Legislators Focus on Budget Concerns

Budget concerns were a focus Friday when legislators who represent the Pass area at the county and state levels spoke at luncheon hosted by the San Gorgonio Pass at the Sun Lakes Country Club.

With a new fiscal year and the need to pass a new budget looming, public safety funding is a primary concern for lawmakers at the county level, Riverside County 5th District Supervisor Marion Ashley said.

"We're in a world of trouble if we pass the budget as it is right now," Ashley said. "In order to get down near balance, not structurally balanced this year, but to get structurally balanced in two years, if we take the CEO's suggestion we would actually devastate county government.

"We'd be cutting non-public safety at least 25 percent, even more in areas, and down to the quick," Ashley said.

"And we are going to be reducing our firefighting capability, but still going to be very strong," Ashley said. "We're really concerned. We don't have enough money to do everything we've been doing. But we've come up with a plan that we think is going to still provide a real strong fire component.

"I feel better about that than I do with the sheriff's department," Ashley said. "The threat there is real if things go on as they were looking four months ago, when the CEO proposed his budget, we would have to reduce the deputies in the field. We're now like 1.0 (deputies per thousand residents), we're reducing crime all over the place, except in the desert.

"The Pass here we're reducing crime, they've been doing a fantastic job," Ashley said. "But we could have to reduce like 1 deputy per thousand people to .8 or .75 somewhere in there.

"But I'm concerned is, the CEO's recommended eliminating the gang task force and the sexual predator task force," Ashley said. "And I absolutely will not vote to do that. He also wants to close down 800 beds in Smith Correctional Facility. I do not support that. I think we have to find the money to keep those jail beds open.

"Particularly the gang task force, it's really important right now," Ashley said. "I think it's more important for the desert because crime is rising in the desert. This would not be a good move for the Coachella Valley. We're right next to the Coachella Valley. It's going to overflow and spill to us. So I'm concerned about that."

Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley, discussed budget concerns during his remarks at the luncheon. He also discussed new legislation that would force elected officials in California to step down, resign from or otherwise removed themselves from committees and commissionsif they are indicted.

"Basically what happens is if there's an elected official and they are indicted then that organization, be it a transportation firm be it a government organization, they don't get federal funding, it's frozen," Cook said. "This bill if you're under indictment it forces that individual to resign. It forces them to resign or at least get off the board until the case is adjudicated, to remove the block on federal money.

"Suppose you want to put an overpass in Banning or Beaumont, and you got $200 million that you think is coming," Cook said. "But somebody on that agency controlling that transportation commission is indicted and the feds say 'We can't give you that money because you have somebody under indictment right now.'

"So the bill has gotten through, with overwhelming support so far. Schwarzenegger vetoed it last time because his staff got it mixed up," Cook said. "They thought that it would be prejudicial against individuals. But hey, nothing happens, they have their case adjudicated, but they are forced to resign until that case is over."

State Sen. Bill Emmerson, R-Hemet, serves on the Senate Budget Committee in Sacramento.

"I think we're making some progress, most of my concern has been getting California's budget picture under control," Emmerson said. "It will mean creating more jobs because we're going to pay less money into deficit issues. It will allow us to get our budget under control, will allow for more ability to do programs that are important in our local communities. We just need to get that taken care of and that's my primary goal, to get California's budget under control.

"I give Gov. Brown a lot of credit for making some really serious cuts in our general fund. We've spent too much over the past years, and I think he's getting some of the budget picture down, under control," Emmerson said. "Although he still wants to grow government by about 27 percent over the next three years, and while we're in a deficit situation we cannot afford to allow state government to grow that much.

"We'll work through it. It's a debate that we're having, but I think we'll get there because we still have a hole in our budget and we can't spend more than we take in."

Billed as a "Spring Picnic with Your Legislators," the event on Friday was also a fundraiser for community projects of the San Gorgonio Pass Rotary Club, organizer Audrey Nathan said.

About 125 attended, Nathan said. The event was scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Sun Lakes Country Club Main Ballroom. Tickets were $25 per person. No tickets were sold at the door, organizers said.