WORKING FOR YOU
As Mayor of Palm Springs, California, Steve Pougnet has played a key role in revitalizing the City as well as introducing progressive, future-oriented initiatives into the overall strategic plan for Palm Springs.
Soon after taking office, Mayor Pougnet developed a vision for the “Renaissance of Palm Springs” with important efforts directed in five key areas: Economic Development, Hotel Incentive Program, Sustainability, Infrastructure and Public Safety.
The City of Palm Springs attracts 2.7 million visitors each year, Mayor Pougnet and his Council introduced a hotel incentive program to assist current and attract future hotel operators. The program rewards hotels like the downtown Hyatt, with special tax rebates for renovation and expansions. It has also been a key factor in attracting exciting new hotel developments into the area like the Ace Hotel and the legendary Riviera Resort and Spa. Since its inception, the program has garnered over $105 million of spending in the local economy, creating nearly 1,100 construction and permanent jobs in Palm Springs. Other projects commencing are The Hyatt and Wyndham (soon to be rebranded Marriott Renaissance) will yield an additional $50 million in spending and create approximately 300 new jobs as well as help rebuild the convention business for the area.
Aimed at stimulating the local economy, Mayor Pougnet led an effort to create an ordinance that establishes a Local Business Preference Program designed to help keep tax dollars in the Coachella Valley. The program assists small businesses in the area as they compete with larger, out of area companies for City contracts.
Recognizing that the revitalization of downtown Palm Springs was key to the City’s economic future, Mayor Pougnet and his Council created the Business Retention Program to facilitate dialogue between business owners and the City. Already, the program has brought forward important projects like the Façade Improvement Program. Most importantly, the program has helped to create a cohesive union between merchant groups and others invested in the success of the City’s key corridor.
Mayor Pougnet is committed to sustainability and renewable energy initiatives. Understanding that Palm Springs is poised to become one of the State’s greenest cities, Mayor Pougnet and his Council created a Sustainability Master Plan which included key initiatives such as encouraging eco-tourism; implementation of a green business incubator and attracting clean tech industry to the area; retrofitting City facilities with solar and energy efficient upgrades; City-Wide curbside recycling servies; Transition of median landscaping to native desert plants resulting in critical water conservation; initating an annual sustainability report card for the City and hiring a Sustainability Manager for the City.
Mayor Pougnet has also led an extensive effort by the City of Palm Springs to revamp its infrastructure. Mayor Pougnet and his Council recently created a five-year capital improvement plan that included neighborhood and public sector road resurfacing, transformation of the Frey building at Sunrise Park into a teen homework center, building of a world-class animal shelter and is making significant improvements to the City’s wastewater treatment plant. The City is also collaborating with College of the Desert to develop a green community college campus based in Palm Springs.
Committed to a public dialogue on public safety, Mayor Pougnet continues to support the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, which brings people together to discuss finding solutions to their public safety concerns in various geographic areas of the City. Other valuable services were created for citizens including an earthquake-response training program. Additionally, the City has been integral in the hosting and creation of the new valley-wide homeless shelter on Indian Ave.
Mayor Pougnet has also been a frontline leader in the surrounding nine desert communities. Mayor Pougnet is the Chairman of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), Chairman of the Energy & Water Conservation Subcommittee as well as Vice-Chairman of the CVAG Energy and Environment Committee. He is also Vice Chairman of Sunline Transit Agency, the region’s public transportation management organization. Steve is also a Board Member of the Palm Springs Desert Resort Convention and Visitors Authority and a member of the Riverside County Transportation Commission. Mr. Pougnet also serves on the Riverside County Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Committee.
Beyond his civic positions, Steve is extremely involved in volunteerism in his community. He recently served as the President of the Board for the Mizell Senior Center, is a Board Member of the Valley Action Group and the Palm Springs Art Museum. Steve also serves on the Citizens Oversight Committee of the Palm Springs Unified School District.
As is evidenced by his public service, Steve Pougnet is passionate about issues affecting his constituency. He is highly engaged in creating viable plans in the Coachella Valley for sustainability and renewable energy generation. He works tirelessly to find creative solutions to revitalize a struggling local economy and has been responsible for the creation of numerous well-paying jobs in the region. Steve has long been an advocate for seniors and youth. He is very involved in regional transportation issues and gives great attention to education initiatives in local K-12 school districts as well as the Community College system. Steve is a pragmatist, a bridge builder and a leader who gets things done.
