Tammy Fisher
Director of Public Relations
La Sierra University
Riverside, California
909-785-2016 voice
tfisher@lasierra.edu
July 16, 2003

Riverside, California –On July 14, 2003, the Western Riverside Council of Government's (WRCOG) Executive Committee voted to accept the recommendation of their Technical Advisory Committee (made up of city managers and county staff) to exempt La Sierra University and California Baptist University from their recently imposed Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF).

“The latter fee, imposed on any development in Western Riverside County, saves La Sierra University millions of dollars in the next few years,” says Dr. Lawrence T. Geraty, President of La Sierra University. “If we had to pay this fee, for instance, we would have had to pay city government more than $5,000 per new dormitory room built. While we wish to be good citizens we argued that La Sierra University had already paid for traffic mitigation through the ten-year process of getting permits for Riverwalk plus all the building we do is designed to create an on-campus community that keeps students off the freeways. Such arguments made in many committees and hearings over the last year by me and Dr. Jim Erickson, who has been our advisor through this process, finally carried the day.”

The income from TUMF goes to build and reconstruct freeways and roads to relieve the traffic congestion that is now becoming so commonplace in Riverside County. Efforts were coordinated with Cal Baptist since the two Universities are the only WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges)-accredited, independent institutions of higher education in Riverside County.

In a letter from Riverside County Supervisor, Bob Buster, dated July 11, he says, "Thanks for your extra effort in explaining the need for this exemption to me and my colleagues. I'm sure that our communities will be rewarded many times over from your thriving institution."

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