State Senate Votes to Reinstate Funding for Wildomar

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA - The State Senate voted Thursday to restore vehicle license fee revenue to four Riverside County cities that lost the funds when the money was diverted to assist public safety agencies statewide during the Great Recession.

The impacted cities -- Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Menifee and Wildomar -- faced budget deficits due to the loss and were forced to cut back on services.

The loss stemmed from Gov. Jerry Brown's realignment package in 2011, which cut off cities that had incorporated after 2004 from the vehicle license fees in order to finance a "Law Enforcement Services Account."

"For too long, Sacramento has failed to provide our region with its fair share," Senator Richard D. Roth, D-Riverside, said in a statement. "There is no reason why these particular cities should be excluded from receiving an equitable share of state revenue which every other California city receives."

The Senate voted 34-0 to pass Senate Bill 130 and it now heads to the Assembly.

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock