IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Blythe has been removed from California’s list of financially distressed cities.
The community in eastern Riverside County was declared financially healthy by the state auditor’s office after it showed “substantial progress by addressing key deficiencies and implementing corrective actions highlighted in prior audits,” according to a statement released by the High Desert city earlier this month.
“This is a proud moment for the city of Blythe,” Mayor Joseph DeConinck said in the statement. “Our staff, leadership and community have worked tirelessly to turn our financial situation around. We have made difficult decisions and implemented long-term solutions that have restored fiscal stability.”
Blythe’s deficiencies included low financial reserves, not enough revenue sources, a shortage of enterprise funds, an unpaid golf course loan, and utility rates and service fees that were not high enough to cover costs.
The city’s efforts “have not only addressed the deficiencies identified in prior reports, but have positioned the city for continued financial health,” the statement reads.
Lynwood and San Gabriel, both in Los Angeles County, and El Cerrito, near San Francisco, were also taken off the list of financially at-risk cities, according to the statement.
