Wayne Avrashow Seeks Council Seat Rancho Mirage

Wayne Avrashow Looks to Unseat an Incumbent

RANCHO MIRAGE — Wayne Avrashow, a newcomer to this city, has announced that he will seek a seat in the November election for a seat on the Rancho Mirage City Council. His theme is “Preserve, Protect, and Improve Rancho Mirage.”

The seats up for grabs are currently held by Ted Weill  and Michael O’Keefe. They are both 4-year terms and are elected at large, according to City Clerk Kristie Ramos.

Avrashow, 73, identifies himself as an attorney and author. He has lived in Rancho Mirage for less than a year.

“We need new leadership to provide a city government as enlightened as our residents.” Avrashow told Uken Report.  “I have a passion for Rancho Mirage and for public service. Accordingly, I will donate my first year Rancho Mirage councilmember salary to Rancho Mirage charities.”

Avrashow pledged to be an advocate for residents and businesses to ensure a more responsive city government. He said he has decades of experience in government, law, and business.

“Unlike the recent council appointee who stated he needed to ’learn the basics,’ my experience will allow me to hit the ground running to preserve, protect, and improve the magical community of Rancho Mirage.”

“Improving Rancho Mirage starts with a transparent, responsive, and resident-friendly City Council,” Avrashow said. Some specifics include:

• To ensure maximum resident input, some Council meetings should be held at 5 p.m. and not all at 1 p.m. We have the technology for meetings so residents can air their concerns in person or virtually instead of requiring people to be physically present at City Hall.
• He will regularly meet with residents and businesses at City Hall and institute a monthly ‘Coffee with the Councilman’ at local locations.
• He will respond within 48 hours to any resident or local business needing City Hall assistance.

Following Mayor Richard Kite’s resignation, Avrashow urged the Council to appoint a temporary replacement until the next election. “Our city voters should decide who represent us, not a handful of councilmembers.” Avrashow added that three of the five council members achieved their initial positions via appointment. “This scheme of constant appointments fails to pass the smell test on transparent governance.”

“To protect our community requires a partnership and the full support of law enforcement and critical services. I will never defund or reduce our city’s budget expenditures for the County Sheriff, Paramedic, and Fire services. I will meet with our first responders to ensure best practices are implemented to protect our residents.”

Avrashow noted that preserving the city requires managing growth intelligently. “Smart growth requires balancing economic, environmental, and community interests” he said.

He pledged to be a champion of the business community. “One-half of city revenues are from the sales and transit occupancy taxes, and we need to proactively retain, assist, and attract businesses. I would designate one city staff person as an ombudsman for local businesses.”

Avrashow began his career as a top aide and Chief of Staff to two Los Angeles City Councilmembers and served on two government commissions. For ten years, he was an officer of two regional businesses. As an attorney, he worked closely with numerous Southern California cities and counties. He is also an Amazon bestselling novelist.

“We deserve a Rancho Mirage City Council that matches the sophistication of our city’s residents,” Avrashow said. “California has a massive budget deficit looming, and my experience will aid the city in navigating through the stormy waters of reductions in state spending that can impact our city.”

The city constantly deals with lawsuits, and the city budget has allocated more than one million dollars in legal fees. “There are no attorneys on the Council. As a 30-plus year attorney and court-appointed mediator, I have the experience and expertise to work with the city attorney to reduce legal expenses and protect precious city resources.”

Avrashow is a newer resident of Rancho Mirage. For the past 40 years, he has been a frequent Coachella Valley visitor. His in-laws had homes in the Valley, and his family and he visited year-round for decades. When he and his wife decided to move from Los Angeles, Rancho Mirage was their first and only choice.

“The test for voters should not be how long one has lived here, but rather who is best equipped to serve our community,” Avrashow said. “I have the experience, expertise, and skill to lead our great city on day one.”