramos, who is not related, Assistant Sheriff Bob Fonzi, and the police chiefs of Redlands, Yucaipa and Highland as a sign of his public safety credentials.

Pulaski Phil

When the date of a contentious congressional hearing coincides with the name of a popular movie, the film references come fast and furious.

Last week, several members of the House Oversight Committee couldn’t resist peppering their remarks with witty at least intended as such references to the fact that it was Groundhog Day.

In almost four hours of interrogation by the committee, Attorney General Eric Holder and Democratic lawmakers that jumped to his aid noted that he already had answered questions about the botched Operation Fast and Furious and that Thursday marked the sixth time he’d done so before Congress. Cue the references to the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, however, seemed a little fuzzy on the film. Addressing Holder, the Ohio Democrat suggested the embattled attorney general must feel like the lead character who kept reliving the same day — “Tom Hanks.”

Moments later, Kucinich, who had left the room, returned to correct the record, prompting this exchange with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, the panel’s chairman.

KUCINICH: “So I just want to make sure that you know. I thought that you may have felt like Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day,” not Tom Hanks.

ISSA: I thank the gentleman. And for the record, it was 38 days in a row in which that it repeated itself for “Groundhog Day.”

KUCINICH: So we have 32 more of these to go?

ISSA: I hope not.

Endorsement envy

Democrats will gather in San Diego this weekend to consider party endorsements for the June 5 primary.

To read entire story, click here.

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/05/2012 05:15:27 PM PST

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors is poised to adopt a new policy precluding supervisors from using discretionary funds from their respective districts to cover staffing costs.

The board will vote on the recommendation at its Tuesday meeting.

County Chief Executive Officer Greg Devereaux also is proposing that supervisors disclose, on a quarterly basis, how their discretionary funds are being spent.

The proposed policy change also includes a provision that any unspent funding appropriations remaining after the 2015-2016 fiscal year be returned to the county’s general fund.

In June, the board issued a directive that each district exhaust its remaining discretionary funds over a four-year period.

Discretionary funds were initially intended to fund projects and programs in each supervisorial district, but prior policy allowed the funds to serve an ancillary purpose: to inflate supervisor staffing budgets. Supervisors also had complete autonomy in deciding how the funds were allocated in their districts.

To read entire story, click here.

Joe Nelson, Staff writer
Posted: 02/03/2012 01:32:58 PM PST

SAN BERNARDINO – San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry has announced that he will be nominating Redlands resident Theresa Kwappenberg, former president of the California County Planning Commissioners Association, to the county Planning Commission at Tuesday Board of Supervisors meeting.

Kwappenberg served on the county Planning Commission from 1997-2006.

To read entire brief, click here.

Neil Derry left. James Ramos right.

By Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/01/2012 07:16:08 PM PST

Document: James Ramos Flier

San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry has launched an assault on the character of his major opponent, San Manuel tribal chairman James Ramos, in a campaign mailer tying Ramos to “gang members,” “drug dealers” and “killers for hire.”

The flier labeled Ramos a “Casino Boss” with ties to the Mexican Mafia. It was found plastered on hundreds of windshields outside Ramos’ campaign headquarters in Redlands on Tuesday night, where Ramos was hosting a campaign kickoff event at his headquarters, said Dave Gilliard, Ramos’ campaign manager.

In a statement Wednesday, Ramos
called Derry’s hit mailer a “false and pathetic attempt to smear me by my opponent and his campaign consultant.”

“I believe that voters want and deserve something better than these types of gutter politics,” Ramos said. He said he would run a positive campaign on real issues and the future of the county, and announced he had secured the endorsement of San Bernardino District Attorney Michael A. Ramos.

Derry stands by the flier. He said it was well sourced and the information is accurate.

“That’s what happened,” Derry said, referring to a case brought to the public’s attention in 2006, when police and DEA agents arrested dozens of people in a methamphetamine distribution ring orchestrated by the Mexican Mafia. Two San Manuel tribal members, siblings Stacy Barajas-Nunes and Erik Barajas, were implicated in a murder conspiracy plot involving members of the Mexican Mafia.

Information revealed in court documents and by former tribal employees showed that the San Manuel reservation had been infiltrated by the Mexican Mafia, whose members were believed to be extorting money from tribal members, who receive monthly stipends of roughly $100,000, generated from casino profits.

In an e-mail Tuesday, Derry’s campaign manager, Christopher Jones, said the Third Supervisorial District is a “conservative, law and order stronghold.”

To read entire story, click here.

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/01/2012 02:01:30 PM PST

The labor union representing roughly 11,000 San Bernardino County employees announced Wednesday it will support another union’s effort to reduce county supervisors’ jobs to part-time.

Paula Ready, president of the San Bernardino Public Employees Association (SBPEA), said in a statement that the union’s board of directors had voted unanimously to support the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association (SEBA) in its push to slash county supervisor salaries to $60,000 a year and their district budgets from $1.5 million to $250,000.

The unions are accusing the board of foisting its duties onto county Chief Executive Officer Greg Devereaux and voters.

Though the board has cut its meeting schedule in half, it still reviews the same number of agenda items, only now more items are going on the agenda, county spokesman David Wert said.

He said the unions are aware of this and their arguments are ill-informed.

“The unions are close enough to the county’s operations to know those meetings are only a small portion of what board members do,” Wert said.

To read entire story, click here

BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com

Published: 31 January 2012 11:22 PM

An influential union that is backing a proposed ballot measure to reduce San Bernardino County supervisors’ positions to part-time has more than a half-million dollars in its political action committee fund, according to campaign finance reports released this week.

