City of Murrieta, City Council. 2026 Legislative Platform.
Approved Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Council Item #5
Jon Levell
Ron Holliday Lisa DeForest
Lori Stone
Cindy Warren
Murrieta is a young and vibrant community, ideally located at the junction of Interstate 15 and 215 freeways. Since its incorporation in 1991, Murrieta has experienced a dramatic increase in population, making it one of the most populous cities in Riverside County. Located near San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange County markets, Murrieta has a rigorous economic development program that has successfully attracted a Costco, two Home Depots, a Trader Joe’s, and the recent reopening of the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort.
With a heavy focus on public safety, Murrieta is consistently recognized as one of the safest cities in the country, thanks to high-performing police and fire departments. Murrieta’s dual freeway exposure allows businesses to enjoy a healthy economic base while providing residents with plentiful services, leading to an exceptional quality of life. In addition, upscale yet affordable housing, paired with a nationally-recognized school district makes Murrieta a highly desirable community to raise families. With a population of almost 120,000, Murrieta boasts an educated, high-income population, comparable to communities in San Diego and Orange counties.
To compete on a local, national, and global stage, the City of Murrieta works diligently to strategically position itself politically through a variety of means An important component to the future success of the City is working closely with our representatives for the State of California and the U.S. federal government. Each year, the City Council adopts a Legislative Platform to assist in these efforts
The 2026 Legislative Platform reflects the Murrieta City Council’s declared policy positions. The purpose of the platform is to further advance the adopted goals and objectives of the City Council by providing direction and guidance to City officials and staff, while considering legislation pending at the state and federal levels. The platform will enable City staff to efficiently advocate on legislative bills based on the overarching principles of prudent fiscal stability, protection of local control, and transparent government
The City’s Platform is built on the following themes:
1 General Governance
2.Public Safety
3.Infrastructure and Transportation
4 Economic Development
5.Housing, Planning, & Zoning
6.Revenue and Financial Stability
7.Social and Environmental Programs
8 Federal Priorities
The City of Murrieta strongly promotes local control for cities and will support legislation based on whether it impacts local control over City revenues, land use, community development, and other municipal activities
CouncilGoals
The Council’s six goals are reflected throughout the 2026
Legislative Platform:
Plan,program,andcreate infrastructuredevelopment
The City continues to grow and expand meaning that quality, planned, infrastructure including water, sewer, streets, highways, and other public infrastructure are key to a vital community
The City focuses on the most effective, high-quality, customer oriented service at all levels of government.
Provideahighlevelofinnovativepublicsafety
The City acknowledges and supports Police and Fire services as pillars of the community and encourages responsiveness, innovation, transparency, and overall safety within the community
Aggressivelypursueeconomicdevelopment
The City’s overall vision for its economic base includes diverse businesses throughout the community of differing commercial and industrial uses which provide commerce to residents as well as locations for work The City aims to support startup biotechnology to enhance growth of the medical industry locally
The City focuses on providing the highest level of service within the organization’s means.
GeneralGovernance
1.1 Local Control - Oppose legislation which preempts local control, and support legislation which provides greater local control
1.2 Accountability and TransparencySupport legislation to hold the State of California and State agencies to the same transparency and accountability standards as cities.
1.6 City Revenue - Oppose efforts to decrease, eliminate, supplant, or restrict local autonomy of local revenues.
1.7 State & Federal Mandates - Support full funding for State and federal mandates on the City; pursue revisions to streamline the process for local governments to seek reimbursement; and oppose unfunded mandates
1.3 Government Efficiency - Support measures which promote local government operational efficiency and effectiveness
1.4 Eminent Domain - Oppose legislation which would further restrict use of eminent domain
1.5 Employees and Labor - Oppose any measure that imposes mandated employee benefits more properly decided at the local level
1.8 Mortgage Lenders - Support legislation which would require mortgage lenders to adopt a uniform tracking method for mortgage instruments to enable local government to reliably locate owners of title
1.9 Public Noticing - Support legislation promoting alternative and electronic posting of required notices
1.10 Tort Reform - Support tort reform ending frivolous lawsuits aimed at local agencies.
PublicSafety
2.1 Support Police Officers & Operations - Support efforts to strengthen local law enforcement. Oppose efforts which limit or reduce law enforcement capabilities.
