I'm befuddled by the Palm Springs police union's endorsement of Ken Calvert
There is a huge, disturbing disconnect in the fact that the Palm Springs Police Officers Association has endorsed Ken Calvert for Congress in the new 41st Congressional District. In a city where the population of gay citizens is huge, that the city's police force is endorsing Calvert, who has a long history of not supporting gay rights, certainly smells of a possible homophobic climate in the force.
Candidate Will Rollins, who is openly gay and a former federal prosecutor, seems a perfect fit for Palm Springs. What is going on here?
Calvert has never supported any sensible federal gun restrictions, including banning assault weapons and his silence surrounding the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol, was despicable. What kind of public safety candidate is that?
Why the endorsement of Calvert and not Rollins? Is it safe to live, work in, or visit Palm Springs with a police department association that is not supportive of protecting its own LGBTQ+ community and visitors?
Listen up, Palm Springs voters and the Palm Springs City Council.
Rob Westwood, Rancho Mirage
My interpretation of No on A signs in La Quinta
Question: The No on A signs have multiple messages, what do they mean?
Save Local Businesses: means the STVR business next door to your residential community home, probably owned by someone who does not live in La Quinta.
Don't risk La Quinta's Quality of Life: If your home is surrounded by STVRs, there is no quality of life. Only for those outside investors collecting the money, who do not care about the loss of neighborhoods in our residential communities.
What about taxes? The City cannot raise taxes without a vote of the citizens of La Quinta.
What about public safety? The Measure G tax has collected $45.3 million since 2017. Police and multiple capital improvement expenditures are funded from Measure G, which had $15.1 million in reserves at the end of 2021. Public safety is funded.
What about schools? STVR properties by and large do not provide children for the school system, which currently receives $13,000 per student per year from the state. Desert Sands Unified School District, which covers La Quinta and other cities, has lost 2,000 students in the last four years, that equals $26 million in lost revenue.
Yes on Measure A.
James Lambert, La Quinta
How short-term rentals have helped us keep our family home
As a resident of La Quinta and former Miss La Quinta 1998, I love our city and only want the best for it. I am concerned with the idea of destroying the market that rents short term.
Our short-term rental property has been a blessing to many. Most of the time, our renters are traveling for work, renting based on location and professional assignments. Others are families who can’t afford the rates of a premium hotel and simply want to enjoy La Quinta together.
The small gem of the desert has many reasons people are looking to rent short-term and take part in our unique lifestyle. To eliminate that option is not only taking away money from the city but it puts situations like ours at risk of losing our childhood home. Our short-term rental is our childhood home that was built by our deceased mother and elderly father, which we inherited after her passing, and it has been a blessing to use this as a way to pay the mortgage and to keep it in our family for generations to come.
Please vote No on Measure A.
Vanessa West, La Quinta
I recommend Michael Duran for DSUSD board
It is with great pleasure and honor that I recommend Michael Duran as a Desert Sands Unified School Board trustee.
I have known Mr. Duran since 2012 when he accepted my request for work experience and supervision, a requirement for my MS degree in guidance and counseling at CSU San Bernardino. I am deeply indebted to Mr. Duran, as he had an enormous influence on my decision to continue my educational path toward my doctoral degree.
Mr. Duran has not only supported my own professional growth, he alsoo has helped numerous individuals achieve professional and educational success. He is an extremely likable and competent school counselor at James Workman Middle School in Cathedral City, and an exceptional leader in our desert community.
Not only is he extremely enthusiastic and dedicated to his work as a school counselor, he also volunteers as a coach for swimming and water polo, and has done so for over 30 years. It is for the above reasons I am endorsing Michael Duran as trustee for DSUSD.
Dorry Lillard, Palm Springs
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs police union endorsed Ken Calvert. Why?