The San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association Local PAC, the campaign committee for the union representing about 3,100 county public safety employees, has $660,103 on hand, according to its report covering the period for the last six months of 2011.

Last week, SEBA announced that it would help fund a proposed ballot measure that would make supervisors’ positions part-time, cut their pay and benefits and reduce their annual staff budget from $6 million to $250,000.

The announcement came the same day the union criticized a proposed ballot measure introduced by Supervisor Janice Rutherford that would require that all future employee pension increases go before voters. SEBA also has been at odds with the county in contract negotiations in recent months where the county has asked union members to provide retirement and health benefit concessions.

To read entire story, click here.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 – 12:30 p.m.

It’s only February and the first serious blow has been leveled in the race to represent San Bernardino County’s Third Supervisorial District.

Here is a just-released literature from the Supervisor Neil Derry re-election campaign: Ramos Casino-Boss

The first question coming to mind?

What was James Ramos thinking?

Ramos, the current millionaire chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, is seeking to oust incumbent Derry.

Today’s first salvo is a prime example as to why Ramos can outspend Derry five times over and it won’t do him any good.

Now recent reports of Ramos’ own supporters questioning his viability make even more sense.

The instant campaign hit piece only deals with Mexican Mafia infiltration of the San Manuel Reservation.

Just some of the other looming issues for Ramos include;

• Not paying taxes
• Body-guard escorts
• Conflicts of interest between the county and Tribal government
• His failed businesses
• His real opposition to proposed Barstow casino competition
• His immunity from county laws and regulations
• Being a life-long democrat in a highly conservative district.

Not to mention, that in his few recent public appearances, Ramos hasn’t displayed any cognitive grasp of county government issues.

Unless talking strictly about education and singing bird songs is the main prerequisite for sitting on the board.

Maybe at some point Ramos will figure out that trying to buy the race with his Tribe’s money is a non-starter.

Don’t get us wrong. All the recipients will gladly accept the dough and say thank you.

But that’s it.

Why? Because all the people involved can see it for what it is.

Pandering.

The politicians, who jumped to endorse Ramos, have to be wondering right about now.

At least this contest will be entertaining.

Executive Editor Frank Pine
Created: 01/28/2012 06:06:04 AM PST

San Bernardino County’s Board of Supervisors asked county lawyers last week to draft language for a ballot measure that would give voters the final say on increases to pension benefits for public employees.

Supervisors Janice Rutherford, Gary Ovitt and Josie Gonzales voted yea with supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt and Neil Derry voting nay.

Gonzales and Mitzelfelt both expressed at least a little ambivalence, saying they wanted to wait and see the final language of the ballot measure before committing.

We didn’t quote Derry in our story, but he was the first person to comment on it once it was posted on our website, and the nuance of his nay is significant.

Derry: “This wasn’t pension reform. It was a feel-good measure that would have had zero impact on current employee pensions and would create a significant roadblock to negotiating pension reductions in the future. How is it `reform’ if the pensions aren’t being changed?”

Mere hours after the board made its decision Tuesday, the head of the county’s most powerful union – the Safety Employees Benefit Association – announced it would fund an initiative to cut supervisors’ pay by reducing their employment status to part time.

Union president Laren Leichliter said the SEBA announcement was not intended to intimidate supervisors and noted that signature gatherers were collecting names the Thursday before the pension item was placed on the supervisors’ agenda.

His quote: “All our elected officials, according to them they’re all overpaid, so we’re just trying to assist them in their progression of trying to save county residents money,” Leichliter said.

Maybe that’s the case, but the timing is pretty suspect and it’s hard to see this as anything other than the latest example of the rough-and-tumble politics of San Bernardino County in particular and California in general.

The real issue here, however, appears to be the county’s ongoing contract negotiations with SEBA. As the county struggles to close daunting budget shortfalls, those negotiations have been anything but smooth.

In December, the county threatened to impose a 14 percent reduction in pay and benefits on SEBA’s Specialized Peace Officers bargaining unit, which includes probation officers, coroner investigators and welfare-fraud investigators.

To avoid that, the unit approved a contract with a 7 percent cut in benefits and a reduction in annual merit raises from 5 percent to 2.5 percent.

The county is now negotiating with the unit that represents sheriff’s deputies, SEBA’s largest constituency.

In the context of the negotiations, both initiative proposals look a lot like bargaining chips.

The irony here is that, in these difficult economic times, both measures will probably pass if they make it to the ballot.

To read entire story, click here.

Monday, January 30, 2012 – 10:00 a.m.

Within all of San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors candidate James Ramos’ negative baggage appears to be a glimmer of a motivating interest as to why the current millionaire chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is seeking the county post.

The Tribal chair, who is seeking to oust Third District Supervisor Neil Derry in June, may have a personal finance cause.

Ramos, with annual income of more than $1.5 million, is dipping his toe into the future of an Barstow-area Indian gaming casino proposed by the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians.

Ramos, when asked about the proposal at a recent event, says he would support the casino if it cleared all federal hurdles.

Forget about the fact the San Manuel’s have opposed the project from the start.

For Barstow, the proposed casino would be a welcome revenue generator and job creator.

For Ramos it would be competition.

Executive Editor Frank Pine
Posted: 01/28/2012 05:38:39 PM PST

San Bernardino County’s Board of Supervisors asked county lawyers last week to draft language for a ballot measure that would give voters the final say on increases to pension benefits for public employees.

