The Sun: San Bernardino, state officials lobby Gov. Jerry Brown for help

By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 06/02/15 – 7:17 PM PDT |

SAN BERNARDINO >> Mayor Carey Davis and Councilwoman Virginia Marquez joined with legislative allies in Sacramento Tuesday to lobby Gov. Jerry Brown’s office for his help.

And although there were no concrete promises on the six issues on which they had asked for his action — including a request that Brown force Cal Fire to bid to provide fire services for the city — they had a productive 45-minute meeting with Tom Dyer, chief deputy legislative affairs director and local government adviser, Davis said.

“We were very well received,” he said. “I thought they felt that we were well-prepared. (Dyer) was not able to make any promises, but (he) understands our need to hear back as soon as possible as we move forward with our Plan of Adjustment.”

That plan, the city’s proposal to exit bankruptcy, was filed with U.S. Bankruptcy Court late Friday.

Davis had laid the groundwork for a meeting with a five-page letter to Brown and the four legislators who represent parts of the city — Senators Connie Leyva and Mike Morrell and Assembly members Cheryl Brown and Marc Steinorth — signed by himself, City Manager Allen Parker, City Attorney Gary Saenz and six of the seven City Council members.

Councilman John Valdivia was out of town when the letter was signed, but said Tuesday he supports only some of its requests and objects to “the negative statements conveyed about Cal Fire in the letter.”

Valdivia added that city officials should be focused on “basics of government” and not look for outside help.

Cal Fire has consistently rejected San Bernardino’s attempts to have the state agency prepare an estimate of what it would cost to provide fire services for the city, citing the city’s financial instability “and the difference in staffing models between Cal Fire and the City.” But the letter says elected state officials have authority over the agency and they should demand a proposal.

“We will not speculate on the real reasons Cal Fire has not granted us a proposal, but its unwillingness to do so has limited our options and is very hard to reconcile given the other cities they serve,” the letter says. “… We would respectfully suggest that if Cal Fire cannot give serious consideration to serving a city in dire need, like San Bernardino, via contract, it should not be in the contracting business at all.”

Requests for comment from a Cal Fire spokesman and Brown’s office were not returned Tuesday.

The letter confirms for the first time that two entities responded to the city’s request for proposals, San Bernardino County and the private firm Centerra, and says “both indicate that significant efficiencies are available.”

The city’s Plan of Adjustment counts on saving $7 million a year or more by outsourcing fire services.

That was just one portion of the meeting, said Steinorth, R-Rancho Cucamonga, who attended the meeting along with his chief of staff and the chief of staff for Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga.

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