June 2 is primary election day in California, and in the contest for Riverside County’s Board of Supervisors District 4—which covers the Coachella Valley, south to Idyllwild, north to Desert Hot Springs and east to Blythe—voters will choose between nine-year incumbent V. Manuel Perez and 10-year La Quinta City Councilmember Steven Sanchez.
In California’s open primary system, a candidate that gets more than 50 percent of the vote is declared the winner—no general election needed. Since Perez and Sanchez are the only two candidates, it’s almost certain the winner will be decided by the primary.
V. Manuel “Manny” Perez was appointed to the seat by Gov. Jerry Brown in May 2017, following the death of John Benoit. Perez previously served in the state Assembly from 2008-2014. (In 2010, he defeated Sanchez when they both ran for the Assembly’s 80th District seat.) Before being nominated to the County Commission, he served on the Coachella City Council. From 2004 to 2008, he served on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees.
His biography on the County Commission website states: “Born and raised in the Coachella Valley, the son of immigrant farmworkers, Manuel attended local public schools and graduated from the University of California, Riverside. He taught at a local middle school, and went on to earn a master of education degree in administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University. He worked as a youth advocate and director of community health and advocacy for Santa Rosa Del Valle-Borrego Health, at Centro Medico Coachella and Centro Medico Oasis.” He lives in Coachella with his wife, Gladis, and has two adult sons, Ruben and Alejandro.
Steven Sanchez first won election to the La Quinta City Council in 2016. According to his city biography, Sanchez has served in a variety of capacities, including as a La Quinta Housing Authority member; as a Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) member; as vice chair of the Southern Region of California LAFCO; and as a member of the Coachella Valley Animal Campus Commission, among others. In his current role as Southern California Association of Governments District 66 representative, he represents not only La Quinta constituents, but those in the nearby cities of Blythe, Coachella and Indio.
Sanchez enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1996 and served for eight years, including a tour in Iraq. Upon his honorable discharge from the military in 2004, Sanchez moved to the Coachella Valley. He has worked in the telecommunications industry, as district director for a state legislator, as an account executive for a group of radio stations, and for a billboard company. He is a currently a commercial real estate agent. His city biography states: “When Steve isn’t working or volunteering his time, at 4 a.m., you’ll see him walking/running his rescued dogs (which are) a German Shepard named Sparta, a half-Malinois named Katana, and his recently adopted German Shepard named Romulus.”
The Independent recently spoke with each of the candidates and asked them the same set of five questions. Here are their answers in their entirety, edited only for grammar and style.
V. Manuel Perez
What are the three most pressing issues facing your constituents in Riverside County’s District 4?
It depends on who you speak to. Our district, and our county, are so diverse. I would say that my district is probably the (most) diverse. It stems from Palm Springs all the way down to Blythe, and everything in between, all the way up Route 74 into the mountain area. Obviously, you have folks who are very affluent, and folks who are not, who are working-class, and then folks who are just getting by. And so, depending on where I am on that day, if I’m visiting, I definitely hear (about) their most important issue.
What I’ve been able to gather, though, is a combination of things. The issue of housing is definitely premiere. However, when you think about housing, affordability is one area, and the other one is workforce. There are those who maybe make a little (more), like a teacher, or a police officer, or a college student just coming home, but yet cannot afford a home that’s now in the range of $500,000 and up. However, with that being said, infrastructure is critical in order for us to build that housing, and to ensure that ultimately, it cancels out for both private developers as well as nonprofits, whether that be Lamar or whether that be a Dan Horn with what he’s building in Palm Desert, or whether that be Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, or a mobile home park area, where we still have issues with access to clean drinking water, and electrical concerns.
I think it is critical that we take a look at the big picture here, when we talk about housing. What do we really mean by it? What type of housing, and where? Now, I’m happy to say that we’re going to start moving in a direction that I think is necessary. When people say we’re building housing, which we are, it’s more apartments, for the most part. Well, apartments don’t build you equity. If you’re in that household, it’s a lower rent, per se, because you are able to get subsidized through vouchers. At the same time, though, hopefully the goal is that you save, with one day being able to pull together enough funds through a first-time home loan program in order for you to be able to purchase a home. But, we all know that the times have changed from 10 years ago, 20 years ago to now, and it still is very difficult.