Supervisors Janice Rutherford, Gary Ovitt and Josie Gonzales voted yea with supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt and Neil Derry voting nay.

Gonzales and Mitzelfelt both expressed at least a little ambivalence, saying they wanted to wait and see the final language of the ballot measure before committing.

We didn’t quote Derry in our story, but he was the first person to comment on it once it was posted on our website, and the nuance of his nay is significant.

Derry: “This wasn’t pension reform. It was a feel-good measure that would have had zero impact on current employee pensions and would create a significant roadblock to negotiating pension reductions in the future. How is it `reform’ if the pensions aren’t being changed?”

Mere hours after the board made its decision Tuesday, the head of the county’s most powerful union – the Safety Employees Benefit Association – announced it would fund an initiative to cut supervisors’ pay by reducing their employment status to part time.

Union president Laren Leichliter said the SEBA announcement was not intended to intimidate supervisors and noted that signature gatherers were collecting names the Thursday before the pension item was placed on the supervisors’ agenda.

His quote: “All our elected officials, according to them they’re all overpaid, so we’re just trying to assist them in their progression of trying to save county residents money,” Leichliter said.

Maybe that’s the case, but the timing is pretty suspect and it’s hard to see this as anything other than the latest example of the rough-and-tumble politics of San Bernardino County in particular and California in general.

The real issue here, however, appears to be the county’s ongoing contract negotiations with SEBA. As the county struggles to close daunting budget shortfalls, those negotiations have been anything but smooth.

In December, the county threatened to impose a 14 percent reduction in pay and benefits on SEBA’s Specialized Peace Officers bargaining unit, which includes probation officers, coroner investigators and welfare-fraud investigators.

To avoid that, the unit approved a contract with a 7 percent cut in benefits and a reduction in annual merit raises from 5 percent to 2.5 percent.

To read entire column, click here.

Friday, January 27, 2012 – 09:45 a.m.

Well we finally have it.

San Bernardino  County Board of Supervisors Chair Josie Gonzales admits she’s in it for the dough.

Gonzales made the comment when she learned that a powerful county union is now backing a measure to cut her pay from roughly $151,000 per year, to just $60,000.

Plus benefits of course!

For Gonzales, who’s been privately railing cuts county supes have imposed on their own benefits, it’s always been all about the money.

Especially since she shuttered her family-owned restaurant Mexico-Lindo in Fontana.

Some time ago Gonzales told me she was forced to close the establishment because she wasn’t there to keep an eye on things.

Something totally understandable.

Gonzales has even went as far as to say she won’t run for re-election if the measure passes. Because she needs the money to support her family.

The current hubbub is courtesy of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association (SEBA).

SEBA has taken over the campaign of a ballot measure to make county supervisors part-time.

The measure will also reduce their annual operating budgets to $250,000.

The required signatures must be collected and submitted by early March.

An easily attainable deadline.

But honestly, the supervisors have nobody to blame but themselves.

Two board members, Gary Ovitt and Gonzales presided over the biggest enrichment of their own benefits in county history.

Supervisors Neil Derry, Brad Mitzelfelt and Janice Rutherford have fought to place that largess in check.

A majority-vote block of three supervisors has allowed county management to pretty much go to war with employee unions in order to exact painful wage and benefit cuts, rather than reduce the size of the workforce.

The aforementioned block being led by Rutherford, with Gonzales and Ovitt making three.

The whole collective bargaining process has definitely become hardball, with chief executive officer Greg Devereaux applying a my way or the highway approach.

However the brainiacs at the county government center never saw this monkey wrench coming.

But, then again, Devereaux would probably prefer a part-time board to let him have even more power and dominance.

A board of supervisors emulating a city council would be his preference.

Actually, if Devereaux had his way he would probably want the south-side of the fifth floor dark.

After all, his pay and authority isn’t getting whacked.

Unlike neighboring Riverside County, where county supervisors meet almost every week including those weeks with holidays, the San Berdoo bunch barely meets half the year.

After all it’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.

Now back to SEBA.

SEBA has nearly a million dollars in political action funds and can easily fund and promote the part-time measure.

As a matter of fact, it’s a drop in the bucket.

What’s amusing is the county’s sabre-rattling.

The county, a charter county, is floating the idea that an initiative is an improper format to cause the pay reduction to occur. Even though the county used the same vehicle to pass Measure P in 2006.

Measure P gave the supes a roughly fifty-percent salary increase phased in over three years.

Sources say the union has budgeted $150,000 just to ensure the measure makes the ballot.

It won’t take anywhere near that much money to accomplish the goal.

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/26/2012 12:53:12 PM PST

SAN BERNARDINO – Million Air, the upscale jet refueling facility at San Bernardino International Airport, has been operating without a business license since April, city officials said Thursday.

The facility, which caters to private and corporate aircraft, has been the most high profile business drawn to the airport and has been touted by airport officials as an example of the airport’s potential prosperity. It began operations in 2010.

Franchisee Scot Spencer, who is the focus of a federal corruption investigation into allegations of criminal conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and wire and mail fraud at the airport, has not renewed his business license, said Vanessa Barajas, business registration inspector for the city of San Bernardino.

Spencer also has failed to provide the city with Million Air’s annual gross receipts, which are used to determine the business license renewal fee, Barajas said.

Spencer did not respond to a request for an interview Thursday. He entered into a 10-year franchise agreement with Million Air, a Houston-based corporation with 30 franchises across the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada, in 2007.

Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Josie Gonzales on Thursday called the situation at the airport “a mess.”

“It’s a whole back-and-forthing, contracting under different names, using one (company) to pay the other . . . it is a mess,” Gonzales said.

