Media personality Scott Nevins files to run for Palm Springs City Council in District 1
Two more Palm Springs residents have filed paperwork indicating their intention to run for city council, although one will have to wait until November to see if the seat he is seeking will even go up for reelection anytime soon.
One of those to file was Scott Nevins, a media personality who has been featured in two cable network reality TV shows. Nevins intends to run in District 1, where he will challenge incumbent Grace Garner. Daniel Algalzi, the owner of the DA Computers and Rated Comics stores off of South Crossley Road, has also filed to challenge Garner for the seat. Nevins filed his paperwork June 6.
Nevins is on the board of DAP Health, and previously served as the host of "The Ann Walker Show with Scott Nevins," a weekly LGBTQ-themed talk show that ended its run in 2016. He also appeared on "The People's Couch," a Bravo show in which people watch TV shows and discuss them, and "TruTV Presents: World's Dumbest," a show featuring comedians who comment on half-witted behavior caught on camera.
A bio on the DAP website states that Nevins is a New York native who performs LGBTQ awareness activism and hosts his own yearly, musical fundraiser, “SPARKLE: An All-Star Holiday Concert" in New York.
Nevins did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Desert Sun.
Joe Jackson files for District 4 seat held by Holstege
Joining Nevins in filing to run for city council is Joe Jackson, a former chair of the Palm Springs Sustainability Commission and President of the Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus. Jackson filed his paperwork in May.
Jackson, who resides in the Los Compadres neighborhood near Demuth Park, filed his intent to run for the District 4 seat, which is not scheduled to be up for election until 2024.
That seat is currently held by Christy Holstege. However, Holstege is running to represent District 47, which includes Palm Springs, in the California State Assembly. Holstege was the top vote-getter in the June 7 primary for that seat with about 46.5% of the vote. She will face Republican Greg Wallis, the district director for Assemblymember Chad Mayes, who received 34.5% of the vote in the primary, in November.*
If Holstege wins and then resigns the seat, the city council will have 45 days to determine whether it wants to appoint someone to finish Holstege's term or hold a special election to fill the vacancy.
Jackson told The Desert Sun on Wednesday he is quietly organizing and doing some fundraising and networking in District 4 to "hopefully be a strong candidate to replace her following [Holstege's] election to the assembly." He also said he is organizing to be prepared for either option the council would choose to fill Holstege's seat.
Jackson has launched a campaign website, votejoe4ps.com, where he has posted a list of endorsers and is taking donations. Those listed endorsers include Greg Rodriguez, an advisor to Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. Rodriguez has been involved in many efforts around homelessness in Palm Springs. Also endorsing Jackson was former Palm Springs Sustainability Commission Chair Brett Klein.
Jackson's website states that he has owned property in Palm Springs for 20 years and lived in the city for 10.
"My whole career has been about listening and bringing people together to seek solutions," his website states.
Signature gathering period starts in July
The two filings mean there are now nine candidates possibly seeking city council seats this year. Also running are Destination PSP owner Jeffrey Bernstein and Renee Brown, an associate curator for the Palm Springs Historical Society, in District 2. Two residents also have announced their intention to run for the District 3 seat: Palm Springs Human Rights Commission Chair Ron deHarte and Julia Kabik, who is employed at DA Computers.
Current District 3 Councilmember Geoff Kors has announced he will not seek reelection, while District 2 Councilmember Dennis Woods has not made a final announcement about whether he is running or filed any paperwork to do so. The District 5 seat belonging to Mayor Lisa Middleton is not up for election until 2024.
While the candidates have indicated their intention to run, those running for seats up for election this year will need to obtain at least 80 signatures from the voters in their district to make the ballot. The period in which those signatures must be gathered starts on July 18 and ends on Aug. 12.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Christy Holstege's opponent in the general election for California State Assembly District 47, and her percentage of the vote in the primary. Her opponent in the November general election will be Greg Wallis. In the primary, Holstege garnered about 46.5% of the vote, while Wallis had about 34.5% and two other candidates together received about 19%.
Paul Albani-Burgio covers breaking news and the City of Palm Springs. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and via email at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Media personality Scott Nevins files to run for Palm Springs City Council
