With the announcement of base realignment at March, the adjacent jurisdictions immediately formed a joint powers authority. March Joint Powers Authority (JPA) is a public entity created for the purpose of addressing the use, reuse, and joint use of realigned March AFB. The four individual public entities that cooperatively formed the JPA are the cities of Perris, Moreno Valley, and Riverside, and the County of Riverside. The JPA was created by separate resolutions of the four jurisdictions in September, 1993.

The JPA is governed by the provisions of the Joint Powers Agreement that created the Authority. The JPA Agreement created the March Joint Powers Commission (JPC). This Commission is the decision- and policy-making body for the Authority. It consists of eight elected officials (two from each of the four jurisdictions). In addition to completing the organizational requirements of initiating a new governmental jurisdiction, the JPA quickly assumed the leadership position in looking toward the future of March, as was designated by the federal government as the Local Redevelopment Agency (LRA).