She said she wasn’t surprised Million Air had been operating without a license, or that any of the other business entities Spencer is tied to were registered with the city.

“When it comes to businesses opening up, that department waits for people to come in,” Gonzales said of the city’s business licensing department, which is overseen by the City Clerk’s office.

When asked what it would take to turn things around, Gonzales was quick to say city officials need to stop fighting among themselves and agree on a common vision.

“They need to put their differences aside for the best interest of their residents, and they need to turn that fighting around and start fighting everything that’s wrong,” Gonzales said.

Sandy Nelson, business development officer at Million Air’s Houston-based headquarters, couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.

The county held its annual State of the County Address at Million Air last year to much success, and plans to hold the event there again in February.

“This is the continuing saga of the failure to properly manage this airport and the ability of the agencies . . . to move forward with credible and honest investors,” said San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry, who also serves on the board of the Inland Valley Development Agency, or IVDA, which oversees the airport’s development and funding.

Spencer came to San Bernardino to develop the airport in 2005, bringing with him a checkered past that included more than four years in federal prison for bankruptcy fraud in connection with another soured airport deal. Still, San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris and other officials supported Spencer, acknowledging they were aware of Spencer’s background but touted him as the best man willing to do the job.

Derry, a former San Bernardino city councilman, said business license fees are a major revenue stream for the city, and wonders if the city has filed a claim against Million Air, or if the business is getting preferential treatment.

“It also begs the question of whether the city is doing a good job of following up with businesses doing business in the city,” Derry said. “I find it hard to believe the city didn’t know about this.”

San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday, but his son and chief of staff Jim Morris said the situation will certainly prompt city officials to take a closer look at how business licenses are processed.

To read entire story, click here.

San Bernardino County supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt, First District; Janice Rutherford, Second District; Neil Derry, Third District; Gary Ovitt, Fourth District; and Josie Gonzales, Fifth District (File photos)

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/25/2012 04:21:42 PM PST

A proposed initiative to make county supervisors’ jobs part-time would spell doom for residents desiring a stronger presence of government in their communities, San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Josie Gonzales said Wednesday.

“In my opinion, the representation would be extremely limited, and in the unincorporated areas I would venture to say next to none,” Gonzales said.

Laren Leichliter, the president of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association, or SEBA, announced the initiative Tuesday after supervisors directed county counsel to prepare a ballot measure proposing that any benefit increases for county employees proposed by county supervisors be put to a vote of the citizens.

He said the board has slashed its meeting times in half over the past two years, has delegated much of its constitutional duties to Chief Executive Officer Greg Devereaux and that land-use responsibilities are shrinking with annexations and incorporations.

SEBA is backing initiatives that make up the San Bernardino County Elected Officials Pay Reduction Act, filed with the Registrar of Voters in August by 84-year-old Wrightwood resident Kieran Brennan. The three initiatives propose reducing county supervisors’ job status to part-time, limiting campaign contributions to elected officials to no more than $1,000, and placing limits on county employee pension benefits.

Under the initiative calling for part-time county supervisors, each supervisor’s staff budgets would be cut from $1.5 million to $250,000 annually.

Gonzales said supervisors would not be able to run their offices on a budget of $250,000 a year, even if they worked for free.

In a similar initiative brought last year in Riverside County, a Superior Court judge sided with Riverside County Counsel Pamela Walls, who argued the initiative was in violation of the state Constitution, which mandates that such proposals be put to a referendum, not an initiative.

Former Norco Councilman Herb Higgins withdrew his petition to circulate the initiative in March, said Riverside County spokesman Ray Smith.

San Bernardino County spokesman David Wert said in an email Wednesday that county counsel had no intention of going in the same direction as Riverside County.

“If the county were to make such a challenge, it would not consider doing so until after an initiative passes,” Wert said.

To read entire story, click here.

Safety union announces push for part-time supervisors
January 25, 2012 10:31 AM
Natasha Lindstrom, Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO • On a split vote Tuesday morning, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors directed staff to draft a ballot measure that would require voter approval for any future pension increases for county employees.

A few hours later, the county Safety Employees’ Benefit Association announced it was funding an effort to reduce the Board of Supervisors to part-time status.

The pension ballot measure would prevent any increases in retirement benefits for county employees, legislative officials and elected officials without voter approval. It would make exceptions for cost-of-living adjustments.

Supervisors Janice Rutherford and Gary Ovitt touted the idea for giving taxpayers a say in retirement benefits, and Supervisor Josie Gonzales voted in favor of at least reviewing a draft proposal.

But supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt and Neil Derry rejected the idea over concerns it would hamper upcoming contract negotiations without addressing comprehensive pension reform.

“Nobody’s talking about increasing any pensions. It wouldn’t change any formulas,” Derry said by phone before SEBA’s announcement. “This measure was a big stick in the eye and it was unnecessary and it wouldn’t change a thing, but it would hurt our ability to negotiate future pension reforms with our unions. While we need to come to an agreement, we need to do it in a manner that’s fair and open and creates dialogue, not something that shuts the dialogue down.”

Mitzelfelt had some similar concerns, though depending on the drafted proposal’s details “he may still vote to place the proposed measure on the ballot,” according to David Zook, chief of staff for Mitzelfelt.

SEBA, comprised of 3,100 members including sheriff’s deputies, district attorney investigators and probation corrections officers, is backing the “San Bernardino County Elected Officials Pay Reduction Act” to reduce compensation for supervisors and slash their office budgets from a total of $6 million to $250,000 per office.

