Tag Archives: PSPOA

RSA jumps into Palm Springs race

Posted: October 20th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Political Insider | Tags: , , , , ,
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The Riverside Sheriffs’ Association has jumped into the Palm Springs council race, endorsing the position of the Palm Springs Police Officers’ Association.

That means you can expect the well-funded bargaining group to be campaigning for Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, and council challengers Paul Lewin and Liz Glass.

The efforts included at least one round of automated phone calls to voters this week.

The RSA tends to endorse conservative candidates, so it is unusual that the group would join local Democratic clubs in backing Pougnet and Lewin.

The support for Lewin’s campaign is also surprising as Lewin spearheaded the community opposition to the now-shelved plans to build a county jail in Whitewater.

“We have no issue with Mr. Lewin’s disagreement with the county over the specific location of the new jail,” RSA president Pat McNamara told The Desert Sun in an email.

“The bottom line is he supports adding the necessary bed space and the specifics of a location can be worked out when and if the county is ever able to fund it.”

Notable items from the police officers’ endorsement

Posted: September 25th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Political Insider | Tags: , , , , ,
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In case you missed today’s Political Insider, the Palm Springs Police Officers’ Association endorsed Mayor Steve Pougnet and council challenger Paul Lewin in this November’s council elections.

The endorsement is likely to surprise people who have followed the city’s politics.

Consider this:

1. The association chose to endorse only one person in the council race – newcomer Lewin – even though two seats are up for grabs.

2. Both incumbents – Mayor Pro Tem Lee Weigel (a former police chief) and Councilman Rick Hutcheson – had earned the police association’s endorsement in 2007 but didn’t get it this time. Ironically, the elected leaders’ photos still grace the political action section of the association’s website.

3. The police officers’ association supported Pougnet in 2007. But it is certainly notable that he was able to retain that endorsement, even though the 2010 budget forced city officials to shutter the jail, close a fire station and make other cuts to public safety.