We deserve our fair share of support

Did you know San Bernardino County gets less in return for the tax dollars we send to Sacramento than the state’s major urban centers?

On the Nov. 8 ballot, the Fair-Share Initiative will give San Bernardino County voters an opportunity to direct the Board of Supervisors to determine whether and to what degree our communities are not getting our fair share of state resources, and to pursue every available means of ensuring that our county gets the most for our tax dollars going forward.

This ballot measure has received a lot of attention from across the country because it asks if one of the strategies the county should consider to attain fiscal equity should include secession from California through the formation of a new state or by joining a neighboring state. This possible option would be very difficult to achieve, and all five supervisors truly love calling California our home. However, none of us are willing to stop short of doing everything we can to ensure that the dollars we send to the state are put to work addressing our most pressing needs.

At its core, the San Bernardino County Fair-Share Initiative is about a study, and it is about effective engagement with state decision-makers. Exploring secession would be a distant last resort. However,

Email:

opinion@scng.com (Please do not include any attachments) not having that in our toolbox signals that we are not as determined and committed as we must be in defense of our communities.

A comprehensive study, endorsed by the voters, will allow the county to glean data that will help us develop more effective strategies for securing the appropriate return on our tax dollars and the right policies our residents deserve.

The county would research individual funding sources and ensure there is alignment with county service and infrastructure needs. The county needs a seat at the table in certain areas of government discussion so that funding and policy decisions consider the size of our county, which is geographically larger than nine states and more populous than 16 states.

A preliminary look at State Controller data shows that although San Bernardino County has the fifth highest number of residents, it is in the bottom third of 58 counties when it comes to funding. This inequity needs to be investigated. The inland area as a whole fares even worse. As this region becomes one of the fastest growing in the state, it is critical we have an appropriate share of resources and advocacy for policies that match the needs of our communities.

The Board of Supervisors would be remiss in not acknowledging how Sacramento has often turned a deaf ear to San Bernardino County’s most basic needs.

Policies adopted at the state

Main:

909-889-9666

Opinion:

714-796-3644

Twitter:

level often appear to reflect the specific priorities and needs of the state’s major urban centers more than they do the priorities and needs of San Bernardino County and the rest of California, no more so than in the area of public safety. The state’s emphasis on alternatives to incarceration without the necessary support to communities has created a violent crime wave in San Bernardino County.

When illegal cannabis cultivation became a misdemeanor, illicit marijuana farms sprouted up in our desert communities, degrading the quality of life for residents. A bill sponsored by

San Bernardino County to toughen penalties was rejected by the Legislature.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, many of San Bernardino County’s rural communities had lower case rates than Northern California counties that were assigned to less-restrictive tiers. When the county asked for justice for our rural communities, the state refused to allow us to implement their strategy at our local level. Family businesses and county residents suffered.

The San Bernardino County Fair-Share Initiative is a constructive way for the people of America’s largest county to be heard, not only by their local leaders, but by everyone in California and the nation.

Follow or send tweets to