Now, I’m also very proud to say out loud that, in the Fourth District, we build more housing units than anywhere else in the county of Riverside. I’ve taken on this issue from the very beginning, when I first met with Gov. (Gavin) Newsom way back when I became the supervisor—not in 2017, when I was appointed by Gov. (Jerry) Brown, but in 2018 or 2019, and that’s when we first started talking about the issue of homelessness, and the connection to housing, and the connection to infrastructure. I took it upon myself to make housing my No. 1 priority, knowing that these connections exist. And it still is to this day, an issue that consistently keeps coming (up). But, (it also took) the support of my colleagues, and the support of my housing department, and the support of funders, and the state of California to ensure that we do this, (and) we also have the political will. With that being said, I can honestly state that we’ve invested more funds—millions and millions and millions of dollars—as well as have built more housing units, two times, three times more than other districts. Not to say anything negative about my colleagues, because I love them. We do great work together, But, I will say that this is one of the issues that I have championed, and I’m very proud to say that we’ve gotten somewhere now. But, we still have a ways to go. Hopefully that answers your question with one issue, which is a constant one; no matter where I am, I do hear this one.
Another has to deal with the consistent issues of access to health care. That means that when the federal government, for example, guts dollars—resources to ensure that certain services and programs are provided in communities that (are) underserved. That hurts our entities like DAP (Health) or like our federally qualified health centers like Innercare. And, at the same time, it also hurts the programs and services that exist in JFK (Memorial Hospital) for that matter, or Desert Regional Medical Center, maybe potentially even in Eisenhower, although they do have a strong funding base. But it definitely has an impact on Palo Verde (Hospital), as you know, and the Blythe area. I’m just very proud of the fact that, over the course of these last couple years, we’ve been working on this issue. It just didn’t happen overnight. No one just all of a sudden pointed to it and said I have not done anything about it. Maybe someone might think that way, but that’s not true. Now, we have some momentum, (and) we were able to keep that hospital afloat. We have the county very supportive. We launched strike teams with true expertise. This strike team is there for six months to assess and evaluate what the next steps could possibly be, and ultimately ensure that the hospital is open with emergency services as well as primary care and things like lab work, CT scans and MRI scans. The folks in that community are very proud and very happy that we were able to do that. We send doctors out there on an ongoing basis, and we will continue to do so.
As a result of the city of Blythe putting in $330,000, we (at Riverside County) put in $1 million. After that, we were able to leverage another $6 million. With that being said, we’re able to leverage another $9 (million), or something of the sort, so now we have enough to keep it open for a year. And as well, my goal is to demonstrate to the state of California that the hospital has its act together and has a governing board that functions well, and will be a listening governing board willing to work with each other and collaborate and partner. So, I was able to appoint an individual, and then they’re going to have an election for another. The goal, ultimately is to have a governing board that understands the importance of working together, and understands budgeting—financing, obviously—services and programming, to the extent that they could. But, (they’ll be) working with our teams to ensure that they understand them.
Now I have visited the area quite a (number) of times, obviously, and the hospital as well. I could not believe the fact that—you know, you hear it all when folks are open-minded and willing to tell you when there’s no fear of retaliation. So, whenever I have meetings with my staff, I check in and ask how everybody’s doing. Where are things in your region? How are the issues? How do you feel about it? What can we do to improve? What can I do to help you get there? What can we do as a team? Now, unfortunately, before the strike team showed up, that did not exist in that hospital. The nurses and the staff that work who were never listened to. They were not valued like they should be. Morale was bad, and people were scrambling. But, nonetheless, deep down inside, many folks stuck it out, did not leave, and now they are in a much better situation, and very proud and very happy that we came in. I appreciate that as well, and I thank my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors.
So, that connection with ensuring that we are still able to provide mobile-clinic services in far-reaching areas, so people have access to care, as well as dental and eye care, is constantly an issue. The Desert Healthcare District has done some polling, so has HARC. I’m meeting, serving, visiting communities to hear their concerns. I’ve been to those meetings. I take note of that, and I do what I can to be helpful based on data, (and) based on the needs of the community that stems from them. And I’m also very proud of the fact that the Redlands (Community) Foundation and the Desert Healthcare District funding streams continue to be there on behalf of people, and they always step up to the plate.
The third area is a combination from Veterans’ Services, ensuring that we excel, to Animal Services, and having the opportunity to turn our Animal Services Department around. In both those areas, we have as a county not invested as much as we should have over the course of years. And now, we are. We now have more staff with Veterans’ Services. Now we have another office in Desert Hot Springs, and we have a new leader, a director, Mr. (Adam) French, who is obviously not only a veteran, but has worked with the county alongside many of our colleagues, like Ralph Duarte, who’s very much loved by veterans. And they are open to be helpful, and more resources are coming their way. And that was necessary.
