CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Governor Declares Quake Emergency

Gov. George Deukmejian proclaimed a state of emergency for San Bernardino County as a result of the Feb. 28 magnitude-5.5 earthquake centered near Upland. The gubernatorial proclamation is the necessary legal prerequisite for a variety of disaster assistance programs. The proclamation will allow affected local governments to seek reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to the earthquake and aftershocks, make state housing loan programs available to the owners of damaged private residences and activate the property tax relief provisions of the state disaster assistance laws. A similar proclamation was made for Los Angeles County last week.