(HorizonPost.com) – California’s fifth largest county is seeking to pass a measure that will distance them from the state, according to Fox News. San Bernardino County enjoys a population of 2.2 million people and is reportedly looking at its options for secession.
“Don’t treat us like a bumper sticker that can be easily scraped off a vehicle,” Bill Velto, mayor of Upland in San Bernardino County, told Fox News.
The county reportedly passed a ballot measure to review state resources and appropriates “up to and including secession from the State of California,” according to Measure EE, which is considered a long shot after it received 50.6% of the vote on November 8.
For secession to pass, it must be approved by Congress and legislature, but efforts to divide the state date back 172 years—all of which have failed.
Jeff Burum, a San Bernardino resident and affordable housing developer, is one of the people behind the movement to advocate for the county’s “fair share.” He said that the measure intentionally included the word “secession” but it is really to encourage residents to ensure that their county is allocated its fair share of resources, pointing to budget surpluses and energy shutoffs.
Mayor Velto also expressed his concern with the state’s high-speed rail project from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Since 2008, the rails for the so-called “train to nowhere” has been under construction. It will cost an estimated $105 billion and remains unfinished.
The city of San Bernardino, the state’s third-largest metropolitan center, has reportedly experienced rising rates of homelessness, crime, and home prices. It was recently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S.
When asked if Governor Newsom has been communicating with local issues on the issues plaguing the county, Burum said that the governor would “just as soon ignore us, and ignore what’s happened in San Bernardino.”
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