Councilmember Philip Falcone

At a time when we are needing to tighten our belts and cuts are proposed to critical departments like Public Works, General Services, and Parks, now is not the time for high employee salaries and extensive severance packages.

👏 Thank you, Councilmember Philip Falcone, for standing up for Riverside taxpayers today.
Today, Councilmember Falcone voted NO on the proposed employment agreement for the City's new City Attorney, while the contract was ultimately approved by a 5-2 vote.
At a time when residents have repeatedly been told the City needs more revenue and should tighten its budget, NOWS Riverside CA appreciates that Councilmember Falcone took a fiscally conservative stand on an executive compensation package that includes:
💰 Annual salary of $372,624
🏖️ 200 hours (5 weeks) of paid vacation each year
🏥 Executive-level medical, dental, vision, and other benefits
💼 City matching contributions to a deferred compensation retirement plan
📈 Membership in the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
⚖️ City-paid California State Bar dues
📚 City-paid mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE)
✈️ City-paid travel and attendance at League of California Cities City Attorney conferences
❤️ A City-paid life insurance policy equal to twice the annual salary—more than $745,000 in coverage based on the starting salary.
No one is suggesting Riverside shouldn't hire qualified professionals. But when families are watching every dollar they spend, City Hall should be doing the same.
Whether you agree with Councilmember Falcone on every issue or not, it is worth recognizing elected officials who are willing to vote against costly executive contracts when they believe they are not in the taxpayers' best interest.
Thank you, Councilmember Philip Falcone, for putting fiscal responsibility first.

The contract can be seen here: https://riversideca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=15582243&GUID=AF2EA029-051B-40A5-875D-0196B45A5BA5

The renaissance of Ward 1 continues during this season of choosing improvements and investments into our city facilities over blight and neglect. Twenty years ago, before public art was so prolific in Riverside, this simple metal building was transformed into a piece of art as an icon of Riverside pride. But after two decades of deferred maintenance, this building was more of an eyesore than a point of city pride.

Thanks to the work of Riverside Public Utilities and mural artist Darren Villegas, these vintage “Riverside Pride” icons are fresh again. Check them out at 3508 Vine Street!

The Ward 1 team is hitting the Wood Streets—going door to door. These next couple weeks we are sharing resources on how to get in touch with us, how to utilize 311, and seeing how we can help make the ward better. Then, we’ll move to the Eastside, Northside, and Downtown neighborhoods doing the same thing.

Hope to see you in the neighborhood!

For generations Riverside has honored our country’s fallen on Memorial Day, or its precursor, Decoration Day. Evergreen Cemetery has long since been at the center of such commemorations.

In 1927, a memorial was dedicated in the cemetery to honor the fallen. It was American Legion Post 79—which is still active in Fairmount Park today—that established this “Lest We Forget” stone monument. Today it is still adorned in patriotic finery as it was in this 1953 New York Herald Tribune clipping.

Riverside is making budget decisions to live within our means—as evidenced by $18 million in spending reductions. However, cuts to public safety, Public Works, and General Services (facilities department) are non-negotiable for me. And the residents of Ward 1 expect nothing less!

Riverside Council Reviews Proposed Budget, Debates Cuts To Public Works During an initial review of Riverside’s proposed budget for the next two years, Councilmember Philip Falcone pushed back against plans to reduce public works spending.

A slew of scoopers were serving up sweet treats today at the Heritage House Ice Cream Social! A celebrity spotting may have occurred when rock n’ roll George Washington came by our ice cream tent—in honor of America 250.

Thank you to the Museum of Riverside and Riverside Museum Associates for hosting this event for four decades. Always free and always fun for the family!