The same with Animal Services. We’ve had struggles over the course of years, although I will state that the nation as a whole has struggled ever since COVID with the amount of pets that people are giving back to shelters or (people) even just being so ruthless and dropping off their pet in the middle of nowhere, or in a trash bin behind a grocery store, which is terrible, in my opinion. We’ve been able to allocate millions of dollars once again. Through our allocation here, we’ve hired more than 40 people. We have a stronger Animal Services enforcement team. We have stronger professionals who are administrators, who know what they’re doing. The culture has shifted. The morale is much better, and I let them know that I value them. I consistently see them, and I’m proud to say (that) we are now working toward becoming a no-kill county. We have declared that. And, at the same time, I’ve also declared that we are not going to accept, and we’re going to go ahead and go after individuals, with the law behind us, if they choose to abandon their pets, (which) demonstrates such animal cruelty. That is not correct. That is not right, and that is not something I’m going to stand for.
Before, meetings were dismal. Policymakers wouldn’t show up. Very minimal. No one really understood or even realized that this (problem) existed. I’m happy to say that all the commissioners show up now, and we even created an ad hoc committee, (with) like Ginny Foat and Kim Hardy and Ty Peabody, that advised me on an ongoing basis, as well as others, as to what we’re hearing from the community, (and) as to what goes on in our commission meetings. And then, obviously, I try to put that into action.
If I could state that another area that is critical is public safety, hands down: Obviously, we need to ensure that we continuously support our Sheriff’s Department with the resources that they need so they can do their job, as well as our Fire Department (and) our Emergency Services Department, because, ultimately, they’re on the front lines. And we have done so. We’ve built new fire stations in the Fourth District, throughout the county of Riverside. We’ve been able to support our deputies with better pay, competitive pay, so that we don’t lose them to other areas. Despite how one may feel about the sheriff, I’m not speaking about the sheriff; I’m speaking about the deputies who also live and work in our own communities that we might have grown up with. They might not agree with their sheriff, or have a different point of view, but they are out there on the front lines, protecting and serving the community the best they can, and we need to ensure that they are provided what they need, so that when you put in a phone call, or your neighbor, or my aunt, my uncle or my parents, or including myself, the deputy shows up. And not only shows up, but shows up in a timely manner and is ready to engage, if necessary, to ensure the safety of that household. So, those will be the areas, among many others.
District 4 residents without personal vehicles—including low-income residents such as farm workers, seniors, those with disabilities and many youth—struggle daily to get where they need to be in the valley on-time. What can the county do to help ease this transportation gap?
That issue has been ongoing ever since I can remember, ever since I was a kid growing up in Coachella, when Coachella was not what it is today. Obviously, the lack of infrastructure once again—dirt roads, not enough sophistication for public transportation. The county, though, has been working in District 4 with SunLine (Transit Agency), and I sit on the board. And I actually heard the (SunLine) commercial today, which is great. We are now surveying people throughout my district, our district. We’re actually going to schools, to tribal governments, to workplaces, libraries, senior centers, (and we’re) asking them what would they like to see. What I consistently have heard as well, is not only the need for more transportation routes, although we do a good job. For example, during the holidays or if you’re low-income, sometimes you don’t even have to pay a fare, and we are willing to do so, and Sunline is, to get you to where you need to get to without asking you to pay for a fare. And now you have, not a bus, but now you have those smaller vehicles which transport seniors, picking them up one by one at their homes and taking them to wherever they need to go, specifically, let’s say a senior center or a hospital, or a pharmacy, if you will, a clinic, so they can see their doctors. Same thing in Palo Verde. There’s a connection between Palo Verde Transit Agency and SunLine to ensure that those routes continue. Our responsibility is to ensure that we not only continue those routes, but to expand them, obviously, depending on the need, and where and the population. Another concern, though, is having to deal with how we connect our students who need to go all the way out to San Bernardino. How do we create more routes for them? We are very proud of the fact that we’ve institutionalized pick-up priorities for students to go to COD for free. That was not the case before.