2.2 Reclassification of Crime - Oppose efforts to reduce sentences and reclassify crimes to lower levels and support measures that increase sentencing terms to enhance accountability and public safety.
2.3 Judicial Support - Advocate for initiatives to expand capacity of the judicial branch, with particular focus on Riverside County, to address shortages in judges and court staff and to reduce delays in the administration of justice.
2.4 Alcohol and Marijuana UseAdvocate for the limit of alcoholic beverage licenses in high-crime areas and seek alignment between the federal and State position prohibiting medical and recreational marijuana use
2.6 Public Safety CommunicationOppose legislation which allows public access to unencrypted or sensitive law enforcement communications.
2.5 Drug Use Conviction DiversionSupport initiatives which allow drug offenders of non-violent convictions to enter into supervised treatment programs.
2.7 Mental Health Treatment - Support legislation which recognizes mental health and the inability for government agencies to detain and assist those refusing to take prescribed medications.
2.8 Fire Operations and Fire CodeSupport efforts which strengthen local fire operations including emergency medical services, Fire & Life Safety Codes, and directly fund local fire staff positions and oppose efforts which reduce or limit local control of fire and life safety operations.
2.9 Open Space Fire MitigationSupport legislation which requires maintenance of defensible space in wildfire prone areas
2.10 Regional Efforts - Support regional efforts which help improve interoperability between other jurisdictions, including the county, State, and federal government.
InfrastructureandTransportation
3.1 Streets and Highways - Advocate for the State and federal government to improve aging, outdated, and inefficient highways and address funding for local roadways
3.2 Funding Distribution - Support measures which more equitably distribute funding based on population and trending population growth.
3.6 Small Cell - Oppose legislation or regulations which limit or eliminate local discretionary review of the installation of small cell wireless equipment or any wireless technology facilities in the public right-of-way.
3.7 In-House Public Works StaffingAdvocate for legislation which would remove the barrier of using city staff for public works construction contracts over $5,000
3.3 Design-Build - Support legislation which provides General Law cities the ability to utilize the design-build process for public works projects
3.4 Speed Limits - Support legislation which establishes and grants greater City Council control over the setting of speed limits.
3.8 Prevailing Wage - Support legislation which addresses and updates prevailing wage requirements.
3.5 Storm Water Fees - Support legislation which would include storm water fees among the types of fees exempt from voting requirements under Prop 218
3.9 Public Contracting - Oppose legislation which imposes limits on local government indemnification, or limits local government’s ability to contract out provision of services
3.10 Vehicles on Public StreetsSupport legislation that allows local jurisdictions increased authority to regulate public roadways, including regulating the sale of vehicles on public streets and removal of abandoned vehicles
EconomicDevelopment
4.1 Small Business Support - Advocate for legislation that promotes small business programs, job creation, and international trade
4.2 Local Support - Promote and support policies that bring back local agency tools, such as redevelopment funding, that provide local communities the ability to shape their growth
4.3 Innovation and Startup Assistance - Support policies aimed at growing innovation, startup assistance, and resources for entrepreneurs.
4.4 Biotech and Medical Industry - Advocate, promote, and support biotech and medical industry development through policies, innovation, startup assistance and resources through the City, and policies through the County and State
4.5 Military Installations - Support programs that create, enhance, and grow military and veteran resources, particularly in assisting veteran-owned businesses.
4.6 Higher Education - Support meaningful growth of higher education in the region
Housing,PlanningandZoning
5.1 Organized Growth - Support efforts to strengthen the ability of local agencies to plan, implement, and certify their General Plan and Housing Element
5.5 Single Family Zoning - Oppose legislation or regulations which would allow for more than one residential unit in single-family residential zones
5.2 Rezoning Impacts - Oppose legislation which would require compensation for property owners for the effects of zoning and ordinary local land use control.
5.3 Congregate and Community Care Facilities - Support legislation which would increase City control of congregate and community care facilities.
5.6 Prevailing Wage on Low Income Housing - Support legislation which would eliminate the prevailing wage requirement on low-income housing
5.4 Regional Housing Needs Assessment Allocations - Oppose legislation which would penalize or adversely impact the City if units assigned under Regional Housing Needs Assessments are not constructed.
