<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="https://stevedownsranchomirage.com/sitemaps_video_xsl.xsl"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9" xmlns:video="http://www.google.com/schemas/sitemap-video/1.1">
<url>
<loc>https://stevedownsranchomirage.com/</loc>
<video:video>
<video:thumbnail_loc>https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tAiuAJMywlg/hqdefault.jpg</video:thumbnail_loc>
<video:title><![CDATA[December 2023 Rancho Mirage City Council Appointment - Steve Downs, Rancho Mirage]]></video:title>
<video:description><![CDATA[Hi, everyone. Steve Downs, Rancho Mirage City Council. In December of 2023, City Council made an appointment to fill the remaining term of Richard Kite after Richard retired and stepped down from service on council.

While it is the case that council did cite a cost of more than $100,000 to conduct a special election, this is not the primary reason for the appointment versus holding a special election. It&#039;s important to set the record straight. The primary reason had to do with timing, and here are the timing issues.

Just under one year remained in his term when Richard stepped down. The term ran to November 5th of 2024. The earliest that a special election could have been held would have been early April of 2024, and the earliest that the winner of such a special election could have taken the oath of office would have been early May of 2024. This means that it would have been 11 and one-half months until the next election, and we would have gone five and one-half of those 11 and one-half months with only four and not five council members.

That also means we would not have had a full council to do the business of the city for almost 50% of the remaining term of the open office. Here&#039;s an example of how the business of the city might have been affected. At the first council meeting that same November of 2023, two Council members had to recuse themselves on an agenda matter dealing with a development request. Had that happened with only four versus five council members, we would have been in the position of tabling that issue for some months until we would have been at full strength.

I don&#039;t think that kind of delay would have been in the best interest of the city or the developer. The next timing issue is that if we had conducted a special election, the winner would have taken office in early May and would almost immediately have begun planning for yet another election campaign for the November election cycle.

The last timing issue is that the voters will make th]]></video:description>
<video:content_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAiuAJMywlg]]></video:content_loc>
<video:player_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAiuAJMywlg]]></video:player_loc>
<video:duration>172</video:duration>
<video:view_count><![CDATA[11]]></video:view_count>
<video:publication_date><![CDATA[2024-07-15T19:42:26Z]]></video:publication_date>
<video:family_friendly>yes</video:family_friendly>
</video:video>
<video:video>
<video:thumbnail_loc>https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FhaOa2SslYw/hqdefault.jpg</video:thumbnail_loc>
<video:title><![CDATA["Rancho Mirage at Fifty" City Book Highlighting Rancho Mirage History - Steve Downs, City Council]]></video:title>
<video:description><![CDATA[Hi everyone, Steve Downs here from the Rancho Mirage City Council. We recently celebrated a big milestone &ndash; the 50th anniversary of Rancho Mirage. To mark this special occasion, we gave a unique gift to our residents: a book called &ldquo;Rancho Mirage at Fifty.&rdquo;

This book takes us through the history of our city from the beginning to now. It&rsquo;s filled with stories and achievements that show how Rancho Mirage has grown into the vibrant place we love today. It&#039;s a look back at our past and also shines a light on our future.

From our idyllic ranch lands to becoming known as &quot;the playground of the presidents&quot;, Rancho Mirage has transformed into a beautiful desert oasis that both residents and visitors cherish. The book is full of photos and tales that really bring our city&rsquo;s story to life.

We&#039;ve heard from many of you who loved the book and we&#039;re so glad it was well received. My colleagues and I are proud to have made this gift possible for everyone in our community.

If you live in Rancho Mirage and haven&rsquo;t gotten your copy of the book yet, please contact city hall. You can either call us or come by, and we&rsquo;ll make sure you get your copy.

Looking forward, let&rsquo;s keep the spirit of our city alive and well. Here&rsquo;s to continuing to build a great community together. Thank you all for being a part of Rancho Mirage.