I also am aware that certain areas, specifically in the areas that have lacked infrastructure, folks have nowhere to sit or no shade (while waiting for a bus). No water, no bathroom nearby, and that is an area (for) which it’s very hard to find funding, as opposed to finding funding to purchase, let’s say, a new bus or another vehicle of sorts, or funding for capacity building of staff. But when it comes to making sure that people at least are comfortable, that is a struggle, and I am consistently bringing up that concern, and my hope is that we’ll be able to see more of those popping up with shade structures, if that’s necessary in this area that is so hot. My head is not in the sand. When people come to me and say that they have these issues or concerns, because they’re very real, and especially for those with disabilities, I do not shy away from the fact that they exist, and that we need to do a better job of that. And just like our students, our veterans can also call and get picked up and be taken to a clinic and to the pharmacy for free, and obviously be taken home as well.
So that outreach is taking place right now, and we’re going to learn from that, because the one thing I’ve also come to understand is that, even though we have radio ads, and billboards, folks are still not aware of these programs and services that exist. So, we can start getting more creative as to how we inform people that these services are there for them.
What more can the county do to better prepare District 4 communities to withstand the impacts of climate change-caused weather events such as floods, wind storms and extended dangerous heat events impacting our roads, homes and the health of our residents?
I’m very proud of the fact that the Emergency Services Department has stepped up in so many different ways. Before, we had a plan, but that plan was put away on a shelf. It demonstrated in that plan what we need to do whenever there is a flood, whenever there is a fire, and then who we collaborate with. We learned that very quickly, a few years back in North Shore, where we built the park. The very next day, it got flooded, and we were trying to have (the Imperial Irrigation District, IID) engage with us, because they also were part of this plan when it comes to electrical issues, and energy, and they never had a plan. The collaboration between IID and, for example, our county Emergency Services Department was very minimal. So, in the course of this time, we’ve been able to now expand that relationship, and it’s much better now than ever before. It almost didn’t even exist before.
Now, with that said, there are nonprofit organizations that when we do have emergencies—like hardcore winds, and trees are falling, and they fall on buildings—these individuals come in. They tear those branches apart, those big old tree limbs, branches, whatever they have. They come in as a hardcore team, and they just knock them out, and they remove debris and anything that’s in the middle of a road to make sure that people get to safety, or make sure that people are able to access the road and get to where they need to get to.
Now, as a member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), the winds come hard, and with the winds come dust. Obviously, I do believe that’s the result of climate change, and obviously the county can do more when it comes to educating people about climate change. What I’ve come to realize, though, is that some people believe it; some people don’t, and those who don’t, there’s no convincing them. Although, I speak to it a bit, more than anything I speak to the fact that there’s dust in the air, and they see that, and they believe that. I don’t need to get into climate change, because all I need to get to is the fact that they see the dust in the air, and they’re breathing it. And so, we have more air monitors. We’re working on mitigation efforts, like the street sweeping has been ongoing. I’d like to obviously figure out how we can ensure that we’re much quicker when it comes to the issues of dust. That won’t take too long, because (although) we have to do evaluations and research for a longer term plan, there’s low hanging fruit. We can learn from the farmers, as to how they work with dust on their lands, and what they do to turn over dirt, for example, so that that dirt doesn’t become dust when the wind blows. Or developers, when they pump out that green stuff on disturbed land that already exists. That’s already disturbed, we don’t need a study for that, and we already know where that is.
But it takes like the longest time. It’s like pulling teeth. But I am going to say just like anything else, when I told the community of Blythe regarding their hospital, like I will constantly tell my colleagues on Coachella Valley Association of Governments, these are always issues of concern. But now, because it’s actually hitting home, and because you see it, now you’re engaging. You see, that’s what it takes. However, the way we get wins, and the way we move legislation, and the way we move resources, is we need to demonstrate a united front. That’s my calling for the folks in Blythe with that goal in mind. It doesn’t matter that everybody doesn’t need to get along all the time. They might have different ways of doing things, but at the end of the day, that goal is to keep that hospital open. Be prepared to push your ego aside when it comes down to it in order for us to get funded by the state, in order for the hospital to exist. And the same thing here when it comes to dust mitigation or any type of natural disaster. We’re trying to demonstrate to the federal government or state government our needs, and not go in different directions, having different messages. That’s the beauty of CVAG (Coachella Valley Association of Governments). CVAG has done so much, in my opinion. I’ve learned a lot from my colleagues on an ongoing basis, and I appreciate them all, even those who don’t support me. Why? Because at the end of day, we are there for one goal, and that is not for political reasons. We are there to ensure that we improve the quality of life for all our residents in the Fourth District. I’ve had the opportunity to be a statesman, meaning at a state legislative level, and I visited many communities. There’s no other area (where) I can really say that I’ve seen this type of work ethic, and concentration of individuals willing to work together, even when folks don’t want to at times. But they do it in good faith, in order for the Coachella Valley to have a victory. People come in on an ongoing basis for different committees, whether it be public safety, homelessness, behavioral health, all these other areas, energy, conservation. There’s no other area, in my opinion, like this that exists. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe things have changed in other areas, but I think that’s what makes us so unique, and a beautiful place to live in.