5.7 Home Ownership ProgramsSupport efforts to increase the maximum home sale price allowed under all federal and State home ownership funded programs.
5.8 Short-Term Rentals - Oppose any legislation related to short-term residential rentals which would create a cost burden on local agencies.
RevenueandFiscalStability
6.1 Tax Allocations - Oppose any change in tax allocations negatively impacting local governments, and support measures for redistribution of property tax revenues more equitably
6.7 Federal and State Funding Transparency - Support legislation which would require federal pass-through funding to be done in an equitable manner by the State, and support legislation that would increase transparency to legislative appropriations.
6.2 Local Agency Control - Oppose legislation or regulations which would make local agencies more dependent on the State for financial stability and policy direction Support measures which expand local control and discretion
6.8 Transportation Funding - Support measures that provide for local and regional transportation funding opportunities and oppose measures which increase taxes or fees or implement vehicle-miles-traveled or increases to current gas tax rates.
6.3 Unfunded Mandates - Oppose legislation which would impose State and federal mandated costs for which there is no guarantee of local reimbursement
6.4 Public Financing - Oppose any measure which would restrict or limit a public agency’s ability to use tax-exempt debt or tax increment financing for the purchase or construction of public purpose improvements.
6.9 Additional Resources - Support and advocate for legislation or programs which would provide additional funding to address air and water quality, public safety, planning, homelessness, affordable housing, parks, libraries, public art, historical sites, and open space.
6.5 State Diversion of FundingOppose any legislation or measure which would divert local funding to the State, or other entity, to balance its budget
6.10 CDBG Funding - Oppose legislation to decrease Federal Community Development Block Grant funding
6.11 Revenue Generation and Protection - Oppose legislation which restricts or eliminates traditional government funding practices, including the weakening or reversal of Prop 13, 187, and other provisions Support measures which strengthen tax payer protections
SocialandEnvironmentalPrograms
7.1 Homelessness - Support legislation, programs, and regional efforts to address the complex issue of homelessness, and the expansive programs which can help reduce homelessness, including, providing emergency shelters, expanding affordable housing, counseling, and job training
7.2 Social Issues - Support regional support service programs for issues of bullying, autism, and other matters where greater attention has not been achieved, especially those which impact children
7.3 Parks and Open Spaces - Support legislation that promotes, protects, and increases funding for parks and open spaces and programs which increase physical activities for all residents
7.6 Water and Energy ConservationSupport efforts to encourage conservation of energy and water usage, as long as measures do not contain unnecessarily punitive measures to residents, business owners, or local agencies.
7.7 Solid Waste and HHW FacilitiesSupport legislation which promotes local control when siting waste treatment and household hazardous waste (HHW) facilities
7.8 Recycling - Support measures which provide local control in meeting the environmental needs of the community, (i.e. recycling/reclaiming of natural resources and energy efficiency measures).
7.4 Park Preservation and Development - Identify and pursue funding opportunities for local and regional park projects, including trails
7.5 Water Quality and Costs - Support measures and efforts of water districts to improve cost effective water delivery and water quality within the City and region, and support legislation which protects consumers from excessive charges
7.9 State Environmental MandatesOppose legislation which imposes undue hardship on local agencies to implement environmental regulations
FederalPriorities
8.1 Immigration - Call upon the federal government to move beyond partisan rhetoric and demonstrate leadership definitively solving the immigration crisis that has adversely impacted local jurisdictions by implementing a comprehensive, cohesive policy. A comprehensive immigration policy should recognize the historical pursuit of opportunity in the United States, while upholding the Rule of Law and established processes. It should avoid automatic amnesty, instead promoting education and human advancement as obligations of a civilized society. The policy must provide a consistent, humanitarian path for those seeking to integrate and pledge allegiance to the country. It should be grounded in the principles of equality, prosperity, and responsible citizenship as the foundation of the Republic.
8.2 Worker Eligibility - Advocate to develop, implement, and improve a federal worker eligibility verification process to ensure eligible employees are hired by businesses in the most efficient manner possible.
8.3 Terrorism - Support legislation which provides added security measures to protect residents against terrorist activities and prepares local governments to address terrorism
8.4 Federal Aid - Advocate and apply for federal funding opportunities, especially those which help improve public safety
