By: Jennifer Madrigal Eastvale – Eastvale city officials have decided to continue pursuing the funds from Senate Bill 56 (SB56) which will attempt to collect funds lost when lawmakers decided to divert vehicle license revenue to local law enforcement grants. As a result, Eastvale has lost roughly $8 to $9 million since the decision was made in 2011. This affects not only our city, but the cities of Jurupa Valley, Wildomar and Menifee, who all were expecting that money as part of their operating budgets. The four cities had been working together with a lobbyist in Sacramento to get the funds reinstated, but were unsuccessful in past budget years. With lawmakers recessing in September with no resolution in sight, hope for seeing the funds seemed lost. Mayor Ike Bootsma had decided to stop fighting as he felt there was a better use of the $3,000 dollars per month that was being paid to a lobbyist. Wildomar, Jurupa Valley and Menifee also pay $3,000 per month. However, there seems to be a change coming and Bootsma now has hope that Eastvale may be able to get the funds back. According to Chuck Dalldorf, California Senator Richard Roth’s Communication Director, “Senator Roth’s number one priority is getting this bill passed this upcoming legislative session”. Nancy McFadden, a senior advisor to Governor Jerry Brown, has also said that their administration is committed to finding a long term solution to the cities’ predicament in early 2014. The commitments of the Senator and Governor’s offices, as well as conversations between city officials of all four cities affected by the cut, have renewed Eastvale’s desire to fight for at least another budget cycle. SB56, sponsored by State Senators Roth (D-Riverside) and Bill Emerson (R-Hemet), would have used property tax revenue to restore millions in funds that were lost by the four newest California cities: Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Menifee and Wildomar. While Eastvale was hit hard by the cut, the City of Jurupa Valley seems to have received the worst of it. Jurupa Valley incorporated just two days after the decision to divert funds was made. Last summer, state lawmakers had approved a measure that would have restored funds, but it was vetoed by Governor Brown. They lost $6.7 million, half of their general fund budget, in the first year. The city has started the disincorporation process because if funding is not restored during the 2014 budget year, Jurupa Valley will be out of money in 2015. Another piece of legislation, Senate Bill 69 (SB69), was amended and contains almost the same language as SB56. This bill, according to Senator Roth’s office, is most likely to pass. SB69 is currently with the Assembly Rules Committee awaiting assignment to the Policy Committee in January 2014.