I think that’s the other reason why many people are moving in. But we need to make sure that we’re ahead of the game. With all that being said, what I don’t want to happen, and we have the opportunity to do the right thing here, and that is that we do not want to become like the west end of the county of Riverside, where it takes you an hour to drive maybe a few miles. We still have enough land territory where one day, we might have more freeway structures, or more roads, but at the same time, rail, to ensure that people have access from wherever they are outside the area, or from here to go to areas outside of the Coachella Valley. Using rail will reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same time (as) getting people to where they need to get to. And it’s just another mode of transportation aside from buses or taxis or Ubers. For electrical vehicle expansion, the infrastructure is necessary. SCAQMD is working with California (Air) Resources Board (CARB), and the EPA, constantly, consistently working to figure out how we can provide those incentives for people to purchase those vehicles. However, we still have a ways to go with infrastructure. It just doesn’t make sense, if you live in a very secluded, isolated area. Let’s just say (you live) in the east end of the valley, and you have a Prius that’s not even a hybrid, and it’s all electrical. And if you have to still drive a ways to get electrically charged, you run a risk of getting stuck somewhere. So, we have a ways to go there, but we need, obviously, to continue to plug away on that front, but not do it forcefully, not do it in a way where there’s no balance. You know, it takes time. You can’t expect people to go buy a Prius where they barely survive (on) the money that they receive, or the check that they receive from work to purchase groceries, or childcare or regular medication.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2025, there were some 562,000+ county residents over the age of 60, with 74,000+ living on low incomes, and 93,000+ living alone. How can the county work to support these vulnerable constituents more?
I’m very proud of the (Riverside County) Office on Aging. I’ve been working through them to visit as many senior centers as possible. Not everybody can go to a senior center, but nonetheless, for those who do, I’ve been able to upgrade those centers with funding that I receive. I use a lot of ARPA (the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) money, for example, to fix roofs, to paint walls, to fix floors, to fix piping, and that’s just capital improvements. I try, also, to go further and beyond by having a nutritionist be more culturally competent. Some folks like soups, “sopas” or “caldos.” Latin culture loves caldos. They’re better for your health, and they’re light on your stomach. Others prefer the meat and potatoes, and I get that. And the vegetables, and that’s OK too. But yet, nutritionists need to be open-minded enough, and have some flexibility, to ensure that people receive the nutrition, but maybe do it in a way that folks appreciate a little bit more, because they’re getting something that they actually really like and eat at home.
So, doing those type of efforts, even (providing) karaoke machines, for example, believe it or not—you know, our seniors love those. And juicers. You know, rather than having 100% sugar orange juice given to you in the morning, why don’t we bring in vegetables and fruit, and put them inside a juicer, or a smoothie machine (which) keeps the grain, the fiber, and it’s all natural, and it just tastes better, and it’s actually better for you overall? Which is what I’ve been doing, and people love it. Now, aside from that, getting people to learn more about even how to operate an iPad—I was so happy when we put together a program in Idyllwild, and so many seniors came and picked up an iPad. They didn’t even know how to turn it on, but we taught them there. And we taught them how to use it, and how they can actually use it even to put in a phone call, if necessary, an emergency call. Or, how to connect to the internet. And they’re so happy. For many of them, obviously, it was the first time they even put their hands on something like that. For me, the proudest moment was toward the end when a lady was so happy, and she said, “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done. Can I give you a hug?” And I’m like, “Sure, you can give me two if you like.” But that was just so nice to hear. It just felt so good that it motivated me to do more.
You’re having a real impact, you know, obviously ensuring that folks have access to, once again, Medi-Cal, Medicare. And this is also a fight that we have at the federal level, right now, specifically. And, obviously, the state does what it can with the resources it gets from the feds, and then they take a chunk. So, we also sometimes have to deal with those realities, no matter what party they’re from. The truth is that, if it’s a tough budget year, cuts begin to happen. But with a state legislator there, we have to really dig into what cut would actually have the least amount of impact on someone’s life and health care, especially for elderly in their golden years. When they’ve worked hard, and have given to our communities in their own way over the course of years, it’s our responsibility to be sure that they’re taken care of. It’s everyone’s responsibility. Although I will say, though, that people need to take personal responsibility their own families as well. And this is sad when you have seniors who don’t have anyone else. Their family is their next-door neighbor, you know, or someone who tends to maybe talk to them and call them up on the phone and just check in on them—for example, their adult services provider.
