Greetings and welcome to the City of Perris! 

Perris continues to be right in the center of it all and is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. We are located 71 miles east of Los Angeles, 81 miles north of San Diego, and Perris is a great place to live, work and play. 

We flourished in the year 2023 because of the overwhelming support of our community partners, our business community and the 83,000 incredible residents who call Perris home. 

Our sensational Community Services Department maintains 29 amazing parks and provides leadership, management, and coordination of different programs aimed at enhancing the "Quality of Life" for all our residents. The Community Service department achieves this by providing year-round centers for recreation, sports, leisure, cultural and educational activities, working tirelessly to bring recreational programming to our community. 

Our Public Services Department provides leadership, management, and coordination of programs that enhance the quality of life for residents throughout the City of Perris. Through initiatives focused on public health, public art, and capital improvement projects, the department works year-round to strengthen neighborhoods, beautify public spaces, and deliver services and investments that enrich our community for generations to come.

Our Public Works Department focuses on city beautification, infrastructure, facilities, emergency management, and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and the public health, high quality of life, and well-being of the people of Perris. 

Our economic and business development industries are thriving, with more than 9,000 new homes and units under construction and more than 1,200 new business licensed issued since January 2021. We welcome entrepreneurship, encourage industry and talent diversity, expand living wage jobs, and support our unique quality of place. 

Finally, we are proud to report a strong fiscal position and have paid off our Unfunded Liability with more than $64 million in our Reserve Funds. 

We hope you enjoy your time here in Perris and visit one of our amazing parks, shop at our local businesses, or eat at one of our fabulous restaurants, and we are confident you’ll see why Perris is right in the center of it all. 

Very truly yours,

Mayor Michael M. Vargas


Ceremonial Recognition Requests

The Office of the Mayor recognizes individuals, organizations, businesses, and community events that have made meaningful contributions to the City of Perris through ceremonial recognitions. Depending on the nature of the request, the City may issue either a Certificate of Recognition or a Proclamation.

All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are subject to approval at the Mayor's discretion.

To request Proclamations, Certificates of Recognition, or schedule a meeting or site visit, please send an email request to my Executive Assistant, Luz Tabares: ltabares@cityofperris.org.

Proclamations
Certificates of Recognition
Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger
MAYORS GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAM

Watch The 2026 Mayor's State Of The City Address

Mayor's Fast Facts

  • Elected: Elected Mayor 2016 to present
  • Term Expires: November 2028
  • Retired Los Angeles School Police Department Sergeant
  • Family: Wife/four daughters/eight grandchildren
  • Hobbies: Photography, computer graphics

Committee Appointments

  • CAL CITIES - Riverside County Division Director
  • March Joint Powers Authority Commission (MJPA)
  • Metrolink Contacts, Operations, Maintenance and Safety Committee
  • Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC)
  • Riverside County Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO)
  • Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Transportation Committee
  • Western Riverside Council of Government (WRCOG)

City Committee Appointments

  • Public Safety Committee
  • Economic Development Committee
  • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Committee
  • Human Resources Committee

Professional Organizations

  • National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
  • Perris Valley Chamber of Commerce
  • Perris Valley Progressives
  • Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
  • Sons of American Legion Post 595
  • Rotary Club of Perris
  • Perris Valley Filipino American Association
  • Exceed - Board of Directors
  • Perris Valley Family Resource Center - Advisory Board
  • SoCal Railway Museum - Board of Directors
  • Consortium for Early Learning Services - Board of Directors
  • Friends of the So Cal Fair - Board Member

Political Experience

  • Governing School Board Member, Val Verde Unified School District, 2010 - 2016
  • Public Safety Commissioner, City of Perris, 2007 - 2011