The SEBA Political Issues Committee has been funding paid petition circulators “who are gathering signatures at a record pace” for the “very popular charter amendment,” according to a statement by SEBA President Laren Leichliter.

“It is our position that the Board of Supervisors has become a part-time body and should be compensated accordingly,” Leichliter said in the statement. “Over the past two years they have met barely 50 percent of the time. They have delegated much of their constitutional duties to an unelected CEO. Their land use responsibilities are shrinking with annexations and incorporations.”

Other actions at Tuesday’s meeting included

• The board directed staff to draft an ordinance reducing elected department heads’ benefits packages to put them in line with counterparts in neighboring counties. The decision was made on a 4-1 vote, with Gonzales opposing. Supervisors already approved a similar ordinance reducing their own benefits by about $48,000 annually.

• Supervisors set aside $2.63 million for a new Spring Valley Lake fire station and awarded a $210,091 design contract to STK Architecture. To save on costs, STK will base the design on a modified version of the design for the county’s new station in Needles. The project is expected to begin construction in late summer or early fall and be completed in fall 2013.

• The board approved a new prescription drug discount program for Sans Bernardino County residents. Coast2Coast Rx cards, which cover more than 60,000 medications, can be printed at www.coast2coastrx.com/sbc.

Natasha Lindstrom may be reached at (760) 951-6232 or at NLindstrom@VVDailyPress.com.

Get complete stories every day with the “exactly as printed” Daily Press E-edition, only $5 per month! Click here to try it free for 7 days. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755, 1-800-553-2006 or click here.

:

San Bernardino County supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt, First District; Janice Rutherford, Second District; Neil Derry, Third District; Gary Ovitt, Fourth District; and Josie Gonzales, Fifth District (File photos)

Joe Nelson, The (San Bernardino County) Sun
Posted: 01/23/2012 03:05:32 PM PST

The president of San Bernardino County’s most powerful labor union announced Tuesday it is bankrolling an initiative to reduce county supervisors’ jobs to part-time status.

The announcement by Laren Leichliter, president of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association, or SEBA, came hours after he appeared before the Board of Supervisors to protest pension reforms proposed by Supervisors Janice Rutherford and Gary Ovitt.

On a narrow vote, the board authorized county counsel to draft a ballot measure requiring any proposed pension increases for county employees be put to a vote by taxpayers.

Leichliter was one of two union leaders, the other Bob Blough of the San Bernardino County Public Employees Association, which represents roughly 11,000 county employees, to appear before the board to protest the proposed pension reforms.

SEBA is the union that represents sheriff’s deputies and other public safety employees. Leichliter said his announcement was not an intimidation tactic,and that the union had petition circulators out as early as last Thursday, before the pension reform item was placed on the supervisors’ agenda.

“All our elected officials, according to them they’re all overpaid, so we’re just trying to assist them in their progression of trying to save county residents money,” Leichliter said.

Rutherford, however, saw the announcement as an intimidation tactic aimed at deterring supervisors from adopting any employee pension reforms.

“Clearly, unions are used to getting their way,” Rutherford said. “They’re (SEBA) angry at the thought to pension reform happening, so they’re trying to bully the board and they’re used to it. They’ve done that for a long time in this county.”

Before Leichliter’s announcement, Supervisors Neil Derry, Josie Gonzales and Brad Mitzelfelt expressed concern about various issues regarding Rutherford’s and Ovitt’s proposal, such as how the reforms could disrupt ongoing negotiations between the county and its labor unions and concerns that the proposal was rushed.

Both Gonzales and Mitzelfelt said they would rather wait and review the draft ballot measure so they could make an informed decision.

Leichliter said a Wrightwood resident launched the petition drive and had gathered roughly 14,000 signatures before signing the responsibility over to SEBA. The union needs a total of 53,000 petition signatures to get a measure placed on the November ballot.

To read entire story, click here.

Supervisor Josie Gonzales

BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com

Published: 24 January 2012 07:08 PM

San Bernardino County supervisors moved forward Tuesday with a proposal to require voter approval of future pension increases but face opposition from employee unions who quickly announced plans for a competing measure aimed at supervisors.

The board agreed to have county staff draft a ballot measure requiring voter approval before retirement benefits for county employees, legislative officers and elected officials could be increased. But final approval is not assured with supervisors split 3-2 on whether to consider the proposal.

Board Chairwoman Josie Gonzales, who cast the tie-breaking vote, expressed serious misgivings but said she would wait until seeing the ballot measure language before making a final decision.

Supervisor Janice Rutherford said the measure allows voters a say in long-term costly financial decisions. For every dollar the county spends on salaries, 27 cents is paid for pension costs for general employees and 47 cents for public safety employees, she said.

“This is simply insurance for the taxpayers who will be footing the bill long after politicians and union leaders are out of the picture,” Rutherford said.

She said she hoped to have the ballot measure ready for the June election. She noted that other counties, including Riverside and Orange, have enacted similar measures.

But leaders for the two largest unions representing county employees said it could hurt the county’s ability to work with the groups in the future.

“Do you not trust your own ability to make decisions you were elected to make?” Bob Blough, general manager of the San Bernardino Public Employees Association, representing about 11,000 county employees, asked them.

Laren Leichliter, president of the Safety Employees Benefit Association, representing about 3,100 public safety employees, echoed those sentiments. He said unions would not be able to trust negotiations with the county, knowing that it could ultimately hinge on an election campaign.

