The Whitewater Jail: Palm Springs vs Riverside County
Palm Springs, California. Riverside county, its sheriff and Board of Supervisors, are proposing to build a new 7,200 bed prison facility at Whitewater along the main vehicle corridor leading into Palm Springs and Coachella Valley. It would be the second largest community jail facility in the nation. The county is divided into five districts and governed by five supervisors - one from each district. The Whitewater community sits next to the dividing line between Districts 4 and 5. Palm Springs and most of Coachella Valley are in District 4, represented by Supervisor John Benoit. The proposed Whitewater jail facility would be in neighboring District 5, represented by Supervisor Marion Ashley. One Coachella Valley community, Desert Hot Springs, is also in District 5.
Palm Springs and many Coachella Valley supporters oppose the Whitewater location in the belief its presence would adversely affect the tourist-based economy that's so important to the area. County officials claim the Whitewater site is a geographically central location and the one best suited for the new prison facility's location. No one is seriously disputing the need for additional jail facilities, but where its to be located is the issue to be decided. Despite claims a new prison would bring jobs and economic benefits to the area in which its located, no community wants the new prison near them. The only district supervisor supportive of locating a huge prison near the homes and businesses of his constituents is Supervisor Marion Ashley. The Whitewater location is in his district. If built is there any doubt future media coverage of the prison will carry the Palm Springs name?
In a Palm Springs Town Hall meeting Saturday morning, March 26th, representatives from Riverside County and Palm Springs/Coachella Valley faced off in a debate. The 500 seat Camelot Theatre was almost completely filled with interested spectators. The theatre's big screen was perfect for the professionally designed slide shows that accompanied the presentations of each side. County representatives presented a well documented, persuasive argument in support of their decision to locate the new jail in Whitewater. The Palm Springs/Coachella Valley representatives, led by a professional "persuader", had done their homework and their presentation clearly won the day. Part rebuttal, part research data emphasizing local economic adverse impacts, their persuasive arguments would clearly sway any jury. Unfortunately, the jail's location will not be up for a jury decision and instead will undoubtedly be based on political considerations.
Saturday's Town Hall meeting proved it's possible to win a battle but it doesn't follow the war will also be won. And in the case of the proposed prison facility location, it's doubtful Palm Springs/Coachella Valley stands a chance of getting it built elsewhere. The political facts are rather plain. No community wants the jail and therefore none of the other county supervisors have reason to locate it among their constituents. Only Supervisor Marion Ashley favors locating it in his district. There's no reason to expect other than a four to one vote among the supervisors when it comes time to confirm Whitewater as the jail's location.
Palm Springs/Coachella Valley represents approximately twenty percent of the county's voting population and only has one representative among the five supervisors. Opponents of the Whitewater site need to find a much better new location and a way on selling it to county supervisors, officials and residents of the community where it would be built. The Press-Enterprise is Riverside County's leading newspaper when it comes to influencing county issues. Whitewater location opponents need to enlist that paper's strong voice in support of their cause. Identifying a better site location - in a willing community - enlisting influential newspaper support! Is there any other way of turning this thing around?
Palm Springs/Coachella Valley has articulated highly persuasive arguments against locating a new 7,200 bed prison facility on their doorstep. But the issue is not one that will be decided in debating forums. It's one about political realities and that's why the battle Palm Springs/Coachella Valley won on Saturday probably may not lead to winning the war.
Bond Shands
Palm Springs
Palm Springs and many Coachella Valley supporters oppose the Whitewater location in the belief its presence would adversely affect the tourist-based economy that's so important to the area. County officials claim the Whitewater site is a geographically central location and the one best suited for the new prison facility's location. No one is seriously disputing the need for additional jail facilities, but where its to be located is the issue to be decided. Despite claims a new prison would bring jobs and economic benefits to the area in which its located, no community wants the new prison near them. The only district supervisor supportive of locating a huge prison near the homes and businesses of his constituents is Supervisor Marion Ashley. The Whitewater location is in his district. If built is there any doubt future media coverage of the prison will carry the Palm Springs name?
