About Us

Council Update

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Background and Rationale for a Directly Elected

Palm Springs Mayor

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Palm Springs is a world-class city facing complex 21st-century challenges, including housing affordability, tourism management, and climate resilience. To meet these demands, we must move beyond a one-year "rotational" figurehead system and adopt a governance model built for strategic leadership and citywide accountability.

The current "musical chairs" approach treats our city's highest office as a participation trophy for politicians rather than a mandate from the people. Our residents are ready for change; the community sentiment in our neighborhoods is miles ahead of the technical debates at City Hall.

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A Mayor for All of Palm Springs

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The time has come to institute a directly elected, four-year Mayor. This measure empowers you to choose a citywide leader while maintaining our essential five-district localized representation. Under this system, you gain two voices: your specific district Council representative and a citywide Mayor.

True equity is found at the ballot box. Currently, 80% of our residents have no say in who serves as their Mayor in any given year. This proposal adds a sixth voting member to the Council, accountable to everyone. It ensures that major decisions require a clear majority of four votes, providing a more stable and deliberate legislative process.

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Crucially, the "Council-Manager" form of government remains: the City Manager continues to run daily operations, and there is no change to the Mayor's or Council's salaries. This is about enhancing leadership, not growing bureaucracy.​

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Overcoming the Politics of Delay

This initiative was stalled last year by the very politics it seeks to remedy. Alongside Councilmember Ready, I requested this discussion months ago, only to see it die without a third vote. While some now call for "further study" or "robust discussion," we must remember that in 2018, the right to elect a mayor was removed by a 3-2 vote without a direct ballot measure.

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"Robust discussion" should not be bureaucratic code for slow-walking progress. There is no more equitable public meeting than an election. The voters of Palm Springs are more than capable of deciding who is best suited to lead.

"Allowing the voters to decide is the most transparent and deliberate process available in a democracy."

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Why This Matters Now

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Strategic, Sustained Leadership

The current one-year rotation is not modern municipal management. Major infrastructure projects and multi-year economic initiatives do not happen in twelve months; they require years of consistent oversight. A four-year term ends the "musical chairs" approach, ensuring that the person leading the charge on long-term goals is here to see them through to completion. It provides the steady hand necessary to maintain momentum on critical projects without the annual learning curve and disruption of a leadership handoff.

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Accountability to Every Resident

Currently, Council members are beholden to a fraction of the city. A directly elected Mayor is the only person on the dais accountable to every resident, ensuring citywide needs always take priority. The community is ready for this change, and the most "progressive" action a Council can take is to facilitate that vote.

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Stronger Regional Influence

In Sacramento and across the region, influence is built on tenure. Sending a new representative every year costs us institutional knowledge and state funding. We deserve a permanent seat at the table, occupied by a leader who understands the long-term nuances of regional policy, not a rotating representative who is constantly playing catch-up. This initiative aligns Palm Springs with successful governance models across California, preserving the essential collaborative, district-based structure of our neighborhoods while adding the strategic direction of a citywide leader.

We can no longer afford to "take turns" with the future of Palm Springs. By electing a Mayor for a four-year term, we choose strategic stability, local accountability, and a stronger voice for every resident.

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Let’s give voters the right to vote for mayor! 

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Community Update: March 12 – March 25

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The past two weeks have been packed with neighborhood priorities, infrastructure milestones, and planning for the future of our world-class tourism economy. Here is a look at what we’ve been working on across District 3 and City Hall. 

Infrastructure & Neighborhood Advocacy 

• Ramon Road Beautification: Met with the Baristo Park and Warm Sands neighborhood organizations, alongside Councilmember Ready, to tackle traffic, parking, and "curb appeal" for the stretch of Ramon Road between Sunrise and Indian Canyon. 

• Fire Station #1 Progress: At the Sunrise Park annual meeting, I provided an update on our efforts to build a modern facility to replace the current Fire Station #1 and remodel Stations #3 and #5, all of which are critical to public safety. 

• Latitude 61 Ribbon Cutting: District 3 continues to grow with the official opening of Latitude 61. Congratulations to builder Mario Gonzales on delivering these 61 new homes. 

• Modernization Briefing: Councilmember Bernstein and I met with the executive project team for the Convention Center Modernization. The project is on schedule, with a Stakeholder Workshop set for April 29. 

Civic Partnerships & Tourism 

• Economic Engines: Attended board meetings for PS Resorts and the Hospitality Board to coordinate on city actions that keep our tourism economy thriving. 

• Chamber of Commerce: Joined the Chamber board at Boozehounds. The City is a proud partner, investing $20,000 in the Rock the Park Concert Series and $25,000 to support local AI Tech networking. 

• The Downtown Experience: Caught up with former Councilmember J.R. Roberts to discuss the "arrival experience" for visitors and his vital leadership with the Plaza Theatre Foundation. 

Community & Culture 

• "Do the Right Thing": It was an honor to help recognize nine local students for their leadership and positive behavior. Strengthening the bond between our youth and local law enforcement remains a top priority. The city is a $25,000 sponsor of this program.

• ONE-PS Picnic: A record number of organizations participated in this year's Community Expo. It was a perfect (and warm!) day to see our neighborhood spirit in action. 

• Arts & Identity: Met with photographer Thomas Knights to discuss a potential Palm Springs installation of "Red Hot." We explored how this global movement could celebrate our city's LGBTQ+ culture through the lens of our iconic modernist homes.​

Navigating City Code 

• Permit Clarity: Met with constituent David Dimit regarding a home remodel and the 45-year-old municipal code requirement for undergrounding utilities. We discussed how the City uses covenants to protect our long-term infrastructure goals without placing an immediate, cost-prohibitive burden on homeowners today.