Rutherford said the proposal does not take away employees’ benefits but merely requires them to make the case for any increases to voters. However, only Supervisor Gary Ovitt, who co-sponsored the measure, expressed support.

To read entire story, click here.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry

BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com

Published: 23 January 2012 08:14 PM

San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry will return to normal voting at today’s board meeting even as he sparred with federal officials over the exact nature of his eight-month suspension.

Due to criminal charges he faced last year, Derry had not taken part in votes involving federal funds.

That suspension from voting on federal government contracts ended Thursday, according to a letter from the Federal Highway Administration dated Jan. 13. The letter goes on to rebuke Derry over his guilty plea to a misdemeanor in July and states that an eight-month debarment — during which he was disqualified from voting on government contracts — was imposed as a result.

Derry and his attorney took issue with the letter and accused federal officials of not following their own procedures. They said they had threatened to sue the agency over the lengthy period it was taking in clearing him for voting.

“Basically, this letter was to cover their tails for not doing their jobs for the last four months,” Derry said. “Incompetence bordering on malfeasance.”

Derry began recusing himself from votes involving federal funds shortly after the state attorney general charged him last April with two felonies and a misdemeanor over a campaign contribution.

The charges against Derry stemmed from a $5,000 campaign contribution in May 2007 that prosecutors said Derry attempted to launder through a committee controlled by former county Assessor Bill Postmus, who pleaded guilty to criminal charges last year in a separate case.

Federal transportation and community development money can be withheld from agencies when members of their governing boards are accused of money laundering, bribery and other corruption-related charges. The Board of Supervisors, along with other agencies that Derry serves on, deal with large amounts of federal dollars, raising concerns that the money could be jeopardized.

A little over two months after the charges were filed, Derry accepted a plea deal in which the two felonies were dismissed and he pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor. But getting himself cleared to vote ended up taking much longer.

Derry’s attorney, George Newhouse, said federal officials placed Derry on suspension pending the outcome of the criminal case but after that was resolved in July they had no cause to prevent him from voting. Derry did so voluntarily out of concern for his constituents, Newhouse said.

To read entire story, click here.

County supes to approve $2.63 million for SVL fire station
January 23, 2012 4:57 PM
Natasha Lindstrom, Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO • Two weeks after slashing their own benefits, San Bernardino County’s supervisors Tuesday will consider extending the compensation cuts to all county elected offices.

The county Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed Jan. 10 to reduce the benefits paid to elected supervisors by 40 percent, or $48,108, putting the board in line with elected supervisors in Riverside, Orange and San Diego counties.

At the time, 3rd District Supervisor Neil Derry called for applying the same cuts to elected offices countywide. A proposal up for vote today seeks to do just that.

Derry and 2nd District Supervisor Janice Rutherford are asking for the County Administrative Office to review the total compensation for elected officials in several counties and bring back a draft ordinance eliminating or reducing benefits this county’s elected officials, including the Sheriff, District Attorney, Asessor/Recorder/County Clerk and Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector.

The board will also consider a proposed ballot measure that would prevent supervisors from increasing retirement benefits for any employee, legislative officer or elected official without first getting voter approval. It would make exceptions for cost of living adjustments. Rutherford and 4th District Supervisor Gary Ovitt are sponsoring the proposal. Similar measures have gone into effect in San Diego and Orange County, the agenda states.

Among other items of interest on the agenda:

• Approve a $2.63 million project budget for a new Spring Valley Lake fire station. Award a $210,091 consultant agreement to STK Architecture Inc. The 1.4-acre site at the corner of Tamarisk and Huerta roads cost $152,340, and construction is expected to cost $1.8 million.

• Discuss the new discretionary fund spending plan. County supervisors voted in June to prohibit the funds from being spent on staffing and pet projects after a heated debate in the summer. First District Supervisor Mitzelfelt had defended the traditional discretionary spending process with funding important community projects, including the SVL fire station and Victor Valley Museum. Staff is recommending the board require quarterly spending approvals and other requirements while exhausting remaining discretionary funds.

• Approve appointments to the Oak Hills Municipal Advisory Council. The board is set to appoint M.F. “Skip” Bond, Lynn Buehler, Robert Downing, Carolyn Powles and Paul Rugge to the local advisory board.

• Add a Phelan road to the county maintained system. The county is set to incorporate into its system Cholame Road from Sheep Creek Road east to Valle Vista Road

Natasha Lindstrom may be reached at (760) 951-6232 or at NLindstrom@VVDailyPress.com.

Get complete stories every day with the “exactly as printed” Daily Press E-edition, only $5 per month! Click here to try it free for 7 days. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755, 1-800-553-2006 or click here

.

Two San Bernardino County supervisors are requesting that benefits for all county elected officials, not just the Board of Supervisors, be reduced to be in line with elected officials in other counties.

Supervisors Neil Derry and Janice Rutherford are pushing for the ordinance, which comes less than two weeks after the board approved a similar ordinance that reduced total compensation for future supervisors by roughly $48,000 annually.

Derry argued that ordinance didn’t go far enough and that benefits for elected San Bernardino County officials far exceed those of officials in comparable Southern California counties.

Rutherford wants county administrators to review compensation for elected officials in Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, Kern, Ventura and San Diego counties and report back to the board with a draft ordinance.

The county’s other elected officials are: Auditor-Controller/ Treasurer/Tax Collector Larry Walker, Sheriff Rod Hoops, District Attorney Michael A. Ramos and Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk Dennis Draeger.

If such an ordinance is adopted, benefits would remain at a level necessary to attract candidates to run for office, according to a report prepared for the board.

