May 17 Daily Briefing: Increased scrutiny proposed for projects, police find vehicle and possible victim, and more

TGIF, everyone, where we’ve got a case of Idol Fever! Judging by the turnout as “American Idol” contestant and valley resident Abi Carter made an appearance in Downtown Palm Springs earlier this week, some of you may be feeling the same. Carter will be facing off against two other finalists this Sunday in hopes of winning the crown. Yesterday, restaurateur Willie Rhine sent word that anyone who wants to watch the performances and root Carter on with other fans is invited to gather at Eight4Nine Sunday evening from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and catch the action on a big screen. Thanks, Willie, and good luck Abi!  

🎶 Setting the mood: “Cherry” by Rina Sawayama

LEADING OFF

Increased scrutiny proposed for large Measure J-funded projects

With sales tax revenue staying flat compared to last year, the Measure J Oversight Commission is learning what the fund will look like at the end of the fiscal year and is also considering adding additional oversight to their funded projects.

How it works: Measure J is a tax that allows the city to collect one cent for every dollar spent here. A portion of the money collected is set aside for projects proposed by community members by completing applications.

By the numbers: The budget has been updated with sales tax revenue through February, showing a fiscal year-to-date sales tax revenue of $21.87 million compared to last year’s revenue at the same time of $21.94 million.

• Kristopher Mooney, the city’s director of finance and treasurer, believes revenue this year will be flat compared to the previous year, which means it will be down about 3% from the budgeted number. 

What that means: “We’re very encouraged to see that number come in where it’s at versus what we were seeing early on in the fiscal year,” said Mooney. “I’m fairly confident with four more months to collect that we can reach what we did last year, which is in very good numbers historically.”

In short: Year-to-date total expenses sit at around $21.95 million with a $670,000 surplus, and the fund’s balance at the end of the fiscal year will sit at about $7.2 million

What else: Also at the meeting, commissioners considered forming a subcommittee that would keep a closer eye on projects funded with Measure J money, particularly projects run by individuals or organizations outside the city.

The idea: Commissioners did not vote on forming a subcommittee but considered other ways to track spending, like including more stringent requirements in the funding agreement for reporting from project leads.

In addition, Commissioners also discussed how to promote the reopening of applications for community-initiated projects in June.

• The commission will meet with city communications staff and members of ONE-PS to start informing community members of the opportunity. They also considered creating a seminar for would-be applicants to explain the updated application process.

Details: The application period opens on June 3 and will remain open through Sept. 30. 

BRIEFLY

🚨 Police find vehicle, presumed victim in Thursday incident

Palm Springs police said late Thursday they had located a possible victim in what was first believed to have been an abduction but is now believed to have been a domestic violence situation. 

• The department put out a community bulletin around 5 p.m., saying officers were investigating a possible kidnapping in the 1200 block of San Joaquin Drive.
  
  
• Officers responded to the area following a report and determined that a female, approximately 16-20 years of age, may have been taken from the location against her will.
  
  
• Several hours later, they issued another statement, saying a vehicle they had been seeking was located, along with the presumed victim. After further investigation, police determined that the incident was not an abduction but a domestic violence incident.

Bottom line: Detectives are conducting follow-up investigations to determine criminal violations.

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YOUR WEEKEND

ALL WEEKEND

• The Light in the Piazza at the Palm Canyon Theatre all weekend.
  
  
• Miss Conception’s Musical Movie Madness on Saturday and Sunday at the Purple Room Supper Club.
  
  
• “Being Richard Greene” on Saturday and Sunday at the Revolution Stage Company.

TODAY

• Blood Drive at Miralon Palm Springs at 10 a.m.
  
  
• Friends of the Palm Springs Library Book Club at the library at 2 p.m.
  
  
• Music Ocean Odyssey by Desert Ensemble Theatre at the Cultural Center at 5:30 p.m.
  
  
• Country Western Dancing at Dance Ranch Palm Springs at 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

• Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 8 a.m.
  
  
• Tahquitz Creek Cleanup at Tahquitz Creek Foot Bridge at 8 a.m.
  
  
• The Ins and Outs of Finding Skilled Nursing Care at The Center at 9:30 a.m.
  
  
• Communities’ Finest Dance Showcase at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 5:30 p.m.
  
  
• Coachella Valley Derby Girls at the Palm Springs Air Museum at 7:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

• Gay 80s Prom Drag Brunch at one eleven bar at 12 p.m.
  
  
• Screwball  Sundays: “Twentieth Century”  at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 3 p.m

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AND FINALLY …

Yesterday marked the end of our summer fundraising drive — a small effort that makes a big difference in our push for sustainability as the temperatures rise and advertising revenues drop.

Driving the news: We set out to gain 10 new monthly supporters. We’re happy to report that you all stepped up to support us (via this link), and we tripled that number! 🥳

Why it matters: For us, asking for reader support is one of the most uncomfortable parts of being an independent local news operation. But it’s also necessary. Most of our operating revenue comes from readers who can chip in.

• Because of your support, The Post is able to provide vital news, information, and event coverage for the entire community. Your contributions enable us to operate without a paywall, ensuring that all our reporting is accessible to everyone.

But wait: During this week-long campaign, we also received nearly 400 submissions via our “contact us” form asking what you want us to cover. And for the first time since our founding in 2021, a new topic has emerged.

• For the past three years, you have wanted us to focus on homelessness, affordable housing, and vacation rentals. But this week, transportation emerged to replace vacation rentals as a top-three concern. 
  
  
• Readers told us they are not just concerned about traffic and traffic safety but also want better public transit and bicycling infrastructure. We’ve got our theories as to why that is, but it’s clear our community is expecting leaders to step up with solutions and is excited about the efforts that are already in the works. 

Bottom line: From all of us at The Post, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. Your support has not only helped us reach our fundraising goal for the summer, but it also validates your faith in our mission as a hyper-local community news outlet. We couldn’t do this without you.