Steve Downs | Mayor of Rancho Mirage

Subscribe to stay informed and engaged with city matters.

https://stevedownsranchomirage.com
https://www.facebook.com/stevedownsranchomirage
https://www.ranchomirage.com/stevedownsranchomirage
https://www.x.com/stevedownsrm
https://www.threads.net/stevedownsranchomirage]]></video:description>
<video:content_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhaOa2SslYw]]></video:content_loc>
<video:player_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhaOa2SslYw]]></video:player_loc>
<video:duration>163</video:duration>
<video:view_count><![CDATA[17]]></video:view_count>
<video:publication_date><![CDATA[2024-07-12T23:21:21Z]]></video:publication_date>
<video:family_friendly>yes</video:family_friendly>
</video:video>
<video:video>
<video:thumbnail_loc>https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ol3fsUAw1kU/hqdefault.jpg</video:thumbnail_loc>
<video:title><![CDATA[Continuing Strong Public Safety in Rancho Mirage: Mayor Steve Downs Discusses New Strategies]]></video:title>
<video:description><![CDATA[In my role on the Rancho Mirage City Council, I&#039;ve delved deeply into the intricacies of maintaining public safety, which I believe is the most crucial responsibility we hold. Historically, our city has enjoyed a lower-than-average violent crime rate, a testament to the effectiveness of our community-focused policing and proactive measures. However, we face a challenge with property crime rates, which are higher than average. This situation arises from several unique factors inherent to Rancho Mirage&#039;s demographic and geographic makeup.

Our city attracts a wealthier population with higher average household incomes and home values compared to the broader Coachella Valley. Additionally, Rancho Mirage boasts a significant number of second homes, many of which remain unoccupied for parts of the year. These homes, filled with valuable possessions, present a tempting target for criminals, essentially making our community a target-rich environment for property crimes.

Addressing this issue has required a dual approach. First, we&#039;ve increased the number of law enforcement officers patrolling our streets. This increase isn&#039;t just about having more boots on the ground; it&#039;s about creating a visible presence that acts as a deterrent while also enhancing our response capabilities. In a recent budget cycle, we made a strategic decision to boost our officer-to-population ratio to just over two deputies per 1,000 residents, significantly higher than the average across the nine Coachella Valley cities.

Second, equipping our officers with the right tools is crucial. Our law enforcement team has identified Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) as the single most important tool in their arsenal. These devices are sophisticated pieces of technology capable of capturing images of vehicles and their license plates, converting these images into alphanumeric data, and checking this data against a database of vehicles involved in or related to criminal activities. Importantly, these ar]]></video:description>
<video:content_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol3fsUAw1kU]]></video:content_loc>
<video:player_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol3fsUAw1kU]]></video:player_loc>
<video:duration>163</video:duration>
<video:view_count><![CDATA[14]]></video:view_count>
<video:publication_date><![CDATA[2024-07-12T00:20:08Z]]></video:publication_date>
<video:family_friendly>yes</video:family_friendly>
</video:video>
<video:video>
<video:thumbnail_loc>https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2kZfg8dypzc/hqdefault.jpg</video:thumbnail_loc>
<video:title><![CDATA[Core Values That Make Rancho Mirage the Best Small City in America - Steve Downs]]></video:title>
<video:description><![CDATA[Today, I want to talk about the core values that make Rancho Mirage one of the best small cities in America.

Rancho Mirage is a city known nationwide for Gracious Living and Distinctive Development.

Over 50 years ago, on August 3rd, 1973, during the first Rancho Mirage City Council meeting, our first mayor, William Rawitzer, expressed a vision for our city. He declared that the new city council was devoted to making Rancho Mirage &quot;a city known nationwide for gracious living and distinctive development&quot;. This sentiment from our first mayor continues to resonate through the decades and remains at the heart of our city&#039;s mission.

a city known nationwide for gracious living and distinctive development.
William Rawitzer

Rancho Mirage City Council Guided on Principles

These foundational principles inspire and guide current city council members, instilling a dedication to the core values that we uphold today. These values include:

Good Governance: Ensuring transparent, accountable, and effective leadership.

