A preview in the race for mayor in Desert Hot Springs

Elections are weeks away and the race for mayor in Desert Hot Springs is on. Incumbent mayor, Scott Matas, is running against previous mayor Adam Sanchez.

Matas said, "You’ve seen a physical difference in Desert Hot Springs, you’ve seen a change. Give me four more years, you’re going to see even more of a change." Matas has been the mayor of Desert Hot Springs since 2015 and on city council since 2007. Matas added, "We have cleaned up the image of Desert Hot Springs on the business corridors and now I want to get in the neighborhoods and really focus on that. I think it’s important for the future to really bring pride back into our neighborhoods." Matas talked about taking in grant money to build a safety corridor where he said dropped fatality rates. Matas said, "Moving forward, I am still focused on the safety of Desert Hot Springs."

Sanchez is looking to be mayor once again. Previously he served as mayor from 2013-2015. Sanchez emphasized on wanting to lower taxes in the cannabis industry to bring more jobs and more retail to Desert Hot Springs. He said, "I think the most pressing issue right now is the creation of jobs within the community." Sanchez added, "If we lower that tax down, to $3 a sq. ft., it will bring more investors in, we’ll grow the economy of the cannabis industry, and that will be more people hopefully buying homes here." Sanchez mentioned that by growing the community and making it larger, it's the only way to bring in larger retail.

Matas, on the other hand, said in reference to lowering those taxes, "That’s not a realistic vision. If you were to take a tax at the rate it’s at today and lower it to $3 just to please an industry, what you’re doing is take over $3 million away from the tax base in Desert Hot Springs, how do you then fund programs?"

Both candidates are hopeful to bring in more tax payers to Desert Hot Springs in order to grow the city. Matas mentioned bringing people to the other side of the 10 freeway. He said many people flock to highway 111 in Palm Springs. He added, "We need to bring those tax dollars back here, meaning people spend the money here, the tax revenue goes here, it fixes roads, it puts officers on the street, it makes sure your fire engine is running, and it makes sure your city runs smooth. So those are the types of things that we are going to be focused on over the next 4 years as mayor."

Sanchez said more needs to be done for the local businesses of the city. He said, "The city council has been really laid back, they haven’t been progressive like La Quinta which really started to help businesses with loans, help businesses with outside areas." Sanchez elaborated, "We have to have more of a coordinated effort. We have to be able to be more business friendly. A lot of the small businesses whether they’re restaurants or small stores, all they really want is the city to be more business friendly to the point where they are marketing and promoting those businesses and letting them know, how can we work together."

Matas in reference to businesses said, "When it comes to businesses in Desert Hot Springs, we continue to educate and promote whatever we can that focuses on what the governors orders are." He said the city does not have any special programs but they do push out and promote those that are state and county wide. In reference to the cities finances, Matas assured residents that the city is fiscally sound. He said, "This last year, covid hit the city by about $300,000 and this next year we are looking at about a quarter of a million dollars but we are able to use reserves that we have saved to cover those shortfalls."

Both candidates fighting for the position to make a difference in the city they care about. Sanchez said, "We have to have a city government that is accountable and transparent." While Matas said, "I want to see a future that’s going to have my kids very proud of their community."