Quintanilla Travel Expenses Exceed Colleagues’

Karina Quintanilla Spent 100% More on Travel Expenses than One Colleague and 52% More than Another

PALM DESERT — Karina Quintanilla has spent more taxpayer money in the past four years on travel expenses attending conferences in places, like New York and Las Vegas, than any of her colleagues, public records show.

Uken Report looked at travel expenses for all City Councilmembers from December 2020 to the present with the exception of Evan Trubee who was elected to the City Council in 2022.

Since taking office in December 2020, Quintanilla has spent more than $16,000 attending such conferences as League of California Cities, Water Infrastructure Networking Summit, International Council of Shopping Centers, Southern California Association of Governments and The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, according to public documents.

That’s 52% more than Councilmember Jan Harnik spent during the same time period. Harnik spent $10,744.30 attending some of the same conferences.

Councilmember Gina Nestande spent $50 in four years on travel expenses, Councilmember Kathleen Kelly spent nothing.

The spending is likely why a subcommittee in March 2023 recommended that when a councilmember wants to attend a new out-of-state conference, the member should submit an Out of State Travel Request Form for consideration by the full City Council.

“The purpose of the form is to enhance public transparency and to provide the City Council with supporting information on the proposed conferences/events and the benefits to the city,” Mejia told Uken Report.

Quintanilla’s spending has come to the attention of at least one resident and former supporter —Ron DeLuna, 73, who took her to task during the most recent City Council meeting. He explained how he voted for her in 2020 and even hosted her and a group of neighbors affording her the opportunity to share her thoughts and visions for District 1. He flirted with the idea of running for City Council this year but decided against it.

DeLuna said he did not agree with what Quintanilla deemed in need of correction within District 1 but was hopeful she would change the manner in which City business was conducted. In my opinion, she didn’t, he said.

He said he supported dividing the city into Districts but was not a supporter of how District 1 was created.

“Part of my reasoning (is based on) the words of Dr. Martin Luther King referencing the content and character of a person and not the color of their skin,” DeLuna said, looking at Quintanilla. “The fact you and I share cultural and ethnic properties are a coincidence. The only difference being I have lived with those qualities much longer than you have.”

He then continued. “I am under the impression you have attended more conferences during your time in office to include airfare and lodging than any fellow Councilmember currently in office. I would (be) interested to know what you gleamed from these trips at the city of Palm Deserts expense or how it benefited your constituents and/or The City of Palm Desert.

“I am unaware of anything you have brought to Council which has been voted on, approved, and implemented to the benefit of your constituents and or the city of Palm Desert in general,” DeLuna said. “I appreciate it takes a majority of votes to be successful getting a motion approved but it appears your success rate is zero, which is unsettling appreciating the City of Palm Desert has spent tens of thousands of dollars paying for your seat on Council over the past three-and-a-half years to include medical insurance.

Council members currently make $2,830 per month, City Clerk Anthony Mejia said. In addition to the monthly salary, the maximum benefits per month is $3,449.76 per member, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, cafeteria cash, CALPers and more. Not every councilmember elects to receive full benefits so a particular councilmember may receive less than the maximum contribution.

In my mind a good leader has the ability to overcome the odds and prevail, DeLuna said.

“To date I have not witnessed your ability to do so much to the determent of our District,” he said. “… In closing, I perceive there is an us against them mentality in your approach to governance. There has been nothing to indicate otherwise.”

The mayor cut him off at 3 minutes, which is the time allotted for speakers to address the City Council, but not before getting defensive.

Quintanilla maintained that she does give a report about what she’s gleaned at the conferences and is happy to follow up with anyone who wants to know.