Supervisors Approve Plan To Discuss New State

Riverside County supervisors approved a modified plan designed to explore the possibility of the county leaving the state of California.

The plan was submitted as one option in addressing what supervisors call “state ills,” such as the drastic cuts in education spending that were approved in Sacramento as part of the recent budget agreement.

Supervisor Jeff Stone suggested a plan to gather officials from at least 13 counties to discuss seceding from California to create a 51st state, the State of South California. The counties included: Riverside, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego and Tulare.

“The state is no longer governable,” said Temecula City Councilman Mike Naggar. “Tens of thousands of us are no longer represented in Sacramento.” , “California is the quintessential land of fruits and nuts,” added Murrieta City Councilman Doug McAllister. “The (governor’s office) has made it clear they already consider us two separate states. We should at least have a conversation about statehood. We need to remind the state that power flows from the bottom up.”

On Tuesday, Stone modified his proposal to the board. He said he envisioned a summit in September or October where city and county officials could discuss issues such as convening a constitutional convention to address state budget problems and cutting seats in the state legislature from full-time to part-time status.

“The state has looted Riverside County to the tune of $166 million,” the supervisor said. “Our friends and neighbors are losing jobs and homes, and marriages are breaking up because of the stress the economy has placed on working families, yet lawmakers in Sacramento make one job-killing decision after another.”

Stone cited a survey showing that California is ranked dead last in business-friendliness nationally, and he named a number of companies that said have moved operations outside the state to escape high taxation and regulation, including Dell, Toyota and Northrop Grumman.

He told board members he wanted to leave secession on the agenda for the proposed meeting as a topic that could be broached if other solutions do not emerge.

Board members acknowledged Stone’s frustration with state budget decisions and other actions that have continuing detrimental effects on communities in Riverside County and other areas of the state.

Board members voted 4-0 with the requirement that no Riverside County staff or funds be used as part of Stone’s effort to hold a meeting for city and county officials statewide.

Supervisor John Benoit called Stone’s secession plan “an interesting proposal.” The former assemblyman said he could relate to his colleague’s disgust with various legislative acts but couldn’t support a convention on secession because of the county resources that would be expended.

“We have too many critical issues on our own plates,” Benoit said.