Bob Buster for Supervisor

Public Safety is one of my top priorities
While other Counties were fighting one of the worst fires disasters in California History Riverside County was spared.

After the tragic Esperanza Fire last year, Bob formed the first Hazard Reduction Task Force to recommend better ways to reduce wildfire risk to residents, firefighters and rescuers. The task force compiled the following recommendations for Riverside County:

Review and change lenient development policies in at-risk areas.
Update the fire hazard zone in the county general plan
Consider buying out homes and other developments in non-defensible areas.
Implement stricter fire-resistant standards for homes and buildings

This committee is developing much stronger policies for wildland areas to improve emergency notification, evacuation, brush clearance around homes, and reduce future developments in areas that cannot be defended.
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According to the Los Angeles Times (10-28-07), Riverside County ranks highest of all six Southern California counties in terms of firefighters per capita.

Bob equipped all fire engine companies with defibrillators and paramedics saving countless lives. Traffic accidents and medical emergencies are by far the number one response by the Fire Department. Getting help in the first few minutes is critical and adding paramedics to fire trucks is critical to sparing lives.

Bob recently funded four new fire stations in Lakeland Village, Temescal Valley, Mead Valley and Woodcrest just in the past two years.
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Funded 450 new sheriff’s deputies, increasing patrol strength by one-fifth, and instituting community service officers; established eight gang intervention/suppression teams and intensive monitoring of sex offenders off parole.
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Funded the training of correctional officers to identify and transfer incarcerated illegal aliens to the immigration service

Funded $148 million new public safety communication system so police, fire and emergency teams can stay connected.

Funded expansion of Banning jail by 600 beds and acquired site near Cabazon for new 1,200-bed jail.

Bob created an entirely new Code Enforcement Department dedicated to cleaning up unsightly properties, fix up dilapidated structures, reduce illegal dumping and paint out graffiti. This new department doubled the size of code enforcement with the number of officers and equipment in order to better serve the unincorporated areas. In addition, Bob opened up a new code enforcement office in Mead Valley just last year.
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Making Major Improvements to Transportation
Bob first proposed and developed the county’s arterial road improvement funding plan now called TUMF for Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee. The program has generated $453 million for major road, bridge, interchange, and railroad grade separation projects. Over 75 projects are underway. The program insures new development pays its way and protects residents from being taxed to build these major roads.                                            Read More >>

Emphasizes improving the inland area transportation network to stimulate more local jobs and shorter commutes, with express bus lanes and separated truck corridors. Bob proposed a new committee of San Bernardino and Riverside County elected officials to jointly plan the regional transportation network.
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Improving Riverside County Residents Quality of Life

DHL Update
Bob requested test flights before the DHL jet package express project was approved at March Field. Bob was the lone vote against the proposal after proponents refused to conduct test flights and concealed the takeoff path and noise estimates. Bob leads the effort to ban the disturbing night flights, which put a $6.7 billion tax base under the noise at risk and could discourage better employers from locating here. Expert international financial analysts now report the DHL domestic air express operation is a “financial disaster” and should be shut down.

Woodcrest Library
Bob funded and helped design the County’s first “green” building, the beautiful new Woodcrest Community Library.

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MARS Program
Initiated new summer park and recreation programs in Wildomar, Temescal Valley, Mead Valley, and Woodcrest.

Protecting Open Space, Arroyos and watercourses
Protected the last major open space along the Santa Ana River in the La Sierra area of the City of Riverside from overdevelopment. Created the City/County Arroyo Watershed Committee to protect arroyos and natural streams throughout Riverside County.

Trails
Helped extend the mountains to coast Santa Ana River Trail through Riverside. Added hundreds of miles to the Riverside County Trails System in the 1st District.
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Parks
Bob opened up and funded four new parks in Wildomar last year providing recreational opportunities to thousands of residents. Bob made sure that unfair fees would not be assessed to sports leagues who use these new parks.
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Helped Wildomar Become a City
Protected the right of 30,000 Wildomar residents to determine their community’s future, leading the long struggle at the Local Agency Formation Commission to prevent annexations that would have broken up the area forever. Proposed and funded the fiscal studies that proved Wildomar could afford to become a city without raising taxes.

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Working to Reduce Train Noise and Delays at Street Crossings
Called for safe grade separations at street crossings and noise mitigation for increased freight trains and the new Metrolink commuter train service planned through the University Heights area of the City of Riverside.

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Making Sure that Riverside County has sufficient reserves to pay for needed services when times are lean.

Bob made sure over the years that Riverside County had enough reserves to endure fluctuations in the economy so that needed services would not be cut to those who need them most especially seniors and the disabled. The County of Riverside continues to have one of the highest bond ratings of any other County.

The County continues to balance its $1.9 billion General Fund budget with strong spending controls, maintaining a robust reserve of 18% or $353 million, without raising any taxes. The County can now weather the economic downturn without public service cuts or layoffs.

The County’s fiscal health has been recognized by the three credit rating agencies, Moody’s, Standard & Poors and Fitch, with “high quality” designations of Aa3 and AA. Such excellent ratings lower borrowing costs for long-term projects, making your dollars go further.

Bob pushed to make the County meet its employee pension and retiree benefits obligations head-on, taking pro-active measures such as issuing lower cost pension obligation bonds which saved $113 million, and reducing the unfunded liability to manageable levels.

The County’s $4.7 billion pooled investment fund is prudently managed, but maintains a competitive yield on the portfolio. Following strict investment policies established after Orange County’s bankruptcy, Riverside County did not purchase any risky sub-prime mortgage backed securities.