Meet the Candidates: Rancho Mirage

The Rancho Mirage city council will look much different after the General Election on Nov. 8. 

Six candidates are running for three seats on the council making this year’s race a tight one. 

The chosen Rancho Mirage council members will be elected at large for four-years terms. 
News Channel 3 spoke to each candidate running for Rancho Mirage City Council ahead of the election.

The candidates for Rancho Mirage City Council:

• Louisa Davis
• Steve Downs
• Ken Ammann
• Kim Martos
• Meg Marker
• Lynn Mallotto

What are the most pressing issues facing Rancho Mirage?:

• Louisa Davis: "Managing growth is the key issue issue with the housing crisis that we're facing in California, and what the state has required from us. That is something that all of us need to be involved in. I think educating the residents is going to be critical. We need all need to have a decision making process where we can help decide where these developments are going to be. Broadband is number two. For me, it is critical, it is something that we have to have better broadband to attract new business, and just support our existing residents. Also, sustainability and making sure we thoughtfully invest in infrastructure within the city to support this."
• Steve Downs: "Challenge number one, manage strategic growth in a way that retains our small city character and our quality of life as we build for the future- that means no short term rentals. [Challenge number two] expanding our strong city to business community relationships, while we also provide for affordable housing, so that everyone on the economic spectrum has opportunities and so that our business community has access to future employees. Challenge number three is to continue doing that which is the single most important issue that any city council could face, which is public safety."
• Ken Ammann: "We're building a lake in the desert in a drought when our farmers are going without, we were denied a vote on this. We're accountable for it and we have to live with it, so a Canadian holding company can have a lake. From this point forward, we're accountable for it as a city. We needed to vote on even this. Second: sustainability, we need to very thoughtfully manage our growth. It's not going to rain more in the future. Sustainability is a priority above all issues. Visualize your city in the next 30 years. Short term rentals, we missed the boat on this. Code enforcement is the way we solve this problem."
• Kim Martos: "Every city is required to develop a general plan for their city and update it every few years. Ours needs to be updated so that it incorporates the demand required by the state of California development versus open space. And lastly infrastructure. This infrastructure includes managing future traffic as well as incorporating adequate schools as our city grows with new residents, visitors and businesses. We also need to be creating a climate plan that monitors our impact on water and electricity and how our general plan will increase this impact as our city grows. Being proactive on planning and Infrastructure will ensure that our city continues to be a destination to homeowners, businesses and visitors."
• Meg Marker: "The most pressing issues facing Rancho Mirage is Cotino. It's a great project, a unique development and it has tremendous potential. It will require oversight with over 200,000 square feet of projected retail, entertainment and restaurant space and hotels. Additionally, we have very little land left to develop. Point two, we need to be strategic with the projects that we bring to Rancho Mirage in a thoughtful manner but maintain our high quality of life. I'd like to keep our small town feel. And also as our population grows, we need to make sure our revenue grows with that."
• Lynn Mollotto: "Cotino is a major project that is underway and oversight is paramount to keep this project on track. Affordable housing- it's not just about the number of units, it's about the density, the infrastructure, transportation availability so that we can get those people to their businesses, their work, their schools. Number three is our business community. We need to support our business community with every proactive opportunity for success in growing our businesses, attracting new business, especially as we navigate inflation and recession."

On conservation and development:

