IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Riverside County supervisors are using taxpayer dollars that are meant to help community groups to instead promote themselves and their candidacies, according to a grand jury investigation.
A report released Monday stated that all five supervisors have failed to put in place strict guidelines regarding Community Improvement Designation Funding.
The report, posted on the San Bernardino County Superior Court website, cited several examples of what it considered abuse of those funds, which were set up to help community groups, advocacy organizations and charities.
The community improvement program was started in 2005. It currently has a budget of $2.3 million, with each supervisor to get a share of those funds.
Requests to use those funds are on almost every board agenda, but the way supervisors have been spending those funds – to enhance their name recognition with voters – has often conflicted with state law meant to deny incumbents a spending advantage, according to the report.
