Why I Support Measure R [Opinion]

Why I’m Running for Re-election—and Why I Support Measure R [Opinion]

Although I am running unopposed, Rancho Mirage voters deserve a clear account of why I am seeking re-election and where I stand on this year’s key ballot issue. — Measure R. I am running to continue the work that defines service on the Rancho Mirage City Council: intelligent city management, unrelenting fiscal responsibility, an absolute commitment to public safety, best-in-class city planning and public works, and city services delivered consistently, efficiently, and with a smile.

The City Council also has a substantial planning agenda: managing the Wireless Master Plan to significantly improve cell service; finalizing a business-friendly Economic Development Master Plan; implementing the Amphitheatre Master Plan to expand cultural offerings while reducing costs; and developing a Highway 111 Master Plan. Advancing these priorities responsibly is another reason I am seeking re-election.

Those master plans are important, but the most consequential issue this year is Measure R, which would raise the Rancho Mirage sales tax rate if approved by voters. The fiscal problem is straightforward: over the past five years, public-safety costs (law enforcement and fire safety) have risen by approximately 8% to 9% annually, while city revenues have grown by about 2.5% annually. Because public safety accounts for roughly 50% of city expenses, that gap is not sustainable. If it continues, the city will eventually face pressure to reduce public-safety services. Yet during the same five-year period, Rancho Mirage’s crime rate has declined at double-digit rates, outpacing the national rate of crime reduction. I believe residents want the City Council to preserve that progress and keep them as safe tomorrow as they were yesterday. Correcting the imbalance between costs and revenue is essential to maintaining the current level of public-safety services.

The fiscal pressure extends beyond public safety. Since COVID, insurance and street-maintenance costs have also outpaced inflation. Significant stretches of Bob Hope Drive, Country Club Drive, and Ramon Road now require replacement down to the roadbed rather than merely crack sealing. At more than $1.5 million per mile, the necessary work represents approximately $17.5 million in street-maintenance costs. The policy choice is whether to preserve Rancho Mirage’s best-in-class road surfaces now or allow them to deteriorate and face the consequences later. As with public safety, I believe voters prefer the safe, well-maintained roads that our city is noted for.

Some critics argue that the City Council has allowed the situation to deteriorate to the point that city reserves are in danger. That is not accurate. Rancho Mirage still has significant reserves for a city of our size, even though reserves have declined from approximately $74 million to approximately $56 million over the past six years. The immediate concern is not the current balance but the direction of the trend: reserves are declining by about $3 million per year. At that pace, the balance may appear sufficient for well over a decade, but fiscal responsibility means correcting the structural imbalance now rather than waiting for a more serious problem.

Even if the sales tax rate increases to 8.75%, Rancho Mirage will remain competitive with other desert cities. Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells currently have a 7.75% rate, while all other desert cities have rates of between 8.75% and 9.25%. An increase to 8.75% would keep Rancho Mirage within the regional range rather than above it.

Measure R asks Rancho Mirage voters to decide how the city should fund public safety, road maintenance, and other essential services while maintaining long-term fiscal responsibility. The financial trends described here—the widening gap between public safety costs and revenue growth, rising infrastructure expenses, and declining reserves—show why the city should act now rather than later.  For those reasons, I will vote “yes” on
Measure R, and I ask voters to weigh the same priorities as they make their decision.