The Palm Desert City Council last month authorized the city manager to begin implementing the 5-year spending plan adopted as part of Measure G, the 1% sales tax increase that voters overwhelmingly approved.
Priorities included new staffing for police, fire and public works, construction of a fire station and the renovation of two others, improvements to the storm channel and retention basin, replacement of facilities and equipment citywide, library construction and rebuilding contingencies in the city’s reserves.
“The reason why we’re bringing this to you now, we have the intention of spending the funds that we requested contingent upon Measure G approval — the fire services staffing, the new police services staffing and public works staffing,” said Finance Director Veronica Chavez at the Nov. 14 meeting. “This will give us the opportunity to do the recruitment now.”
New positions include two motorcycle officers, primarily for traffic enforcement, and one patrol deputy this fiscal year with another two patrol deputies and a special enforcement team officer in the 2025-26 fiscal year. It also includes the recruitment of 12 new firefighters, to staff the new fire station, and three public works employees, to keep up with growth of the city’s northern end.
“I hope it will be welcome news to residents that [traffic enforcement] is a top priority and that their support for Measure G is enabling this council to proceed with our desire to be responsive,” Councilmember Kathleen Kelly said.
Stay up to date with the latest from The Record. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter today!
The council also thanked the community for approving the sales tax increase, with a special shout out to those who actively worked to educate their communities about the reasoning behind the measure.
“Thank you [to] the citizens who stepped up, went above and beyond, and helped everyone understand the importance of this measure and got it across the finish line,” Mayor Pro Tem Jan Harnik said.
Mayor Karina Quintanilla requested that there be more oversight of Measure G funds, potentially an oversight committee or, in the absence of that, for the Finance Committee meetings to be moved to the evenings so more people could attend.
“I continue to bring forward one of the concerns from the community that feel that the Finance Committee is not a sufficient oversight committee that there needs to be more direct resident engagement,” she said.
There was no further discussion on Quintanilla’s request.
The Riverside Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet providing Riverside County with high-quality journalism free of charge. We’re able to do this because of the generous donations of supporters like you!