Are you in favor of the county supporting and facilitating the building of the proposed AI data center complex in the city of Coachella? Should there be a cap set by the county on the number of major corporate infrastructure projects such as AI industry-related power plants, additional renewable energy facilities or large corporate warehouse operations?
That’s a lot in that one question. You went from Coachella, to AI, to warehouses to caps. You’re everywhere on that one. Look, it’s not my jurisdiction, and the county of Riverside has not taken a stance on any of this, because it’s not an unincorporated area. And one thing is that we do not engage in areas that are outside our jurisdiction, unless we really need to. Now, is it possible that we will? Yeah, it is. It is, but it’s so new to everybody. I’m still learning what AI actually means. I don’t necessarily like it right now, but that’s me on a personal level, because I think it “dumb-ifies” you. Now, that’s me. And what I mean by that is, if you can just talk into a phone or your computer, and you ask the question about whatever it is, and you ask AI to write that essay for you, and it gives you everything you need—how does that teach you how to be fluent? How does it teach you to be literate? To read, write, articulate, think critically, interact with people. I don’t think it does, but that’s me. But we also are talking about AI in a different area, like can AI improve the situation when it comes to aeronautics, and teaching our COD (College of the Desert) youths, for example? People tend to think they can, and I want to learn from that. I want to see what that looks like. I just don’t know enough right now to be able to give you a sharp response one way or the other. I’m not trying to duck the question. I seriously need to learn a lot more about this, because I’m still scratching my head about what this actually means for the future. And honestly, we have not even had this conversation at the county level, just so you know.
Steven Sanchez
What are the three most pressing issues facing your constituents in Riverside County’s District 4?
As you know, the district runs from the Blythe area over to Desert Hot Springs and then up to Idyllwild. It’s a massively long land district. The Coachella Valley, Idyllwild and Blythe all can have different issues than each other, but overall, the first one is public safety.
I mean that regardless of which office any elected official holds; public safety is always No. 1. It’s not just, “Hey, we need more cops and firefighters.” It’s beyond that. It’s, “Do the cops and firefighters have the adequate, up-to-date training,” right? As a Marine, (I can say) tactics and maneuvers adapt and change over time, and the same thing is true for police and fire. Do they have enough training? Do they have the proper up-to-date equipment and tools necessary to do their job properly? So, when we say public safety, it’s not just a manpower issue; it’s a training and tools and resources issue as well. And, especially up in the Idyllwild mountain areas, they deal with fire evacuations a lot more than we do down here in the desert, but those resources need to be properly distributed to all the communities.
Infrastructure (is No. 2). Infrastructure is huge. The Coachella Valley has seen growth over the years, and over the last five, six years, we’ve seen the growth stall, mainly because of the lack-of-power issue. Your readers might remember this, but 10 years ago, when I first started running for the City Council, I started bringing up the issue of the lack of voting representation in (the Imperial Irrigation District). And, why that was important was because we had no one advocating for us, saying, “Hey, the Coachella Valley is growing. Infrastructure is old. We need new substations and transformers, and our energy grid out there needs to be looked at.” And when I brought that up many years ago, a lot of people basically said, “No, no, no. Everything’s fine.” They’ve been kicking the issue down the road. Well, look at us now. We’re lacking in infrastructure because of the lack of power. Developers can get a will-serve (letter of commitment from a power company), but the will-serve has no teeth, because IID often can’t provide the power that’s needed.
So, the areas that need the growth, the jobs, the expansion, that life source the most, are the east valley (communities) out in Mecca, Thermal and North Shore, in those areas, right? That’s where the growth in the Coachella Valley is going to be, and that’s where it’s stalling. That’s where the job growth is stalling because of the lack of power. Without power, no developer is going to invest in any projects in that area. If you need $30-$40 million substations, (and) somebody has to build a $10 million property, you’re asking them to build a $50 million property, right? It just doesn’t cancel out. And the same thing with the water, right? Water infrastructure can’t expand. So, all of these services are tied together with the lack of power.
