Days after raising concerns about art museum getting $300,000 from city, mayor pro tem’s organization seeking same amount

Just days after the Palm Springs City Council approved $300,000 to help continue free Thursday night admissions at the Palm Springs Art Museum, the city received a request for the same amount to assist in keeping another community event free. This request, however, has ties to a councilmember who questioned the return on investment of funding the museum program.

In a letter sent to the council on June 30, Greater Palm Springs Pride Executive Vice President Keith Gran requested “enhanced funding” of $300,000 to maintain free admission for the annual Pride Festival. The request came three days after a heated council debate about allocating the same amount to the art museum, spurred on by Mayor Pro Tem Ron deHarte, who is also president and CEO of Greater Palm Springs Pride.

In the letter, Gran claims the money is crucial to keeping Pride events free to attend. 

“The Palm Springs Pride Festival, a cornerstone of our city’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community and a major tourist draw, faces a critical moment,” Gran wrote, adding in bold, “Without immediate action, free admission to the festival could be jeopardized.” 

DeHarte, the only paid employee of the Pride organization, confirmed that Gran’s request directly resulted from the conversation about the museum’s funding.

In an email exchange this week, deHarte said Pride wanted to “get our request in before other organizations” after the council established a new threshold for supporting free community programming.

“It seems logical that the nonprofit Pride organization which organizes the city’s largest free event would reach out seeking support,” deHarte wrote Wednesday. “The city council just proclaimed their support for free programming in a way we have never heard before.”

The request raises questions about potential conflicts of interest, as deHarte heads the organization seeking funds while also serving on the council that would approve them. 

“I’m comfortable knowing I have every right to support an organization and fulfill my duty as an elected official,” said deHarte. “I’ve been entirely transparent about my longstanding involvement with Palm Springs Pride.”

He added that he would recuse himself from all discussions and voting on the request if it comes before the council, following standard practice for potential conflicts of interest. He also noted that he has not yet discussed the letter with the city attorney, city manager, or other councilmembers.

“I’m comfortable knowing I have every right to support an organization and fulfill my duty as an elected official. I’ve been entirely transparent about my longstanding involvement with Palm Springs Pride.”

— Ron deHarte

The most recent contract between the city and Greater Palm Springs Pride shows the organization is scheduled to receive $125,000 in in-kind contributions in each of the next five years. The city’s contributions to the annual Pride Weekend are typically used to cover costs related to police and fire services and other expenses related to special events and permits.

In the letter, Gran claimed that PS Pride’s expenses have increased “20% to 50% over the past several years.” However, the organization’s most recent tax documents show expenses have remained steady, averaging $183,000 for the past five years. The organization has also collected an average of $234,000 in donations and other revenue during the same timeframe.

The tax filings also show that Palm Springs Pride’s assets at the end of 2022 were at an all-time high – $568,000 – and had increased by $150,000 over 2021.

DeHarte said those numbers don’t reflect current reality, noting that the organization expects to show $1.2 million in expenses for 2023 and that it has been managing industry-wide cost increases by cutting back in some areas, allowing cost hikes to be absorbed while staying within budget.

A spokesperson for the city said the Pride funding request has not yet been placed on a council agenda for consideration but could be.

“Staff would need direction from the City Council before verifying any information and preparing a report on this matter,” wrote Communications Director Amy Blaisdell. “Like with all funding requests that come to the city, staff would need to complete due diligence before making any recommendations to City Council.”

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