Banning Council Denies $38,000 Fee Waiver for Stagecoach Days Amid Budget Crisis

Banning's City Council refused to waive up to $38,000 in additional city fees tied to this year's Stagecoach Days festival, a decision that came as organizers acknowledged they had even weighed dropping the event's signature parade to cut costs. The vote leaves the volunteer-run Stagecoach Days Association on the hook for extra staffing and service charges as it prepares to stage the 2026 rodeo and festival next month at A.C. Dysart Park.

According to the Record Gazette, the city had estimated total service costs for Stagecoach Days at $45,248, later revised down to $30,920. The council's existing memorandum of understanding with the association allows for up to $7,500 in city in-kind services at no charge, meaning the city was still poised to provide more than $23,000 in services beyond what the MOU already covers. The fee waiver request specifically sought relief on the additional $38,000 in charges generated under the city's newly updated Master Fee Schedule, which took effect January 15, 2026.

The council vote split along familiar lines. Mayor Richard Royce supported waiving the additional fees, while council members Colleen Wallace and Leroy Miller voted against it, and councilmember Sheri Flynn was absent from the vote. Cindy Barrington voted in favor of the waiver, arguing that the parade is fundamentally different from other city events and noting, per the same report, that the MOU requires the association to put on the parade while the city simultaneously charges it event fees. The measure ultimately failed to gain the votes needed to pass.

Organizers Weighed Scrapping the Parade

Ralph Wright, representing the Stagecoach Days Association, said the group considered not moving forward with the parade at all in order to reduce additional costs, the outlet reported. The parade portion alone was estimated to cost $17,816, while Friday and Saturday events at Dysart Park were estimated at $27,432. Stagecoach Days is held each September and includes a parade through downtown Banning, a rodeo, and other festivities that have been part of Banning's history for decades.

City support for the event already includes a $12,500 sponsorship, $40,000 in direct payments to the association, up to $23,500 in bleacher assistance, and $4,000 toward event insurance. Without the additional waiver, the association will be responsible for paying the extra fees itself. Leroy Miller said Banning cannot afford the additional cost right now and opposed a full fee waiver because of the city's financial crisis, suggesting instead that the city and the association pursue sponsorships and partnerships to cover the gap.

The dispute mirrors a broader cost-recovery trend: a City of Roseville City Manager's Budget Message proposed charging vendors more for maintenance and traffic control for special events. Similarly, a City of Monterey Park user fee study dated 18 Jun 2024 recommended increasing cost recovery to 100% for police services.

Police Recommend Route Change and Non-Sworn Staffing

The Banning Police Department recommended moving the parade route from Ramsey Street to San Gorgonio Avenue and using non-sworn personnel to help staff the event, both aimed at trimming the cost of closing the city's main commercial corridor. The traditional route runs along Ramsey Street from San Gorgonio Avenue through downtown Banning, requiring extensive traffic control and police presence, according to the Stagecoach Days Association.

Royce asked whether Banning had semi-hardened barricades for event road closures. Public Works Director Art Vela said the city does not, and currently relies on frame signs instead. Royce suggested that purchasing barricades could ultimately cost less than repeatedly paying officers to staff road closures, and said the equipment could reduce staffing needs and improve safety across multiple city events, not just Stagecoach Days.

A City Under Fiscal Emergency

The fee debate unfolds against the backdrop of a severe municipal budget crisis. Banning officially declared a fiscal emergency in June 2026 following a Riverside County Civil Grand Jury report that cited years of structural deficits and administrative mismanagement, according to Patch. The city has described its General Fund as seriously impaired and has proposed cutting municipal staffing from 151.25 positions down to 78, a reduction of nearly 49 percent. According to a City of Banning response dated 14 Aug 2026, the city was experiencing a significant financial and administrative crisis that appeared to result from substantial mismanagement.

The council adopted its updated Master Fee Schedule in November 2025, with new fees accounting for the broader costs of police, public works, engineering, fire, transit, and recreation services citywide. Councilmember Sheri Flynn and Mayor Royce both sit on Banning's Budget and Finance Committee. The city appointed Elizabeth Gibbs as city manager, with a mandate to rebuild public trust and stabilize municipal accounts after the period of administrative churn, per Patch's reporting. City records show that Banning's audited financial statements dated 30 Jun 2024 covered governmental activities, business-type activities, each major fund and the aggregate.

A Tradition Tested Before

Stagecoach Days has taken place since 1957 and celebrates Banning's stagecoach history. The event has been run since 2008 by the independent nonprofit Stagecoach Days Association, formed after the Banning Chamber of Commerce could no longer serve as its lead organizer.

The event has faced crises before. This July, the association said the 2026 parade and rodeo would proceed without interruption.

Additional fees not covered by the failed waiver will now be paid by the Stagecoach Days Association if organizers move forward as planned. Public commenters at the meeting supported treating Stagecoach Days as a planned annual expense in future city budgets, according to the Record Gazette. The 2026 event is scheduled for September 11-12 at Dysart Park, with musical headliners Greylan James and Redferrin set to perform, per the Stagecoach Days Association.