Palm trees frame a bright blue sky dotted with clouds in this Wood Streets neighborhood scene. (Debbie Schwartz) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Wednesday Gazette: January 28, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Wednesday! Tonight Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson delivers her State of the City Address at the Riverside Convention Center. The program starts at 6 p.m., and while general seating is free and open to the public, an RSVP is encouraged. If you'd like to attend in person, reach out to Bryan Pratt to see if there's still room.
Can't make it Downtown? No worries. The address will stream live on RiversideTV, YouTube and local cable channels (AT&T 99, Spectrum 3, Frontier 21).
Mayor Lock Dawson will share highlights from the past year and outline what's ahead for Riverside in 2026. She'll also present the Innovation Award to someone who embodies the spirit that makes our city the City of Arts and Innovation.
Whether you're there in person or tuning in from your couch, it's a great chance to hear directly from our mayor about where Riverside has been and where we're headed.
Council Advances Five Tax Options Despite Voter Fatigue Warnings
Council will make final decisions February 24 with March 6 deadline for June ballot.
City Manager Mike Futrell presents five revenue measure options to City Council.
Council directed staff to return February 24 with formal proposals for all five revenue measures—despite warnings voters may reject new taxes.
Why it matters: Riverside faces a critical decision on its fiscal future. The March 6 filing deadline means missing February 24's vote pushes any tax measures to 2028, while the Fire Department needs 84 new firefighters now.
Driving the news: Council unanimously directed staff Monday to develop ballot language for options ranging from a quarter-cent sales tax to a combined package generating $100+ million annually.
Missing the June 2 ballot means waiting until 2028—California law restricts local tax measures to even-year elections when council members run.
What's on the table:
Quarter-cent sales tax: Raises rate from 8.75% to 9%, generating $21 million annually—$5 million short of Fire's $26.1 million need
Extend Measure Z: Prevents $103 million revenue loss in 2036 when the decade-old tax expires
Hotel tax increase: Boost transient occupancy tax from 13% to 14%, eventually generating $6.8 million for Convention Center expansion
Combined approach: Extend Measure Z plus quarter-cent increase for $103 million total
No action: Next chance comes in 2028
Between the lines: Councilmember Chuck Conder's warning captures Council's dilemma—"we may get rejected."
Conder and Perry previously told voters Measure Z would be "the last time we'll have to go to the well."
By the numbers: Measure Z generates $81-86 million annually but is "fully committed through 2028" with no funding available for Fire's immediate needs.
The Fire Department operates with 225 firefighters—a ratio of 0.69 per 1,000 residents versus the 1.35 national standard.
Yes, but: Councilmember Jim Perry demanded any measure use "very specific" language about spending—an apparent reference to Measure Z's 2016 approval with general terms about preventing cuts, then funding items not explicitly mentioned.
What's next: Staff returns February 24 with fiscal analysis and proposed ballot language. Council must vote that day to meet the March 6 County filing deadline.
Correction Tues. Jan. 27, 11:25 a.m. In Thursday, Jan. 22's story about candidates' positions on the Quality Inn conversion project at the La Sierra forum, it was incorrectly stated that only Barry Dawes, Luis Hernandez, William Smith and Rich Vandenberg said they would have supported the project. Jessica Qattawi, a candidate in Ward 4, also stated she would have supported the conversion project. The correction has been made and we apologize for the error.
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