Strong City Management: Maintaining efficient and responsive city operations.

Solid Fiscal Responsibility: Prudent management of city finances to ensure long-term sustainability.

Commitment to Public Safety: Prioritizing the safety and well-being of our residents.

Best-in-Class City Planning: Thoughtful and innovative urban development to enhance quality of life.

Excellence in Public Service: Delivering top-tier services and amenities to our community.

Rancho Mirage Residents Rely on Traditions of Excellence

The residents of Rancho Mirage have come to rely on this tradition of excellence. Along with my council colleagues, I am proud to serve the people of our city and to uphold these values. These principles guide us at every city council meeting and every election, ensuring that Rancho Mirage remains a remarkable small city and one of the most desirable places to live in America.

Thank you for watching, and let&#039;s all do our part in maintaining and buildin]]></video:description>
<video:content_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kZfg8dypzc]]></video:content_loc>
<video:player_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kZfg8dypzc]]></video:player_loc>
<video:duration>117</video:duration>
<video:view_count><![CDATA[36]]></video:view_count>
<video:publication_date><![CDATA[2024-05-19T00:58:08Z]]></video:publication_date>
<video:family_friendly>yes</video:family_friendly>
</video:video>
<video:video>
<video:thumbnail_loc>https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LolPUJxUpfY/hqdefault.jpg</video:thumbnail_loc>
<video:title><![CDATA[Paying Our Rent - Why I Serve Rancho Mirage]]></video:title>
<video:description><![CDATA[Rancho Mirage, the Best Small City in America.

Hello everyone,

I&#039;m Steve Downs, and I have the privilege of serving on the Rancho Mirage City Council. I truly believe that our city is the best small city in America. We are a resident-focused, fiscally responsible city that delivers best-in-class city planning, public safety, and public works.

A Small Gem that We Must Protect

Rancho Mirage is a remarkable small gem, and we must protect our quality of life while planning for the future. Our city&#039;s dedication to excellence in these areas ensures that we maintain the high standards that make Rancho Mirage such a wonderful place to live.

I serve on the council because I have a deep belief in public service. Together with my wife Geri, we built a small business in Rancho Mirage. The community supported us, helped us grow and prosper, and became our friends. Our children followed us to the desert, and we&#039;ve enjoyed a great life here. Today, our roots run deep in this city, giving me a strong sense of civic pride and duty.

Community Service is the Rent We Pay

One of my guiding principles in public service comes from a quote by Muhammad Ali, who was a leader in his community and a moral compass for many. He said, &quot;Community service is the rent that we pay for the room that we take on this earth.&quot; I believe in paying my rent, and that&rsquo;s why I serve this city.

Community service is the rent that we pay for the room that we take on this earth.
Muhammad Ali

My commitment to Rancho Mirage is unwavering, and I plan to continue serving as long as the voters will have me. Let&#039;s all do our part in paying our rent and contributing to the betterment of our community.

Stay tuned for more updates on the latest news and developments in Rancho Mirage. 

Steve Downs | Mayor of Rancho Mirage

Subscribe to stay informed and engaged with city matters.

https://stevedownsranchomirage.com
https://www.youtube.com/@stevedownsranchomirage
https://www.facebook.com/stevedownsranchomirage
h]]></video:description>
<video:content_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LolPUJxUpfY]]></video:content_loc>
<video:player_loc><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LolPUJxUpfY]]></video:player_loc>
<video:duration>101</video:duration>
<video:view_count><![CDATA[26]]></video:view_count>
<video:publication_date><![CDATA[2024-05-19T00:30:51Z]]></video:publication_date>
<video:family_friendly>yes</video:family_friendly>
</video:video>
</url>
</urlset>