New Leaders Stiff LGBT Event

I recently had the pleasure of being a representative of my company Saturday at Palm Springs Pride. There was a great atmosphere as thousands of people went downtown to take advantage of beautiful weather and it was a lovely day in Palm Springs.

While I was there, I looked for and could not find both State Senator Elect Jeff Stone and Assemblyman-Elect Chad Mayes at the event. I can confirm that both newly elected officials were invited to the event and both no showed both Pride Saturday and the parade on Sunday. 

Because of re-districting Palm Springs. a stronghold of liberal Democrats and LBGT friendly groups, is now located in GOP leaning Assembly and State Senate districts. One would think however, that both Mayes and Stone would make at least a pro forma effort to reach out to an important city in their districts. But alas that was not to be.

The election of 2 very conservative legislators from a minority party in Sacramento does not bode well for state funding for projects in Palm Springs. Local leaders will have to use contacts in local Democratic clubs or perhaps reach out to the new Democratic Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia from the East Valley for help with the Brown administration.

All this comes in a week when the local paper wrote an editorial about the triumph of "moderates" in recent California elections. By definition a moderate is a tolerant person. Perhaps someone needs to tell Jeff Stone and Chad Mayes that.