The Measure J Oversight Commission on May 22 recommended a budget for fiscal years 2025–27 and forwarded 21 community-initiated project applications totaling about $5,990,000 to the City Council for final approval.

The recommendation came after nine months of applications and reviews and a commission meeting that lasted more than three hours, chair Peter Sipkins told the joint meeting of the Palm Springs City Council and the Measure J Oversight Commission.

“The commissioners unanimously voted to recommend the Measure J budget for the next two fiscal years as prepared and presented,” Sipkins said. He told the council the commission received 52 applications this cycle seeking about $18.5 million, far exceeding the available funds.

Commission and staff presentations described a two-year Measure J spending plan that aims to maintain street maintenance funding, support design work for major city projects and continue community grants. The commission recommended $8.5 million for street maintenance in FY26 and $9.5 million in FY27; it also recommended design funding for the convention center and Fire Station No. 1 and set aside $1 million for community-initiated projects in FY26 and $2 million in FY27.

Director of Finance Chris Mooney described the Measure J revenue picture as conservative and tied the recommended line items to that outlook. “Measure J is a 1% local tax…$21,800,000 is projection for sales tax fiscal year ’26,” Mooney said during his presentation. He warned the recommended FY26 budget would produce a deficit on paper because of major one-time design and planning expenditures tied to citywide projects and debt service.

The commission also proposed a $50,000 allocation for communications to help the public see Measure J projects at work and to attribute completed projects to the tax revenue.

Several community applicants spoke during public testimony before the joint presentation. Representatives of Desert Performs outlined plans to renovate the midcentury First Church of Christ Scientist, designed in 1957 by Chambers and Frey, into a 131-seat Desert Playhouse and said they were requesting $250,000 in Measure J grant funds for accessibility upgrades, electrical improvements and site work. Michael Shaw, founding artistic director of Desert Performs, said the group purchased the building in December 2024 and that the project would preserve the structure’s midcentury character while converting it to a performance venue.

The commission also recommended funding for a Filipino-American mural at DeMuth (sometimes spelled Demuth) Park and a DeMuth Park dog-park expansion, among other neighborhood and cultural projects. Speakers representing Filipino community groups emphasized the mural’s cultural and historical value to veterans, healthcare workers and long-standing Filipino families in the Veterans Tract neighborhood.

Not every project was recommended. Commissioners said they intentionally selected a mix of grants and city-managed projects, preferring some applications because they required less city staff time to implement or scored higher against the ordinance’s criteria. The commission will forward the recommended projects and the budget to the council for appropriation as part of the city’s June budget hearings.

Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein moved to accept the commission’s report and recommendation; Mayor Pro Tem seconded and the council voted to accept the recommendation.

The oversight commission’s chair and staff repeatedly urged better liaison structures between the council and the Measure J commission to align recommendations with council priorities going forward, noting the commission often had to “guess” council intent.

What’s next: The council will consider Measure J appropriations as part of the city’s overall budget adoption process in June. Staff flagged that several recommended community projects will require additional vetting, agreements and, where applicable, reimbursement-style grant contracts or city-conducted project delivery.