B. Brier | April 20, 2010
Information being disseminated by San Bernardino County administrators related to ongoing budget woes is somewhat reminiscent of tactics which have amplified the state’s financial mess.
In an effort to close a purported $90 million deficit for the 2010/11 fiscal year the county is asking employee organizations to come up with approximately $39 million in hard dollar [...]
B. Brier | April 19, 2010
Former San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus was under pressure from county administrators and supervisors in 2007 and 2008 to limit reductions in assessed property valuations.
The concern at the time was that Postmus was going to bring down assessed property values in accordance with Proposition 8 at a faster pace than desired.
Proposition 8 allows a [...]
B. Brier | April 15, 2010
Imagine being a seasoned, well-respected prosecutor of 30 years or more. Now imagine sitting in the judge’s chambers discussing one of the most high-profile criminal cases in the past decade in your county. And then imagine having to ask the judge to not be required to turn over all evidence to the defense.
Preposterous? Anyone in the legal [...]
Staff Reporter | April 14, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
Special Section: San Bernardino Co. Probe
An arraignment hearing for former San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus and former Assistant Assessor Jim Erwin was delayed Tuesday for a few weeks.
The arraignment was rescheduled for [...]
Staff Reporter | April 12, 2010
Two years after settling a contentious lawsuit with Rancho Cucamonga developer Colonies Partners LP for $102 million, the county paid $6.4 million for a building in which Colonies co-managing partner Jeff Burum had a financial interest.Former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer said he learned from a staff member of Supervisor Paul [...]
Staff Reporter | April 9, 2010
A San Bernardino County judge has delayed the start of Rancho Cucamonga Councilman Rex Gutierrez’s grand theft and misuse of public funds trial from Monday until June 1.
The judge agreed to the delay because of an issue with witness availability.
Gutierrez has pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his tenure [...]
Staff Reporter | April 8, 2010
Boy, it sure is one big ol’ soap opera over on the Fifth Floor of the San Bernardino County Government Center.Now Mark Uffer, the fired former county administrative officer, has filed a claim against the county and, individually, Supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt, Neil Derry and Gary Ovitt; former supervisor and former assessor [...]
B. Brier | April 7, 2010
As written about earlier in the year, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has canceled almost half of its meetings for the year, opting to meet only 27 times in the entire 12 months of 2010. I still think that should only entitled them to .519 percent of their paychecks and benefits, but who [...]
Staff Reporter | April 6, 2010
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/05/2010 06:13:08 PM PDT
Updated: 04/05/2010 06:19:58 PM PDT
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B. Brier | April 6, 2010
One thing is certain. San Bernardino County’s budget problem is far more severe than anyone ever imagined. Especially the employee unions.
Looking at their websites and the information being provided to their members it appears everyone is about to be blind-sided by more bad news.
The county is clearly going to want the unions to cancel all [...]