Then, (the third issue) is government accountability and fiscal responsibility. We’ve seen, over the years, government corruption. In fact, we just saw it with the mayor of Coachella, who was the chief of staff of our current supervisor, pleading guilty to felony charges. And some say, “Well, how is the supervisor supposed to know this?” Well, first of all, they’re best friends. This isn’t just a relationship of chief of staff and supervisor. This is your buddy you grew up with. This is somebody who you know intimately, and their investments, their personal businesses and figures. To have the lack of oversight and knowledge that your chief of staff is reappropriating housing funds that are intended for those who need it, toward his investment properties, that’s a big issue for me. And, it’s a matter of character, right? It’s who you associate yourself with. So, it’s not just, “Hey, they made a mistake.” No, these aren’t just mistakes. This is a character issue.
I’m not just pointing to the supervisor. This is, in general, in government. I think, often, what people don’t like is the lack of accountability in all levels of government. Somebody in government does something major, (and) it’s a slap on the wrist, right? I think at this time, the residents, the voters, are finally just fed up with the lack of accountability at all levels of government. And I don’t stand for that. I don’t care if I know the person, or if we’re friends. One of the sergeants in my Marine Corps unit used to say, “A Marine on duty has no friends.” It rings true in government, right? A councilman, supervisor, a congressman on duty has no friends. Your duty is to your constituency, not to your buddies. We need to bring that back into government.
So, those are the three top issues, affecting everything from Idyllwild to Blythe and Desert Hot Springs, and everywhere in between.
District 4 residents without personal vehicles—including low-income residents such as farm workers, seniors, those with disabilities and many youth—struggle daily to get where they need to be in the valley on-time. What can the county do to help ease this transportation gap?
As you know, we have SunLine Transit Agency that covers the Coachella Valley. And that’s the government entity responsible for road buses and shuttles here in the Coachella Valley. There’s a JPA (joint powers authority) made up of all the cities and the county as the oversight board. And I’ve had this brought up, not just in my city, but in other areas, too. And it’s, “Hey, how do we get a bus stop here? How do we get access for seniors?” And the one thing about transportation is you need to be able to get to the bus stop, for instance, easily, and it needs to be able to drop you off in an area that is useful to you. So, it makes no sense for a bus stop to drop you off a mile or two away from where you need to go, because you’re still in the same issue of: How do I get there? It’s that “first mile, last mile” saying that we have in government. I know SunLine has had some good programs with smaller shuttles that people can call. I don’t want to use the word “Uber,” per se, but it’s a little more personalized transportation. So, we just need to ensure that (for) those types of services for seniors, and especially those with disabilities who maybe need specialized vehicles to be able to be transported from one location to the other, the funding is there for them, (and) the investment is there for that type of service. It’s all about access, right, and if and when we have additional growth in certain areas, you want to be able to plan for that. You want to make sure there are bus stops, there are shuttles where a bus isn’t necessarily ideal, but maybe smaller shuttles. So, it’s just about access, and ensuring that the funding is there for it. So, it exists. The programs exist; we just have to make sure that dollars continue to flow to those areas.
What more can the county do to better prepare District Four communities to withstand the impacts of climate change caused weather events such as floods, windstorms and extended dangerous heat events that impact our roads, homes and the health of our residents?
SCAQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District) finally admitted that we have severe air problems in the Coachella Valley. I think it was about two or three months ago, that they finally admitted it. We see the dust storms, and we tell the appropriate agencies, “Hey, the air is bad here.” And they’re saying, “No, it’s good.” And we’re like, “Ahh, come visit us.” A lot of it has to do with (the fact that) there are areas (where) there’s just a lot of sand, right? For developments that are in the process, or (lands that) haven’t been developed, we have to ensure that those areas are watering or spraying down the dust and the dirt in those parcels that are about to be developed, or are not going to be developed yet, but are just sitting there, right? So, it’s a matter of the cities and the county enforcing those regulations on those land owners whose lands are, for the most part, contributing to the dust storms that we’re having. Now, obviously, we have other issues that we can’t really have any control over, and that’s kind of the dunes and some of these larger mountains, right, where it’s not owned by a private industry. It’s just (U.S. Bureau of Land Management) land or conservation land. Sometimes those are just the (result) of living in the desert, right? But where we can mitigate some of these issues, we should. In areas of infill land, areas where things are going to be developed, we have to ensure that those developers and those cities that own land in those areas are watering and spraying down the dirt to ensure that it doesn’t pick up when the sandstorms are happening.
