Foat Reveals Whom She Is Endorsing [Opinion]

Editor’s Note: Ginny Foat, Palm Springs City Council member 2003 – 2017, has announced whom she is endorsing in the upcoming City Council race.

We are almost through this great experience of district elections.  No matter if you agreed with this change of how we elect our representatives or not it is clear that it has brought more focus to the issues of the individual neighborhoods and the diversity of Palm Springs.  That to me is a very positive outcome.

Having spent 14 years on the City Council I have a unique view of the skills, expertise, experience and temperament it takes to serve the residents of this great city.  I have had the opportunity to listen and observe all the candidates that have declared and want to share my thoughts and views with you in hopes that you will consider this as you decide on which candidate you will support.  I have based my endorsements on experience, previous volunteer involvement and work on behalf of the city and what skills will be an important asset to the Council in their deliberations.

In District 1 I am endorsing Les Young.  Experience, service to the City and expertise define this endorsement.  Les has spent the past 8 years working on behalf of our City on various commissions and neighborhood organizations.  Because of his impressive volunteer involvement, he will hit the ground running as he knows the issues Citywide.  That is important as even though we are electing in districts, Council members will be voting on citywide issues.  Additionally, Les has had a long and successful career in the banking industry.  Understanding our city budget and being a good financial steward is so much more financially complex than it is in any other city in the Valley. Complexity brought on by the fact that we operate and fund an airport, a wastewater treatment plant, an animal shelter, a tourism bureau, a convention center, our own police and fire departments and the largest municipal staff in the Coachella Valley.  We already have two attorneys on the City Council so his banking and financial credentials will add important expertise to the Council deliberations.  Both of his opponents lack the experience and volunteer involvement in the City.  I urge you to visit the Les Young website and review his platform and cast your vote for Les.

In District 2 I am endorsing Dennis Woods.  Dennis also has given much of his time to his neighborhood organization and to his position as Chair of the Palm Springs Planning Commission.  He has had a very successful career as a City Planner which is an important skill that he will bring to the Council.  As Palm Springs continues to grow it is essential that we have someone on the Council that can use his expertise to promote good and smart planning to assure that our City does not overbuild or fall to urban sprawl.  City planning is so much more than just building issues.  Dennis has the expertise to evaluate our parking issues, traffic flows and placement of developments and how they will impact surrounding neighborhoods.  Dennis has also been a long-term member of his neighborhood organization and served as a representative to ONE PS which is the organization that represents all the neighborhoods in the City.  As such he is very familiar with the issues facing our neighborhoods and will bring that perspective to the City Council.  Both of his opponents lack the experience and volunteer involvement in the City that Dennis will bring to this Council position.  I urge you to visit the Dennis Woods website and review his credentials and platform and cast your vote for Dennis.

In District 3 I am endorsing Geoff Kors.  There is absolutely no comparison in the experience, track record and skills that Geoff brings to the City Council.  Since Geoff was first elected to the Council in 2015, he has distinguished himself in solving many of the complex issues the City has faced.  Geoff spearheaded the overhaul of the Vacation Rental Ordinance and expanded the services and strategy for addressing the homeless problem including securing a large financial commitment from the State to help address the issue.  Geoff has brought an incredible level of transparency to the Council with his insistence on holding public townhalls on numerous issues.  He seeks advice and input from a cross section of the citizenry of our City.  As one of the two attorneys that sit on the council and his lifelong commitment to securing civil rights, Geoff brings with him a wealth of legislative and political experience and influence which he has used to promote funding and legislative advances in our Valley and in Sacramento.  In addition to his tireless work on the City Council, Geoff also volunteers on numerous non-profit boards and lends his expertise as liaison to many community organizations.  Both of Geoff’s opponents lack any experience or involvement in community issues and have a limited understanding of the complexities of city government.  I urge you to visit Geoff Kors website, review his accomplishments and then cast your vote for Geoff.

This election is important as we continue the forward momentum we have created through our City Council and our voices.  Please make sure that our successes are supported by electing Council members that will take our city to the next level of achievement.