Derry voted for the benefits cuts to supervisors at the Jan. 10 board meeting but argued the cuts should apply to all elected officials in the county, whose benefits far exceed those of their counterparts in Riverside, San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Kern and Ventura counties.

For example, Walker has a benefits package totaling $178,364, while his counterparts in Riverside County bring home less than half that amount in benefits: $73,105.

Draeger collects $151,694 in benefits annually, while his counterpart in Riverside County collects $73,105.

To read entire story, click here.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors is poised to direct county administrators to draft a ballot measure that would require voter approval for any proposed increases to county employee retirement benefits.

It comes amid a spate of proposed benefits cuts to county supervisors and other elected officials. Earlier this month, the board approved an ordinance that cuts their benefits by 40 percent. The ordinance goes before the board today for adoption.

In addition, Supervisors Neil Derry and Janice Rutherford are proposing an ordinance that would further expand benefits cuts to the county’s other elected officials. The board is expected to discuss the proposed ordinance today and recommend that county administrators and staff further research the item.

To read entire story, click here.

Monday, January 23, 2012 – 11:00 a.m.

You gotta hand it to Leroy Hansberger these days.

Yep, the truth hurts.

The life-log county resident, and father to former County Supervisor Dennis Hansberger, has been making it known his son ran a piss-poor campaign four years ago. A campaign in an election where his son lost to Supervisor Neil Derry.

He also credits Derry for being aggressive.

The elder Hansberger is also making it known that the chosen candidate the Redlands “Old Guard” political clique is now backing against Derry has a ton of his own baggage.

Hansberger believes that, if used effectively, the negative baggage will result in an easy Derry re-election.

The candidate in question being San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos.

And with Ramos there’s a candy store of baggage to chose from.

Let’s see. Could Hansberger be referring to the admitted Mexican Mafia ties to the reservation, murder for hire, income taxes, wealth at the expense of the poor, Ramos’ failed businesses, etc……

Yes, Hansberger never minces words and has never had a problem letting his own son know just how the cow eats the proverbial cabbage.

Can anyone say “ouch”?

Hats off to Mr. Hansberger for actually having the guts to say what many Ramos supporters are actually thinking.

Sunday, January 22, 2012 – 09:45 p.m.

San Manuel Casino boss James Ramos is doing a pretty good job of whoring himself with his Tribe’s dough.

Ramos, who is running against San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry, has cajoled the Tribe’s “Business Committee” into donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to local community organizations in the hope the money spent will translate into votes come June.

So far the endeavor hasn’t blossomed into anything meaningful.

Checks have been cut for various law enforcement, senior citizen, and community-based organizations.

In other words, he’s throwing money around like a drunken sailor.

One local newspaper even went as far as to publish a story about all the largess written by the tribe, rather than pen its own copy.

Maybe Ramos should consider having the casino mail all high-propensity voters a hundred bucks in gaming chips.

Just a thought.

Derry

Saturday, January 21, 2012 – 06:15 p.m.

The highway funding arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation has cleared San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry to resume voting on federally-funded expenditures in his duties as an elected official.

The Federal Highway Administration gave Derry the green light effective Friday.

Derry lost his voting authority last year after he was charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor for failing to properly report a single $5,000 campaign contribution.

The charges arose when Derry fell prey to San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos, who pushed a politically-motivated investigation of Derry to the state Attorney General’s office with a request that Derry be charged.

Former Senior Assistant Attorney General, and Ramos friend, Gary Schons agreed.

A move designed to hurt Derry’s reelection bid and assist Ramos’ friend and political ally James Ramos.

Ramos, a life-long democrat and chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, is trying to unseat Derry in June.

However, a San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge saw through the sham and forced the dismissal of both felonies and refused to strip Derry of his right to hold office and seek reelection.

Confidential sources say Ramos’ own campaign polling shows the legal blow leveled against Derry has had little effect on his positive name identification with voters.

The fed move officially closes the door on the matter.

San Bernardino County Auditor/Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Walker

BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com

Published: 21 January 2012 05:49 PM

After slashing their own benefits earlier this month, San Bernardino County supervisors on Tuesday will start taking aim at extra compensation for other county-wide elected officials.

The board will vote on a proposal by Supervisors Janice Rutherford and Neil Derry to direct the county administrative and counsel offices to prepare an ordinance that would cut benefit packages for the assessor-recorder, auditor/controller/treasurer-tax collector, district attorney and sheriff. If a majority of supervisors agree, the ordinance will return to the board at a future meeting for a vote.

The agenda item does not provide a specific amount to cut but seeks to bring benefits, which include supplemental retirement and medical payments and car and cellphone allowances, in line with comparable Southern California counties.

“It’s very clear from the information we have already, our benefits are out of line for all elected officials,” Derry said.

Supervisors’ benefits were cut by about $48,000 — a 39 percent reduction — in the ordinance, which will return for a second reading Tuesday. A survey of supervisors’ compensation in surrounding counties found that San Bernardino officials received the second highest salary and benefits among seven Southern California counties.

A similar draft study comparing the other four elected officers with their counterparts found that for all but one of those positions, San Bernardino County paid the highest amount of benefits in the region and twice as much as Riverside County in some instances.

In San Bernardino County, the assessor-recorder receives an annual salary of $204,352 plus $151,694 in benefits. By comparison, Riverside provides $73,105 in benefits and Los Angeles, the second highest, offers $132,386. The average benefits paid in Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, Kern and San Diego counties is $97,440.