In a Palm Springs Town Hall meeting Saturday morning, March 26th, representatives from Riverside County and Palm Springs/Coachella Valley faced off in a debate. The 500 seat Camelot Theatre was almost completely filled with interested spectators. The theatre's big screen was perfect for the professionally designed slide shows that accompanied the presentations of each side. County representatives presented a well documented, persuasive argument in support of their decision to locate the new jail in Whitewater. The Palm Springs/Coachella Valley representatives, led by a professional "persuader", had done their homework and their presentation clearly won the day. Part rebuttal, part research data emphasizing local economic adverse impacts, their persuasive arguments would clearly sway any jury. Unfortunately, the jail's location will not be up for a jury decision and instead will undoubtedly be based on political considerations.
Saturday's Town Hall meeting proved it's possible to win a battle but it doesn't follow the war will also be won. And in the case of the proposed prison facility location, it's doubtful Palm Springs/Coachella Valley stands a chance of getting it built elsewhere. The political facts are rather plain. No community wants the jail and therefore none of the other county supervisors have reason to locate it among their constituents. Only Supervisor Marion Ashley favors locating it in his district. There's no reason to expect other than a four to one vote among the supervisors when it comes time to confirm Whitewater as the jail's location.
Palm Springs/Coachella Valley represents approximately twenty percent of the county's voting population and only has one representative among the five supervisors. Opponents of the Whitewater site need to find a much better new location and a way on selling it to county supervisors, officials and residents of the community where it would be built. The Press-Enterprise is Riverside County's leading newspaper when it comes to influencing county issues. Whitewater location opponents need to enlist that paper's strong voice in support of their cause. Identifying a better site location - in a willing community - enlisting influential newspaper support! Is there any other way of turning this thing around?
Palm Springs/Coachella Valley has articulated highly persuasive arguments against locating a new 7,200 bed prison facility on their doorstep. But the issue is not one that will be decided in debating forums. It's one about political realities and that's why the battle Palm Springs/Coachella Valley won on Saturday probably may not lead to winning the war.
Bond Shands
Palm Springs
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Posted by Desert Observer at 3/27/2011 10:18 AM 
Categories: Opinion, Politics
Tags: Whitewater Prison Facility Supervisor Marion Ashley Supervisor John Benoit
Categories: Opinion, Politics
Tags: Whitewater Prison Facility Supervisor Marion Ashley Supervisor John Benoit
Bond, Great insights and advice. Thank you! I also appreciated yourcomments on the Steve Kelly show the other day.
Please continue to give us input, it is truly wecome.
For Immediate Release Please Contact CVCU
For More Information (760) 567-8068
COACHELLA VALLEY CITIZENS UNITED (CVCU) APPLAUDES DECISION
BY SUPERVISORS ASHLEY & BENOIT TO ABANDON HUB-JAIL FACILITY
April 6, 2011 – Palm Springs, CA: Representatives from Coachella Valley Citizens United expressed their praise of Riverside County Board of Supervisors Marion Ashley and John J. Benoit for their joint rcommendation this morning to halt planning for the County’s proposed Hub-Jail in Whitewater, and to reconsider other options that could add jail beds faster and at a lower cost for the Sheriff’s Department. During the past several months the debate over the proposed Whitewater jail facility has heated up between County and Sheriffs’ Department representatives and the organizers of CVCU and the Palm Springs Desert Resortcommunities Convention & Visitors Authority (CVA) over the potential adverse impact the proposed Hub-Jail would have on the entire Coachella Valley.
CVCU spokesperson Paul Lewin stated that “I am obviously delighted by the news from the Supervisors this morning. Given the very challenging budgetary conditions that the Supervisors are facing, I believe they made both a prudent fiscal decision, as well as listening to the voices of their constituents who raised real concerns about the potential negative impact of the Hub-Jail on the economy of the entire Coachella Valley and the ecology of the delicate wildlife corridor of the inter-mountain pass” Lewin added that he was proud of the opposition’s campaign against the Hub-Jail location in that it always remained respectful and supportive of our Sheriff’s department and law enforcement officers. “I hope now we can begin a new dialog with the Sheriff’s department and County officials and how we can best expand existing jail facilities using a more cost-effective model that can provide the additional jail beds that Sheriff Sniff needs to properly operate his department”, said Lewin.
Lewin went on to state that he and the other stakeholders and supporters of CVCU were appreciative of the efforts of Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet as well as othercommunity leaders and elected officials in their support of the opposition to the Hub-Jail. “This is truly a great day for the Coachella Valley and it shows the positive effects that a grass-roots campaign can really have on acommunity.”
Coachella Valley Citizens United is a non-profit unincorporated California association. You may visit its website at wwwMoveThatJail.org.
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