Deal for Senate bill votes might help Menifee receive funding

It appears the City of Menifee will once again receive its share of vehicle license fees from the State of California, which had withheld an estimated $4.2 million per year from the City through a budget adjustment by Governor Jerry Brown six years ago.

However, it took the passage of Senate Bill 1 -- a $52 billion transportation funding package that includes a gas tax increase -- to get it done.

Local legislators have made several attempts to convince Gov. Brown to restore VLF funding taken away from four recently incorporated cities in Riverside County -- Menifee, Wildomar, Eastvale and Jurupa Valley. But since Brown diverted that funding to other programs in the 2011-12 state budget, he has vetoed every bill regarding the subject.

This time, however, a "commitment from the administration" to restore those funds was given in exchange for votes needed to pass SB1. Two local legislators with swing votes -- Democrats Sen. Richard Roth and Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes -- announced Friday they had made the difficult decision Thursday night to vote "yes" on SB1, at the same time praising the governor's promise of the VLF funding.

"For too long, Sacramento has failed to provide Inland Southern California with the resources we deserve," said Roth and Cervantes, who represents Riverside, in a prepared statement. "Though this was a difficult vote, the cost of our region not getting its fair share is too high. That is why we went to the table to ensure Inland Southern California’s needs are represented with the vigor and dedication they deserve.

"We are proud to have worked to secure a commitment from the Administration to properly fund Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Menifee and Wildomar and finally deliver a measure of fairness and equity to Riverside County’s four newest cities ... Public service is about working together. We came to Sacramento to work with all sides to get things done and are proud to continue to deliver Riverside County’s fair share."

So in essence, Menifee stands to receive an approximate boost of $4 million to its annual budget because its residents -- and everyone else -- will pay 12 cents a gallon more in gas tax, plus additional vehicle fees.

On top of that, the "commitment" is not formalized. It is not directly related to SB 1, so it must be crafted as a trailer bill or other type of legislation that makes it legally binding. City of Menifee officials must hope Brown does not go back on his word. In the meantime, they chose not to make an official statement on the issue Friday.

"Since they are working out the numbers for the trailer bill, it isn't a done deal," said Gina Gonzalez, spokesperson for the City of Menifee, in an email to Menifee 24/7. "While the City is hopeful all works out for the VLF restoration, it is preliminary, so the City has chosen not to issue a statement at this time."

Shrujal Joseph, communications director for Roth's office, described the VLF restoration as something that "will happen."

"It's a commitment," he said. "It is not included in the language of this bill because SB 1 has to do with road improvements. But whether it comes as a trailer bill or some other type of legislation, we're confident the governor will honor this commitment."

One of the most outspoken Menifee City Council members regarding the loss of VLF funding is Lesa Sobek. She said she met in February with Roth, who represents Jurupa Valley and Eastvale but not Menifee and Wildomar.

"This is something Senator Roth has been working on," she said. "I told him at the time, 'We have to do something.'

"He did not need to include Menifee and Wildomar in this, but he did. I'm very grateful to him and to the administration for this decision."

The City of Menifee is operating at a budget deficit of about $3 million, so the addition of funding from VLF fees would certainly help. The manner in which the promise of that help was obtained is of concern to some, however.

State Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, whose district includes Menifee, co-authored with Roth the last bill designed to restore the VLF fees -- rejected by Brown in September. While continuing to acknowledge the need for the restoration of those funds, she was vehemently opposed to the gas tax increase of SB 1 and expressed frustration in how the "yes" votes of Roth and Cervantes were linked to the commitment for the VLF fee restoration.

"It's horse trading," Melendez told Menifee 24/7. "There's nothing in writing about the VLF fees; they'll probably put it in a budget bill. It's the governor's way of saying, 'I'll cover your area if you'll give me this vote.' This is the exact definition of quid pro quo.

"It's great that Menifee is potentially going to get their money, but do you think motorists will be thinking, 'Thank God Menifee got its VLF fees back' while they're paying extra at the gas pump?"

Melendez posted her displeasure with the passage of SB 1 on her Facebook page Friday morning.

"We were lectured about the neglected roads, that we all just needed to 'dig a little deeper' to pay for it," Melendez wrote. "To say that I am completely disgusted would be an gross understatement. I'm sad. Sad for people who barely have enough money to get by. Sad for people who have a long commute to a job they can't afford to lose. Sad for all the people who will never be able to afford some fancy environmentally friendly car that doesn't use gas."