By Beau Yarbrough The Press-Enterprise

The man who first proposed San Bernardino County secede from California says voters are ready to do so — and he says he has the survey data to prove it.

“I think it’s going to be a super-majority,” real estate developer Jeff Burum said of the expected Nov. 8 vote on a ballot measure that would authorize the Board of Supervisors to investigate steps up to and including secession from the state as a means to improve the county’s revenue stream.

If the election were held today, Burum said, his survey shows that 53% of respondents would vote for secession. Experts, however, caution against reading too much into early polling.

“I don’t care if people think we can secede or not. That was never the point of this,” said Burum, who brought the secession idea to the Board of Supervisors in late July. “It’s time for us to stand up and get our fair share.”

Earlier this week, the board unanimously approved referring the matter to voters. On Nov. 8, voters will be asked if they want to direct the board to “study and advocate for all options to obtain the county’s fair share of State funding up to and including secession from the State of California.”

Some supervisors have said repeatedly they are not in favor of actual secession, but the discussion attracted support from the mayors of Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto and Upland. The county sheriff and district attorney also weighed in, saying Tuesday, Aug. 9, they believe the county has been deprived of needed state resources.

READ MORE