On March 24, Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez pleaded guilty to a felony conflict-of-interest charge related to his mayoral duties—permanently barring him from holding public office in California. On April 22, the City Council appointed one of its own, Frank Figueroa, to serve as interim mayor.
On Nov. 3, Coachella voters will select between four candidates to serve a two-year term—Figueroa, City Councilmember Denise Delgado, and residents Jesus Gonzalez and Francisco Molina.
According to Delgado’s campaign website, “Denise was raised in Coachella and attended Peter Pendleton Elementary School, Bobby Duke Middle School, and Coachella Valley High School. … At the age of 20, Denise, a single pregnant mother, relocated from Coachella to Belcamp, Md., achieving a better wage and advancement opportunities to provide for her soon to be born daughter, Abril.” It was a position with Saks Fifth Avenue that took her to Maryland, and in ensuing years, she worked for Ace Hardware and Target as well. She attended Strayer University in Maryland, an online university, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics. She returned to school to teach and earn a master’s degree in secondary education from Grand Canyon University. She’s currently working on her second master’s degree, in local government, at the University of Southern California.
Frank Figueroa, a Coachella City Council member since 2022, is the first openly gay candidate to be elected in the city. Now 33, Figueroa has served on the Borrego Health board of trustees and the DAP Health board of directors. He has more than a decade of experience in higher-education administration, serving in multiple finance-related roles in the University of California system. According to his UC Riverside website profile, “Figueroa holds a doctor of education in organizational leadership from the University of Massachusetts Global, a master of public administration from California Baptist University, and a bachelor of arts in Latin American studies and political science from the University of California, Riverside. Currently, he is serving as academic resource manager in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UC Riverside.” He is also the current board secretary for the Friends of the Children-Coachella Valley.
Jesus “Kino” Gonzalez’s LinkedIn profile states, in part, “Jesus Ahkin Gonzalez is a public policy professional with experience in the California Legislature, county government, and campaign leadership. As the public policy lead for Blue Zones Coachella, he works to advance policies that promote healthier, more sustainable communities. Jesus has contributed to major legislative efforts advancing California’s climate goals. He played a key role in Proposition 4 (2024), a $10 billion climate resources bond. … He also contributed to AB 1373 (2023), which established central procurement for offshore wind and geothermal, securing long-term investments in grid reliability and decarbonization. Additionally, Jesus has been actively involved in Salton Sea restoration and Lithium Valley policy, balancing sustainable lithium extraction with environmental protection to support California’s clean energy transition. … He holds a B.A. in political science and public policy from Pitzer College and obtained a master of public administration at the University of Southern California in June 2026.”
(Also worth noting: Gonzalez and Vicente Zamora, a candidate for the Coachella City Council, launched a recall attempt of Delgado and Councilmember Yadira Perez over the City Council’s agreement with the Stronghold data-center development.)
Francisco “Frankie” Molina is the final candidate. His LinkedIn profile says: “I’m drawn to problems that are hard, ambiguous, and worth solving. The industry doesn’t matter to me. If the problem is interesting and the upside is real, I’m in.” Since 2020, he has started two companies. The first, Gold-Minded LLC, founded originally in 2020 as a music record label, was re-established earlier this year as a holding company managing subsidiaries in electrical services and technology. In January, Molina launched Coachella Valley Home Reset, a household service provider; he’s held a variety of other jobs.
The Independent reached out to the four candidates to ask each of them the same slate of seven questions—and we talked to three of the candidates. The exception was Denise Delgado. Although her campaign manager agreed to a date and time for a phone interview, no one answered the phone at the appointed time. Multiple calls, a text and an email went unanswered for three days, when the Independent received an email from a man who identified himself as the new campaign manager. He apologized for Delgado’s failure to make herself available, and then requested that we send the set of questions for pre-interview. After we told him that was against the Independent’s policy, we never heard back.
The Independent recently spoke with three of the candidates and asked them the same set of seven questions. Here are their answers in their entirety (with one noted exception), edited only for grammar, clarity and style.
Frank Figueroa
What are the two most pressing issues facing Coachella residents? If elected, how do you hope to address them?
