RANCHO MIRAGE, CA (May 3, 2016) - In April of each year, the new Mayor of Rancho Mirage is appointed based on the longest term of consecutive service on the City Council without having served as Mayor. On April 21, 2016, I was honored to become Mayor of this great city.
I am proud to begin my term as Mayor on the heels of the re-election of both myself and Council Member Richard Kite, and the success of Measures 1 through 4 regarding the impact of the proposed CV Link on Rancho Mirage. This election was important in the effort to protect the values and ambiance of our city. Rancho Mirage has earned the reputation of being an extremely well managed city; and the continuity of an experienced and dedicated council is paramount to maintaining that stature.
I look forward to serving the residents of Rancho Mirage in my role as Mayor. My sole objective is to make decisions that benefit our residents and business interests. Rancho Mirage is financially strong. The City has no outstanding debt and our general fund holds a reserve equal to two years' operating budget, sufficient resources for capital improvements, and provisions for addressing community needs in the event of an emergency. It is imperative that the financial condition of our city is protected.
Because 50% of the City's revenues are derived from sales tax and TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax), a large part of my focus will be on continued economic development. The City Council has thoughtfully positioned Rancho Mirage to be the bull's eye of future growth in the desert. Centrally located in the Coachella Valley, much of the undeveloped land in the northern part of our city is zoned to take advantage of the significant Interstate 10 traffic and growing valley population. Additionally, there remains tremendous opportunity for commercial development in several locations along Highway 111. Rest assured, the process for approving any development will ensure projects of high quality that represent the Rancho Mirage brand.
I look forward to updating you throughout the coming year on the many exciting things happening in Rancho Mirage, such as:
- Opening of the new dog park
- Construction of the observatory and planetarium at the Rancho Mirage Library
- Completion of the redevelopment of Rancho Las Palmas Shopping Center
- Continuation of planned renovations for The River
- Progress of planned future economic growth in Section 19 and north of Ramon Road
- Start of construction of a bridge over the Whitewater Channel on Frank Sinatra (just west of Da Vall)
- And much more
Thank you for your time. Please share your ideas, suggestions, or comments by emailing me at
[email protected].
