Supervisor Manuel Perez refutes report that he is stepping down
Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez has issued a statement refuting a report that he is resigning from his position.
This comes after an article by the Desert Review, based in Imperial County, reporting that Perez will be stepping down due to health issues.
“His decision to resign as Supervisor due to his illness leaves a vacancy in the position and pain in our hearts and minds,” reads the report, which has since been removed.
Perez responded with a statement on Tuesday.
"Like many of you, I was shocked to read an editorial published online by the Desert Review that falsely claimed I was stepping away from my duties on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Nothing could be further from the truth."
- Manuel perez
Perez was appointed to the Board of Supervisors by Governor Jerry Brown in May 2017. He was elected to a four-year term in June 2018 and was reelected after running unopposed in 2022.
Perez represents the County's 4th District, which is the largest district by geography and includes the Coachella Valley.
In his statement, Perez wrote that his job as supervisor is far from finished.
"While news of political musical chairs allows for speculation from some ill will and bad faith politically motivated individuals to conduct devious succession planning, rest assured that does not involve me as I am nowhere near ready to stop serving the residents of the Fourth District and those throughout the county," Perez wrote.
Perez continued, "For those that are concerned about my health, know I have been working with my doctors and the prognoses is good. And while I certainly didn’t have relating to Mark Twain’s quote in my 2023 bingo card, it certainly gave me a good laugh. Thank you for your unwavering trust and support, and know that I am as excited as I ever have been to continue as your supervisor."
You can read Perez's full statement below:
"Upon reading his own obituary, Mark Twain famously remarked “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Like many of you, I was shocked to read an editorial published online by the Desert Review that falsely claimed I was stepping away from my duties on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Nothing could be further from the truth.
When I become Supervisor in 2017, I took this role with the intent of bridging the 4th District divide and ensuring that we got the adequate resources and representation needed to thrive as a county. As an office, we have been delivering on homelessness in the West Valley, on a new arena and job creation in the Central Valley, and in the East Valley funding infrastructure and park developments all while building affordable housing throughout the Coachella Valley.
While news of political musical chairs allows for speculation from some ill will and bad faith politically motivated individuals to conduct devious succession planning, rest assured that does not involve me as I am nowhere near ready to stop serving the residents of the Fourth District and those throughout the county. Our job is not done. We have more work to do to build more infrastructure, bringing more jobs into the desert, and building more affordable housing.
For those that are concerned about my health, know I have been working with my doctors and the prognoses is good. And while I certainly didn’t have relating to Mark Twain’s quote in my 2023 bingo card, it certainly gave me a good laugh. Thank you for your unwavering trust and support, and know that I am as excited as I ever have been to continue as your supervisor."