For the auditor/controller/treasurer-tax collector, San Bernardino pays an annual salary of $252,288 plus $178,363 in benefits. Riverside pays $73,105 in benefits while Los Angeles provides $141,769 in benefits. The five-county average is $96,536.

San Bernardino County pays the district attorney $208,458 in annual salary and $152,821 in benefits. Riverside provides $86,869 in benefits while Los Angeles offers the highest in the region, $181,762. The five-county average is $117,826.

To read entire story, click here.

Ramos

Thursday, January 19, 2012 – 03:00 p.m.

Take two for San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors candidate James Ramos.

Meaning yes, another push poll.

Ramos, who’s chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, just can’t believe that voters don’t like him.

Say it isn’t so!

But yes, it’s true!

After Ramos’ first poll landed with a loud thud, it appears he wants to check in again.

Last week Ramos engaged another push poll and we’re waiting to hear just how bad it is.

A push poll without Assemblyman Paul Cook in the mix.

Cook’s withdrawal from the supervisorial race to run for Congress, leaves Ramos in a two-man contest. Something Ramos cannot prevail in due to district demographics.

No, he can’t beat incumbent Neil Derry. Especially after Derry takes him out behind the proverbial wood shed, which we hear may be very, very soon.

Inquiring minds hope that tribal members don’t become too upset at their chairman for all the public relations damage that’s about to ensue.

Neil Derry

Barstow, Lucerne Valley now in Derry’s territory
January 13, 2012 4:43 PM
KATIE LUCIA, Staff Writer

BARSTOW • San Bernardino County 3rd District Supervisor Neil Derry said his main focus this year will be getting to know the High Desert communities now in his jurisdiction.

“My No. 1 goal is learning the new areas of my district, as I now serve the City of Barstow and Lucerne Valley,” Derry said.

Due to county redistricting, these two local communities shifted to the 3rd District in October. The unincorporated communities surrounding Barstow remain in the 1st District.

Derry said he’s working to get construction started on the repair of Lenwood Road, part of which was destroyed early last year due to flooding. Derry said repairs on the road are still in the design phase but should begin this year.

Another project Derry has his hands on is working with former Barstow Mayor Lawrence Dale to provide training equipment for Barstow Community College’s technical training program. Derry is working to supply $10,000 to bring railroad equipment to Barstow from a recently closed Santa Fe rail yard in Oklahoma.

“Because railroad is large part of Barstow’s history, part of Barstow’s future and a major employer, I hope that (bringing the equipment here) will provide opportunities to youths to learn significant job skills with respect to the railroad industry,” Derry said.

To read entire story, click here.

BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com

Published: 11 January 2012 06:59 AM

San Bernardino County supervisors rolled back their own health and retirement benefits Tuesday, approving a proposal to reduce their compensation by about 18 percent.

The board, voting unanimously, took the step following a county civil grand jury report last July that criticized supervisors’ benefits as “overly generous” compared to surrounding counties.

A survey requested by Supervisor Janice Rutherford found that San Bernardino supervisors receive the second highest salary and benefits among seven Southern California counties. Only Los Angeles County supervisors receive more.

“We were way, way out of whack with comparable counties in Southern California,” said Rutherford, who proposed the cut and described their benefits as “gold-plated.”

In addition to an annual salary of $151,971 set by Measure P in 2006, supervisors receive about $121,000 a year in health, retirement and other benefits. The board action, which needs to be ratified in a second vote in two weeks, slashes their benefits by $47,864.

Rutherford had originally proposed a $54,000 cut but at Board Chairwoman Josie Gonzales’s request she agreed to restore four of the benefits. They include a $2,400 annual communications device allowance, $4,179 for a retiree medical trust fund, $52 for a county paid life insurance policy and $506 for a long term disability policy.

“We need to allot for the fact that we as supervisors are on call 24 hours a day,” Gonzales said of the need for the communications allowance.

Rutherford said with the changes the proposal brings San Bernardino County more in line with comparable counties.

The cuts amount to an 18 percent reduction in total compensation and a 39 percent cut to their benefits package. The proposal eliminates four different payments that help offset their contributions to their retirement pensions and a medical expense reimbursement plan.

To read entire story, click here.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 – 11:25 a.m.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, while adopting cuts to their own benefits package, wouldn’t go near a proposal by Third District Supervisor Neil Derry to have the cuts apply to all of the county’s elected officials on Tuesday morning.

Derry was unable to obtain even a second to his substitute motion to include Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator Rod Hoops, District Attorney Michael Ramos, Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector and Assessor-Recorder Dennis Draeger in the reductions.

Supervisors Josie Gonzales and Gary Ovitt spoke in favor of delaying any action and to have the matter studied further.

Gonzales also spoke in favor of not cutting benefits of the other officials.

Even though the county human resources staff had already completed a survey of surrounding counties.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the reason the supes are afraid.

But, Ovitt did state for the record to the county-wide officials that no one is elected to public office for the money, but to serve the taxpayers.

Supervisor Janice Rutherford commented that the benefits of the others also appeared out of line.

The approved cuts are indeed a long time in coming and will save county taxpayers about a quarter-million dollars per year.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 – 08:30 a.m.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors will consider slashing their own lavish benefits package Tuesday morning.

A benefits package unmatched anywhere in the state and possibly country.

The key being their “own” benefits.

Supervisors have been reluctant to apply the same cut to the offices of Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator, District Attorney, Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, and Assessor-Recorder.

All high-paying positions.

Supervisors appear fearful of backlash from certain members of the group.

The county has examined the compensation of the four countywide elected officials and the results show the need for the same reduction.

Will it happen?

Probably not.