Longtime La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans is seeking a seventh term in office, but she will have to defeat two contenders to maintain her role.
First elected in 2014, Evans has served six consecutive terms, but real estate agent Lynne Langdon and local resident Suzanne Espinoza-Jimenez hope to end her run.
For her day job, Evans works as the chief strategy officer of community advocacy for the Desert Care Network.
Langdon moved with her husband, Harry, to La Quinta from Beverly Hills in 2020 and clashed with the city over atrellis that ran alongside their backyard pool. In a much-publicized dispute, they successfully overturned in court a $200 administrative citation over the structure, which the city had improperly claimed was substandard.
Little information
is available online about Espinoza-Jimenez. She does not appear to have a traditional campaign website and she did not respond to an email from The Desert Sun requesting details about her biography.
The Desert Sun sent a questionnaire to all the candidates asking them about how they would lead the city. View their answers below.
What is one recent decision made by the current city council that you would have handled differently, and why?
Linda Evans (incumbent)
None. Our public process allows for input from our community, open discussion, and evaluation of benefits and impact for the informed decisions we make.
Lynne Langdon
One decision I would have handled MUCH differently is the new 2025 SilverRock agreement with Turnbridge Equities (TBE). After years of financial losses, missed deadlines, and the bankruptcy of previous developer Robert Green, the mayor and council should have learned a critical lesson: negotiate agreements that protect La Quinta.
Instead, they agreed to give away 90% of the city’s top revenue (TOT) to the Developer for 10 years, followed by 60% for five more years! Based on projections that is approximately $120 million back to the developer while the city receives only $30 million over those first 15 years. (Editor's Note: The city estimated the hotel would generate roughly $301.9 million in combined sales, property and lodging taxes over the next 30 year.) This fails to adequately cover for years of losses, legal fees, bankruptcy proceedings and property maintenance costs. TBE already acquired a deal on the property through bankruptcy at $65 million.
I would have pushed for a 50-50 revenue split and enforceable deadlines with firm financial penalties for noncompliance. Green was granted a ridiculous amount of extensions despite repeatedly missing deadlines. We should not repeat that mistake by giving TBE an even more favorable deal without sufficient protections.
Mayor Linda Evans has repeatedly accepted campaign contributions from developers, including Green, who threw her a party. These financial ties raise legitimate questions about whose interests are being prioritized.
I have closed multimillion-dollar real-estate deals and understand contracts, negotiations and keeping people accountable to deadlines. As mayor, I will protect our public revenue, and demand a fair return for La Quinta — not gamble our financial future on promises.
Suzanne Espinoza-Jimenez
I would have handled the approval of the new hotel near the library and Old Town La Quinta — the one planned with roughly 180 rooms and 20 cabanas — differently. While I understand the potential to attract tourists, my priority is ensuring our existing small businesses around Old Town are supported and thriving first. We need to evaluate their needs and make sure they are positioned to succeed before introducing direct competition right across the street.
The city has limited resources. If you had to choose, what would be your top budget priority and what would receive less funding so that priority could be funded?
Lynne Langdon
My budget priority will always be public safety. People don’t want to live in a city where they don’t feel safe! I am pro-police. I believe our residents’ safety and well-being should never be compromised because of budgetary decisions. (Editor's note: The city of La Quinta does not have its own independent police force, but services are contracted through, and serviced by, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department based out of the Thermal Station in Thermal, about 10 miles east of La Quinta City Hall.)
If I needed to identify areas where we could reduce spending to protect essential services, I would examine our outside consultants, professional services, and legal expenses. I would determine whether we’re getting the best value for our money and whether some of these services could be provided effectively by qualified local professionals at a lower cost.
I also would take a hard look at nonessential expenditures, including travel, memberships and discretionary programs, to determine whether those expenses should take priority over essential services.
Our current City Council repeatedly urges residents to shop locally to support our economy. Yet, they spend taxpayer dollars on outside city attorneys and consultants from Irvine and other locations. They should be leading by example and asking whether qualified professionals here in the Coachella Valley could do the job just as well.
I’m not suggesting we hire someone simply because they’re local. Qualifications, performance and cost come first. But when local professionals can deliver comparable quality and value, we should give them serious consideration.
In conclusion, to me, public safety comes first, essential services must be protected and every taxpayer dollar should be spent responsibly. We should eliminate unnecessary costs before asking residents to accept less protection or essential services.
Linda Evans (incumbent)
Collectively, our council has evaluated and agreed upon priorities as part of our annual budget and strategic planning process. We determine our priorities, such as investment in public safety, infrastructure, housing and development and we work to ensure funding is secured through our available resources. Measure G tax revenue has provided the ability to accelerate many priorities that result in an enhanced quality of life for our residents and visitors.
Suzanne Espinoza-Jimenez
My top budget priority would be expanding city-backed youth and family support programs to ensure our kids get the resources they need outside the classroom. To fund these critical programs, my lesser priority would be major roadway projects, like non-essential expansions along the Highway 111 corridor, where we can phase or scale back infrastructure spending to put our children and families first.
If elected, what is one promise you are making to voters that they can use to evaluate your performance at the end of your term?
Suzanne Espinoza-Jimenez
While a mayor doesn't run the school district, a mayor does control our city parks, libraries and after-school programs. My promise is to use those city spaces and programs to actively support our kids' learning so we see better grades and stronger academic standing. At the end of my term, evaluate me on whether our city-backed youth initiatives measurably improved student success and set our kids up for a better future.
Lynne Langdon
I promise to ask the difficult questions, demand accountability and work toward decisions that protect the long-term interests of our community. At the end of my term, If residents are able to look at the city’s finances, the projects we’ve undertaken, and the decisions we’ve made and say, ‘We’re in a better position today because our mayor put the residents and the financial health of our city first,’ then that will be the best measure of my success.
Linda Evans (incumbent)
I will continue to commit the time and effort needed to again serve as Mayor. La Quinta is currently ranked #7 of 400 cities in the state for its fiscal health (Editor's Note: According to the California Policy Center, La Quinta was tied for second place with three other cities for overall fiscal strength). In addition to a balanced budget, our reserves are fully funded, our pension obligations are paid down, and we have completed major infrastructure projects such as Dune Palms bridge, pavement of Hwy 111 (and many roads), and Fritz Burns Park remodel. Millions have been invested in our roads and medians, and funds have been dedicated to support the unhoused, food insecure, North La Quinta landscaping, city-wide medians, flood control systems, parks, shade, and events for residents and visitors to enjoy. We will continue to ensure our city is safe as we value and collaborate with our police and fire services.
Sam Morgen covers local government for The Desert Sun. Reach him at smorgen@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Who is running against longtime La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans?
