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Board approves amendments to Riverside County campaign finance regs
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Board OKs establishment of tax district to fund projects in Cabazon By City News Service
By City News Service
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he Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved the funding plan for a new tax district intended to support infrastructure improvement projects in Cabazon and its immediate surroundings. The Cabazon Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District was first authorized by the board in May, and during the supervisors' meeting Tuesday, the new district's "Infrastructure Financing Plan" received a 4-0 affirmative vote, with Supervisor Chuck Washington absent. Only one meeting attendee, Rancho Mirage resident Brad Anderson, questioned the validity of the district, saying it would be "unaccountable to the citizens it will collect monies from." "I think the people of Cabazon should know what they are receiving from the county," he said. "I have issues with these EIFDs because there's no accountability by public officials."
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he Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved amending Riverside County's campaign finance regulations so the county superintendent of schools is required to comply with the same caps in place for other county elected officials, while also approving new requirements for so-called "intracandidate transfers" of funds. In a 4-0 vote without comment — and Supervisor Chuck Washington absent — the board implemented the regulatory changes, which were submitted by the county Executive Office. "The ... amendments provide greater transparency and allow everyone the right to participate and support the candidates of their choice," according to an EO statement. "The purpose of this ordinance is to ensure that individuals and interest groups continue to have a fair and equal opportunity to participate in electing candidates for county elective office." The changes were the first ones put forward since Ordinance No. 963, which fixes limits on campaign contributions for county candidates, was enacted in the fall of 2020. For unexplained reasons, the revisions did not include the county superintendent of schools. "It was and remains the intent of the Board of Supervisors to have included the superintendent of schools in the original version of this ordinance," the EO stated. "This amendment is correcting an oversight." Then-Supervisor Kevin
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See Cabazon Page 02 | Photo by joachincorbalan/Envato
Jeffries, joined by Washington, sought adoption of No. 963, which caps all individual contributions to any one candidate for county office at $20,000. With the board's approval Tuesday, the ordinance has set contribution parameters for the schools superintendent that are the same for the assessor-clerk-recorder, auditor-controller, any county supervisor, district attorney, sheriff and treasurer-tax collector. The limits do not affect state, federal or municipal elections. The $20,000 cap applies to all individual contributions in a general, primary, recall or other election cycle. However, exemptions are permitted for candidates who contribute to their own campaign. For instance, the ordinance permits a candidate to selfloan up to $100,000 per election, but in doing so, the loan recipient's opponent is entitled to accept an equal amount in funding to ensure
parity. The other amendment passed by the board concerned intra-candidate transfers, which will no longer be permitted without the express written consent of individual donors. "When a donor gives money, they express support for a candidate for a specific office, and that expression is protected by the free speech clauses of the state and federal constitutions," according to the Office of County Counsel. "But when a candidate then chooses to run for a different office, what becomes of the donor's speech?" The attorneys said a candidate for a certain office cannot expect that just because he or she pursues a different office, the original individual contributors support that new campaign and want the money they previously gave going to the new political endeavor. "This (amended) ordi-
nance prohibits intra-candidate transfers without the consent of donors to the first campaign," according to the EO. "All intra-candidate transfers must be transparent and accounted for." The ordinance specifies all individual contributions in excess of $1,000 be subject to instant documentation and presentation on the Office of the Registrar of Voters' portal for transparency, adhering to the California Political Reform Act of 1974. So-called "independent" expenditures by outside organizations in support of a candidate are not impacted by the ordinance. Political action committees, unions, corporations and similar large organized donor groups generating and paying for their own advertisements and promotions are shielded from contribution limits under the U.S. Supreme Court case Citizens United v. FEC, which was decided in 2010 based on free speech arguments.
Wildfire burns over 500 acres in Jurupa Valley By Staff
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he Pyrite Fire, which burned 551 acres in mountainous terrain in Jurupa Valley, was fully contained Tuesday, officials said. By early Monday crews achieved 64% containment, and all remaining evacuation warnings were lifted shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Firefighters worked in favorable conditions Sunday and resources remained on the line overnight continuing to establish containment lines, according to the department. Residents were urged to be cautious in the area as firefighters continued working. Firefighters responded at about 5:20 p.m. Friday near Pyrite Street and Granite Hill Drive to reports of a brush fire that initially consumed about 15 acres of vegetation, authorities said. Nearly 300 firefighters were on the scene, including eight hand crews. Two water-dropping helicopters contributed to the effort. No injuries were reported, and the fire’s cause was under investigation. These areas previously under evacuation orders had See Wildfire Page 32