Now, as far as heat, it’s interesting, and it kind of ties to water also. Over the years, there’s been a big push for people to go DG (decomposed granite) with their landscaping, or to artificial turf, (after they) take their grass out. I think what people forget is that grass actually helps to cool down the environment. Grass cools the area down, and the water that it takes to water that lawn just goes back into the aquifers. It’s replenishing it. It’s not necessarily “wasting water,” right? It’s going to cost you money, but you aren’t necessarily “wasting water,” because we’re reabsorbing that into our aquifers. That’s a testament to the water districts we have in the Coachella Valley. From Mission Springs (Water District) to CVWD (Coachella Valley Water District), it’s just a testament to the investment they’ve put into that infrastructure. But I think often, because in the state of California, we look at conserving water as a blanket (issue) statewide. People don’t realize that the Coachella Valley is more equipped to recapture the water and replenish its aquifers than other areas in the state that haven’t invested in their infrastructure the same way we have. So, people have to remember that grass helps to keep the areas cool. Rocks and concrete just amplify the heat. So, those are some ways of helping out with heat, and climate issues.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2025, there were some 562,000+ county residents over the age of 60, with 74,000+ living on low incomes, and 93,000+ living alone. How can the county work to support these vulnerable constituents more?
That’s one of the areas the county is responsible for, right? Our seniors, our well-being, our mental health—that’s a big part, because being alone, after a while, if you’re elderly, either you have a youthful life, and now maybe you’re not as mobile. And, we all know (that) when we stay at home for a couple days, we’re bored out of our minds, right? So, imagine if your state of living is that way for a while. That plays a huge role psychologically on people, and this is one thing that I talk about often, not just (relative to) seniors, but in general. Government really needs to partner more with the nonprofit world. I say that government is great at enforcement, right? They’re good at that. But, where they lack is in the caring, the emotional love part, right? And it’s not a knock on government; it’s just the way government is designed. But the people who are good at that stuff are Meals on Wheels, and our senior centers. All of these nonprofits that deal with seniors, they’re good at what they do. And, government’s not the best at that, but what they are good at is helping funding things like that. So, if we can have a better partnership with government and our nonprofit world, whether it’s seniors, Animal Services, whether it’s Children’s Services, domestic violence, I think we need to invest more in partnering with the nonprofits to achieve the same goal. And, when I say we, I mean the government. So, how do we help with seniors’ mental health, mental well-being, and economically? Through Meals on Wheels or Find Food Bank, and all of these nonprofits that help our seniors, are what we should continue to fund and in some cases, increase funding to those areas.
Are you in favor of the county supporting and facilitating the building of the proposed AI data center complex in the city of Coachella? Should there be a cap set by the county on the number of major corporate infrastructure projects such as AI industry-related power plants, additional renewable energy facilities or large corporate warehouse operations?
So, first of all, a data center, whether for AI or any other type of data center, takes up a lot of energy, a lot. And quite frankly, we don’t have that capacity to support a data center like that. Do I oppose it? I don’t oppose it; I don’t support it. I think where it goes is important, right? And is that data center going to take up the little bit of valuable energy from some substations that is needed for other areas? Those are questions that need to be asked. A new substation costs $30-$50 million. We talked about energy earlier—are (the developers) going to be contributing to a new substation to help power it? Obviously, AI and that world is here to stay, regardless of what anybody’s feelings are toward it. So, it’s just a matter of ensuring that the policies are in place, so if that industry is going to operate in Coachella Valley, that it’s done in a responsible manner (as far as) the land, environment and everything else. So, it’s, it’s not as cut and dry as saying, “Yes, I support,” or, “No, I don’t support.” The devil is always in the details, and that’s what we have to see to ensure that it’s not destroying our local ecosystem. But it could be valuable. It could provide high-paying jobs, and if we’re going to compete with China and other countries in that world, we need to do so, but in a responsible manner.
Obviously, it is a case-by-case issue. Do they do it all in the middle of Desert Center, or do they do it in the middle of Rancho Mirage? It would have to be heavy industrial kind of zoning where it would be, so we wouldn’t necessarily see it in the middle of a residential neighborhood. But, like I said, the way that you want to make sure is (by asking), “OK, is there enough power to support them?” And if there’s not, are they going to contribute to the new substation, just like every developer that’s building a house or a commercial development is being asked to do? So, if (the project) is not negatively draining our electrical resources without them putting back into it, it’s worth taking a look at, but it is a case by case basis. It’s too broad of an issue to just be a blanket “for,” or a blanket “against.” It’s one of those that really has to be case by case, because, you know, maybe the valley can support one or two, right? So then, maybe No. 3 is too much. It just depends on what gets built, and who’s building them. So, if one builds a massive location, maybe one is too much, right? So everything is case by case.
