Riverside County

By Dianne Anderson

In the fast countdown to the June 5 primary, local candidate Altie Holcomb faces off in back-to-back forums about the future of Riverside’s 5th District, and the basis of his platform to make government more inclusive, and accessible to everyday people.

That, as opposed to big money or special interests.

“I am running basically against big money, but I think my message of safe neighborhoods, permanent good paying jobs and the county’s budget will resonate with the voters,” said Holcomb, a Menifee resident.

There are six cities in his 5th District, which includes the Pass Area of Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, Cabazon and Whitewater, with resident concerns throughout the district greatly differing from region to region.

For the Pass Area, most of the concerns are around traffic congestion on the I-10 Bypass from Banning to Cabazon. He said residents are worried about potential problems that could come from overdevelopment of the area.

For Perris and Moreno Valley, which is more economically depressed, he said the community is naturally more concerned about employment, but also about the kind of jobs that he would bring to the county as Board Supervisor.

“There’s always a faction, even within Moreno Valley, who doesn’t want more development. That crowd is not as loud as those that really want more development, I should say, want more jobs. Of course, with jobs comes more development,” he said.

At the same time, any forward movement throughout the county must be rooted in a strong budget, he said, meaning the need to stop wasting dollars. He is concerned that the county has doled out an enormous amount of money for a consulting firm to meet with department heads to recommend how they can save money and cut costs.

“I think the Board of Supervisors needs to make better financial decisions. One example is the consulting firm KPMG. The county of Riverside has so far paid that consulting firm more than $40 million,” he said.

Some people are in favor of the consulting firm with the mindset that the county is saving money, he said.

“But we won’t know until the next fiscal year whether or not they’re saving money. It’s still $40 million, that’s a lot of money,” he said.

To save money, he feels the county’s best move is to delay filling any jobs that are noncritical, nonessential positions that are currently vacant. He said the vacancies could be filled when the county gains financial footing.

Holcomb holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from San Diego State University and a Master of Arts degree in Christian Ministry. He is married to Tracey, and they have three children and two grandchildren.

He also brings a rich background of veteran service to the community, having served two decades in the U.S. Marines, including Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Iraq for five years ending 2008. He is a board member of the Military Officers Association of America, Riverside-March Field Chapter.

He is also Vice Chair of the Mt. San Jacinto College Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee and has also served as a Marine Corps Junior ROTC Instructor at Murrieta Valley High School.

For all the excitement that encompasses running this campaign, he said probably the best aspect has been connecting with the people, listening to their ideas, and watching them engage in their communities.

“I’ve had the privilege of meeting people at the community level and talking about how they want to see their county improve. They want to see their respective neighborhoods get better through government action,” he said.