Currently, one of the biggest issues is transparency in local government, and residents’ trust in local government. Second of all, it’s the economic development and growth of the city, but I think the big piece is the economic development and growth of the city. But, for me, it’s: How do we make precise economic development post-data center and electricity issues? Economic development and infrastructure is a combined piece, because you can’t have one without the other.
Why do you believe that your life experience makes you the best qualified candidate to be the mayor of Coachella?
You know, Kevin, I grew up in Coachella. I first grew up in Thermal … on K.K. Larson and Corky Larson’s farm on Avenue 56 in Thermal, and then I moved to Coachella. I grew up in Coachella, and my family grew up here. We’ve been farmworkers. So, I can say I started from a mobile home park (and rose) to the mayor’s office. And I’ve seen that whole trajectory of what it is like to live in Coachella, right? And what are residents really looking for in a leader post-scandal, post everything. Residents want someone who truly knows who they are.
You know, Coachella is changing every day, and it’s new people coming in. But, for someone like myself and my lived experience, how do we get from being farmworkers to being able to move on to that trajectory? I’m the only candidate who has a Ph.D. I’m the only candidate who has this lived experience, (and) I’m a public servant through and through. I worked for the state, and for the University of California, and I understand everyone’s money is very important to them. And when their taxpayer dollars are being spent in the wrong places, they want to know what’s going on.
I think for me, I have a steady, humble approach. I’m focused on the fundamentals of keeping the city’s finances in order, maintaining infrastructure, and making sure that residents feel heard at City Hall. For me, that’s really who I am, and what I bring to the table. I’ve seen it. I grew up in it, and I know what some people face day in and day out, living paycheck to paycheck.
But really, I’m looking at the future. What is Coachella going to look like in the next 20 years? I know that I’m running for a two-year term, but those two years can make a big impact on what Coachella looks like in the next decade. And I want to make sure that those children who drive (into) downtown Coachella and drive on all the main arteries of Coachella are able to be just like me and say, “You know what? Look, Coachella’s changed for the better, and look where it’s going.” And it was because of the former elected officials, former people who sat in the same seats who were thinking about us, the people, right? So, I’m bringing that perspective. I’m thinking about the people. I’m not thinking about developers. I’m not thinking about personal gain. I’m not in it for myself. I’m in it for the people of Coachella, because the people of Coachella put me here first. And yes, I was appointed to become mayor once the vacancy occurred. But the people of Coachella showed up to those appointments and said, “We want him to be there. Just appoint him. Why are we going back and forth with this?”
I’m here for them, because I am them. … The title of mayor holds a lot of weight, and you have to make sure that you’re doing it for the people, because at the end of the day, the mayor is the person who people see as someone that’s going to be able to lead them, and (they want to) be able to see themselves in (a mayor), right? I want people to know that you can also be mayor. I didn’t ever think I was going to become mayor, right? But, this is where I started. I started from humble beginnings and, like I said, I started … from a mobile home park and a ranch, (and rose) to the mayor’s office in Coachella. I’ve seen the whole gamut. I’m a people’s person, and until the end of (my) time serving, whenever that might be, I’m always going to be for the people first. What their focus is, is what I want.
Sorry, I went on a tangent. I’m very passionate about this office.
In light of former Coachella Mayor Steve Hernandez having pled guilty to a felony charge of conflict of interest, and in light of the City Council’s initial approval of a data center project that motivated city residents to mobilize and force the city’s termination of that agreement: If elected, how do you intend to restore the credibility of, and restore voters’ trust in, the Coachella mayor’s office and the city’s administration overall? Please reference specific actions you could take.
