Longtime Cathedral City mayor won’t seek re-election

Cathedral City mayor Kathy DeRosa said her fifth term as mayor will be her last. She will not seek re-election in November.

“I’m just beginning my 10th year. I have been trying to find successor for quite some time now,” said DeRosa.

Current council member Stan Henry said he believes he’s the man for the job and DeRosa agrees.

“I feel it’s the right time for me to run for the position of mayor,” said Henry.

“I knew when Stan was elected to City Council that was a sure sign from God that it was time to move on. I’ve been planning for the last couple of years,” said DeRosa.

Chip Yarborough, who challenged DeRosa in the mayoral race last year and lost by just 13 votes, said he doesn’t plan to run for mayor this election, but rather earn a spot on the City Council.

The city said with DeRosa’s help it’s made big strides. It reduced its workforce 40 percent and trimmed its budget by $40 million.

“We’re not in a perfect place, but we’re in a better place,” said Henry.

The council will hold a special election in June, which will cost between $30,000 and $35,000. The community will vote to extend the 1 percent sales tax increase, which expires next year. It was approved in 2010.

“We need to bring that back to the community and let them decide,” said Henry.

What’s next for DeRosa? She said a “huge personal project” in the works.

“Quite frankly I still have nine months ahead of me. We still have a lot of work to accomplish. I’m going to stay focused on where we go in the future,” said DeRosa.