Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet has many irons in the fire around the valley
James Folmer
The Desert Sun
Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet is a busy man. Though he only began his career in public service in 2003 with the City Council, he has risen to become one of the leaders of the area, serving in leadership positions on numerous commissions and boards throughout the region.
Pougnet serves as the chairman of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, the Energy & Water Conservation Subcommittee, vice chairman of the CVAG Energy and Environment Committee and Sunline Transit Agency. Pougnet is also a member of the Palm Springs Desert Resort Convention and Visitors Authority board and the Riverside County Transportation Commission. He also serves on the Riverside County Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Committee, and plays a role in decision-making for the Mizell Senior Center, the Valley Action Group and the Palm Springs Art Museum.
Highly engaged in sustainability and renewable energy generation, Pougnet has also focused on regional transportation issues, education initiatives and, like all valley leaders at this point, has worked toward job creation and revitalizing the local economy.
Pougnet has garnered strong national support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), as well as drawn national press attention to what is viewed as one of the most vulnerable districts for Republicans among the 2010 congressional races.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Michigan State University. Pougnet lives in Palm Springs with his partner Christopher Green and their children Beckham and Julia.
QUESTION: You were elected to the Palm Springs City Council in 2003 and have been Mayor since 2007. What progress has the city made since you took office? What do you consider your major successes and disappointments?
ANSWER: In the worst economy since the Great Depression, the city of Palm Springs has continued to create economic growth. The Hotel Incentive Program, which I created, has led to more than 1,200 good-paying construction and service industry jobs.
During my tenure, the city has also succeeded in acquiring the College of the Desert’s west valley campus which will create much needed green energy and hospitality jobs in the Coachella Valley. The recent opening of COD’s new Desert Energy Enterprise Center in Palm Springs will create additional green jobs.
My biggest disappointment is the state seizing local funds has forced Palm Springs to do more with less.
For a generation, there has been talk of renovating the Desert Fashion Plaza, ever since the DeBartolo Corp. took over in 1983. By 1999, the mall was 75 percent empty. In 2001, Saks Fifth Avenue closed. During your seven years in office, why haven’t you and the City Council been able to make this happen?
I am committed to the redevelopment of The Desert Fashion Plaza. For the first time, a specific plan has been developed in partnership with the owner, Wessman Development, to create an east/west access to the Palm Springs Art Museum.
The city is aggressively working to complete a development agreement with Wessman Development which will further define the city’s and developer’s role and bring the project to completion.
On Jan. 15, the City Council approved a $1 million economic development program. After the city wrestled with budget cuts last year, with more cuts from the state appearing imminent, why was this decision made? What do you hope to accomplish?
In response to the economic recession, this new economic development program is intended to help stimulate our local economy through matching grant funds for marketing and advertising to help attract tourists and convention visitors to a host of newly renovated hotels in Palm Springs.
We also plan to offer a commercial lease incentive program, matching grant funds to downtown merchants to help them better advertise their businesses, and an airline incentive program for more flight destinations to our airport. These steps are necessary in order to help our local economy get back on track so we can avoid more drastic service reductions.
You have led a major commitment to sustainability for Palm Springs. What progress has been made, and how will the citizens benefit from this program?
Tremendous strides have been made on the Palm Springs Path to a Sustainable Community. The City Council and I have approved a sustainability master plan which seeks to partner with the private sector toward becoming one of the most sustainable cities in California. Some examples of our progress include energy-efficiency measures at the Convention Center that have annually saved $100,000; a surge in single-stream recycling; mitigating thousands of pounds of carbon emissions through our light bulb distribution program; diverting tons of e-waste and other recyclables from our landfills; and saving significant dollars through additional energy-efficiency programs.
Moreover, Palm Springs will continue to aggressively pursue our sustainability goals while working with the private sector on solar opportunities.
Why hasn’t the City Council helped the Well in the Desert find a new home in central Palm Springs?
The City Council, working with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and the late Roy Wilson, have established a shelter in North Palm Springs which serves homeless and working families in need that is now open and housing up to 90 people every day.
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