Well, I think I’ve already shown that in serving as the mayor. I’ve stewarded the movement of this (transition). … I became mayor, and right after that, the whole data center meeting started. It shows my leadership that we were able to move through it. But also, as a leader, I was able to work with the community, right? We didn’t just say, “Oh yeah, we’re gonna cut this.” We had to listen to them, and that’s leadership. I listened to people, and I owned up to what I did. Other people, not so much. It took them longer to say, “Yeah, I did that.” But at the end of the day … if I’m elected again to become mayor for another two years, what we need to make sure we’re doing is (creating) transparency … out of the mayor’s office, but also transparency in the administration of City Hall. Because right now, what’s going on is people have this (impression where) they think City Hall is just doing things in secret, and that type of time is gone. It doesn’t belong here in Coachella anymore. We need to show people what’s going on. How are we working for them? What are those updates that they’re looking for? And making sure that at City Council meetings, there are up-to-date reports; there’s transparency, (so) people are able to see what’s working for them. How can they be more involved, and where do they need to be vocal?
Also, for me, it’s working with local organization groups. I need to make sure I’m working with those community groups—for example, Viva La Causa, which is a community group that really focused on, and really was the prime driver of, the of the data center ban. They’re the ones who rang the alarm. And, it’s working with people like that, that’s going … to create that bridge with the community and restore trust. Because trust isn’t going to get restored by just saying, “Yeah, I’m transparent,” or, “I’ve been pushing for this.” No. Where are the actions? The actions are going to the community. … The first thing I’m going to make sure I’m doing is working with the community. One big idea I have is creating a mayor’s council that includes community members, so that we’re able to do roundtables as a community, where it’s the mayor, the city manager, and directors from the city (coming) together with involved community members who have issues. I know that they can come to City Council meetings, but sometimes people feel more comfortable in a meeting that’s intended to support them, and that helps to generate that (sense of) community.
(There’s) one other thing that has caught my attention that potentially we can do here in Coachella. Palm Springs has a model of neighborhood councils or neighborhood community groups. We have a lot of communities here in Coachella where we could potentially have that opportunity. The city is already going to neighborhoods and having community meetings about their lighting and maintenance districts. We can go a step further. I envision utilizing that same format to go out to communities and saying, “This is a community format. We’re inviting you to come to the community center in Bagdouma Park, or to the library, or host a roundtable for your neighborhood (on) this day to be informed of what’s going on, and include transparency.” So, those are the things that people want. People have been saying that in the last few City Council meetings. They want more information, because sometimes a City Council meeting has action items and policy-making, (while) some of the things that they’re looking for are more intended for a workshop. We need to do more study sessions, but also focus on what people are looking for. I think the city can drive certain conversations, but we also have to let the residents drive the conversation. I think that’s what they’re really looking for, and also (what) I want to work (on) with them. What is it that they’re looking for to drive the conversation? What is the community input that they want? And that’s why, for me, you have to take community input, right? You have to use community feedback to make decisions with the residents at the table, and that’s one of the pillars for why I’m running for mayor. It’s to use the community feedback to listen first, communicate clearly, and make decisions with the residents at the table. Because if residents aren’t at the table, then then they feel that City Hall is still continuing to hide and make decisions without being transparent.
In light of former Mayor Hernandez’s conviction, do you believe that Coachella should switch from the directly-elected mayor model, to the revolving-mayor-for-a-year approach currently employed by the majority of Coachella Valley cities?
Coachella had that model up until the mid-2000s. Then there was a special election where this went to the ballot, and the residents said, “Yeah, we want a direct elected mayor.” If the residents want the switch, I would gladly support it. And I think … some people can have that perspective, right? For me, it would give a different mayor every year. But also, (there’s) one thing about a directly elected mayor—and I’ve been seeing the conversation in Palm Springs—is when you have a strong mayor role, you have an individual who is able to guide and lead with the City Council. What happens, if you rotate every year, is it becomes ceremonial. And yes, the mayor has certain duties in the people’s charter. You can write the charter, but I think in light of what happened with former Mayor Hernandez, some people might be enticed in the community to say, “We don’t want a directly elected mayor, because we don’t want someone to have all that power.” But, if elected mayor, I have to prove what a real mayor looks like, what an ethical mayor looks like, who’s working for the community, (and what it looks like) when City Hall works for the people it serves, not around them. … What was going on before is this office was working for itself, not its people. And I want to prove—and hopefully I’ve been able to prove to people the last few months—(that) I’m not working for myself, and I’m not here for myself. This job is the people’s office. That’s (who) put me here. It’s the people’s city. We have to work together, because we need to serve you. And as mayor currently, my focus is the community, rebuilding trust, and making sure we get projects moving forward, because we have so much work to do here in Coachella, and there’s so much potential growth. And I want to make sure that we do the growth where it benefits everybody, right? It doesn’t just benefit a small group.
