Mayor Abstains from Voting on Annual Budget

Palm Desert Mayor Abstains from Voting on 2024-25 Budget and Capital Improvement Plan

PALM DESERT — A proposed $83 million budget, which has been in the works since January, according to Finance Director Veronica Chavez, was approved June 28 on aa 4-0-1 vote. Mayor Karina Quintanilla abstained.

At the 11th hour, as City Council members were prepared to adopt a proposed $83 million budget, Quintanilla attempted to toss a monkey wrench — even two — into the process.

She wanted to delay some city parks supposedly at the request of residents, Quintanilla, who is already in the spotlight for excessive spending, also wanted requested a “small increase” for the mayor’s budget every year. That, she said, would allow the mayor additional opportunities to travel to other areas as necessary. She claimed such an increase would not impact her because it is in the 2024-25 budget.

Her claim rings hollow. The city’s fiscal year begins July 1, so she surely would — and could — benefit from an increase. She is mayor until December.

As for delaying parks, Quintanilla said, “I have heard from some of our residents that are expressing they feel that we have bitten off more than we can chew. They see great value in our parks but are wondering if we can potentially delay them. … When we look at all of these expenditures and all of these plans that are ahead while we’re looking at budget, I think this is the time to bring up those concerns.’

Councilmember Kathleen Kelly said the city is facing some capital expenses now because decisions were postponed in the past. And the consequence of that is that things become more expensive, Kelly said.  “As we learn with our houses, deferred maintenance usually becomes more complicated maintenance and more expensive maintenance. I think it’s appropriate for us to act tonight on the plans that we developed in our study sessions and to assure residents of the truth.”

Deferring will kick the can down the road and produce greater expenses later without a good plan to address them, Kelly said, “We had the opportunity to raise those issues at the study session and tweaking tonight would make it difficult to assure that the bottom line is what it needs to be.”

Mayor Pro Tem Jan Harnik politely pointed out that the City Council and staff have been working on this since May and had meetings and “ample time” study the before, during and after those meetings.

“Let’s keep a job really beautifully done where it is today,” Harnik said. “Deferred maintenance only costs more. And we keep talking about the skyrocketing costs. They’re not going to stop going up. Costs, as we all know in our experience in life, continue to go up. So these are things we have to look at. We are building more than 1,000 new homes in the north side. Those new community members deserve a park and it’s not going to be cheaper by waiting five years or eight years.”

Councilmember Evan Trubee said he echoed Harnik’s sentiments.

“We were talking about deferred maintenance,” Trubee said. “I think what we’re talking about here with parks is building costs. Building costs are escalating and skyrocketing, not in pace with inflation. Every time I drive through the North end town, man, there are new rooftops. Those north end residents are going to need and expect the same kind of parks the rest of the city has. So, I don’t advocate for deferring. I’d like to pass the budget as presented.”

So, in the end, Quintanilla was the lone abstention.

Quintanilla, Kelly and Nestande are seeking re-election in November.