• Louisa Davis: "Education is key in resident involvement in these issues. Broadband I support absolutely 100%. I support the city and all they do. It's critical in attracting new businesses and new residents. I'm also in support of conservation of our resources. But I represent the business and the residents if they feel differently, which I doubt they do if they feel differently. That's my job as a city council member. What you believe is what I will represent. [Resident] involvement is critical in the city. Sustainability is so important, and [resident] voice(s) can be heard."
• Steve Downs: "I support all the well-designed residential and business growth. I also support our plan for affordable housing. There's no reason why we can have both high-quality impactful developments like Cotino while we also have a serious approach to affordable housing. On sustainable resources, we are the only city in the desert with a serious approach to low cost energy and delivery. The Rancho Mirage Energy Authority buys power in bulk and distributes to our residents at a lower cost. Next, we were the first city in the desert to offer a turf rebate program. The program is designed to encourage our businesses and our residents to change out grass turf. At our last council meeting [we] increased our commitment to this program to two and a half million dollars, which will result in 1.2 million acres being converted and a water savings of 70 million gallons."
• Ken Ammann: "Sustainability must always be the first and foremost concern. I know we have to build affordable homes but good is not good enough when it comes to our water. We've seen what happens when we lose, ask Salton Sea residents. Electricity is about capacity. Renewables are actually not growing fast enough. It's unfortunate, they'll catch up. But believe me, we've all had Flex Alerts. I'm all for growth and development but resources are finite."
• Kim Martos: "Each city is at a crossroads trying to find this balance. Our city has approved and seen a lot of development but didn't take this balance into account. I am for development for doing it responsibly. Other cities contract out these studies and some bring this in house like having a climate expert on staff. This is something our city should look into and see if it's worth having. They could provide an annual report as to the impact our city has on the planet utilities and infrastructure. This annual report could help residents understand where we where we stand at all times and help them to understand the general plan and how why it has been developed."
• Meg Marker: "After Cotino, we will have very little land left to build out on and it's important to attract the right projects to Rancho Mirage. Our resources are in excellent shape right now and our city's done a wonderful job with the turf rebate program matching $2.5 million to the Coachella Valley Water District's 2.5 million. Going forward I'd like to see us continue the city's turf rebate program, the more residents that we can get to convert to desert landscaping, the more water that we'll have and I personally also pro-solar. I have solar and I recommend it. However I'm pro choice for what the residents would like to do."
• Lynn Mollotto: "I, like most residents, have concerns about the introduction of this beautiful project that's coming to our city and that's going to be a wonderful addition. Of course the first concern I have had to be water. But what I've learned is it's going to be using a dual pipe system each residents will have water meters, one for potable use drinking bathing etc. and the other for irrigation. The second the second water meter is called the purple line. And that will feed into the Mid Valley recycling system. Did you know that container will have a water treatment plant on site so that recycling water can be developed in use for that irrigation therefore also reducing water? These are the kinds of water usage, these are the kinds of projects that the city is looking at taking very seriously and moving forward in the future."

On incentives for local businesses:

• Louisa Davis: "I support these financial incentives for businesses 100%. I think the city we need to look at the city's goals, and how these incentives can inspire the businesses to do what we want. For example, in development, we could incentivize developers and investors through tax credits, permit fees, fast tracking, their building. I think that is a big incentive to developers, for the business owners. I think if we want as a city to make sure environmentally, we're sound we can send business that landlords and owners of the properties to give tax incentives which will benefit the businesses."
• Steve Downs: "Our city helped with food service businesses to help them survive, and we helped our seniors with meal deliveries by spending about $10 million of our reserves on programs that provide a food procedures and health [care]. We did this at a time when our pandemic harmed our revenues and dropped and our revenues dropped significantly. We did it because it was the right thing to do. So I support that the city provides financial support for our businesses, marketing services for our businesses and services for our businesses and our citizens in times of problems."
• Ken Ammann: "For me, as long as we don't pick winners or losers, as long as it's about community. We support our overall business community, I'm happy to support them. It's not about who you know, it's not about the friends you have. It's about building an overall business-friendly community that is sustainable with a high quality of life."
• Kim Martos: "Our city provided a loan for the brewery dealership to be developed. But I'd like to see these opportunities also for the small businesses, which are our lifeblood, and provide character to our city."
• Meg Marker: "I am pro-business and I will support all of you and all business owners in Rancho Mirage. I want this to be the most business friendly city in the desert. I will support any and all of the above on a case by case basis if it makes good financial sense. It's about working together. It's not a one way street. It has to be good for both the city and the businesses."
• Lynn Mollotto: "I support any type of financial incentives that will help our businesses...the cities have a long standing track record. For businesses with a proven record, they will assist. There are programs in place, they've been very, very successful. I think the only thing I would change is if there are additional grants on the federal or state level that could enhance our kind of business community."