Brown visits Riverside

Gov. Jerry Brown visited Riverside County this week and pledged to take a second look at the state’s diversion of vehicle license fees away from cities, a move that has hurt four new cities in the county.

Brown told local government officials that he has heard numerous pleas for help on behalf of Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Menifee and Wildomar, all of which are struggling to survive without those fees propping up their general funds, according to multiple published reports.

While he did not commit to a policy change, Brown did say he would discuss the matter with officials in Sacramento. Brown spoke Tuesday during a news conference at Riverside County Office of Education, part of a two-day tour of the state’s inland regions that included a stop in Bakersfield.

Brown also praised local officials for their handling of the state’s inmate realignment program, which has shifted responsibility for the handling of low-level inmates from the state to the county.

That program has drawn severe criticism from some local officials who say it forced them to release thousands of inmates too early, but Brown said the program has helped reduce prison overcrowding, according to the reports.