Is the city of Coachella’s 2026 budget flexible enough to absorb the estimated one-time $10 million to $16 million cost of implementing chromium-6 treatment processes, along with $2 million to $3 million in annual operating costs, to reduce chromium-6 levels to meet the stringent new California standards?
So currently, the city is going through its Prop 218 process of increasing water rates, and we’ve been very public and vocal about it. I personally have been advocating and going to Sacramento, looking for funding since the chromium-6 item passed. I’ve made several testimonies at the State Water Resource Board, advocating for what this chromium-6 implementation is going to do to our community, what the cost is going to do. But we as a city have been working really, really close (with the state) through the work that I’ve been doing, going up to Sacramento, (and) working with city staff to ensure that we find opportunities to be able to get financing through the state—to be able to potentially get up to $50 million from the state, right? And working with the state on how we can implement this.
The water rate increases that we’re reviewing and (that are) going through the Prop 218 process are to make sure we can cover the costs, because increased costs are going (to come). But I’m going to reiterate (that) water rates in Coachella have not gone up since around 2016. So, the previous administration dropped that ball, and I want to make sure that we don’t go through that again, and make sure we need to increase revenue on the water side. … You know, we run our own water; we run our own sanitary district, but we need to make sure we have the adequate staff to support the needs of our growing community. And so, the city recently approved a contract (at the) last meeting for the implementation of what it’s going to look like for this chromium-6. So, we’re moving forward with it, but we’re working hand in hand with the state to make sure that we can acquire that funding.
We received a federal grant to use toward this implementation from Congressman Raul Ruiz, so that’s part of it. … I have a good relationship with all legislatures that represent us here, both in the state and in the House of Representatives. So, for me, chromium-6 is a big topic, because we drink from this water. And community members have even reiterated (that) people coming from other places say this water is some of the best water. And, we even had consultants at our last meeting say, “You have some of the best quality water, (but) it’s the level of chromium-6 that the state is implementing compared to the federal level (that’s an issue).”
We want to make sure that people feel safe. My goal is to make sure that we’re able to … push through (and) be able to fund it at a minimal cost to residents. No one should have to decide between food, or water, or not being able to pay rent. So, for me, it’s looking at: How do we maintain costs for our residents, because the median household income in our city is about is about $40,000 a year? So, I need to make sure as the leader, (working) with the City Council and city staff, how we make sure that we’re not burdening residents, right? So, I’ve been a big advocate of trying to get that funding because if not, it would be a big (funding) increase to residents if the city itself had to pay for it all.
In your view, are the new state chromium-6 limits excessively stringent, thus creating an unnecessary financial burden for Coachella and other municipalities throughout the state?
This is what we call an “unfunded mandate from the state.” I’ve been working with cities across the across the state with a coalition (including) Watsonville (and places in the) Central Valley. There are a lot of small municipalities or small water agencies that will truly be affected. They probably could not afford to do it on their own. … They would have to push the cost onto (their) people. And Coachella is part of that mindset of that group, where we’re so small. In our area, it’s us. It’s CVWD (Coachella Valley Water District), the Indio Water Authority (IWA) and a couple of other water areas here that are affected by that. … We live in a place where chromium-6 is naturally occurring, and (this regulation could) cause a heavy, heavy burden for a lot of communities across the state of California. But that’s why we’ve been really working on how we get that funding and get that support from the state and the State Water Resources Board. We’re making sure that there are those avenues where we are trying everything we can to be able to not burden our residents, and working collaboratively across the region and across the state. But, in short, many agencies will face a hurdle to try to pay for these, and to be able to meet the requirement and the deadline to implement, because the state has a very strict implementation and rollout program. The city has a good track record of getting grants … so we’re really confident that we’re going to make it past this goal line, and be able to make sure that we don’t have to pass such a large burden onto residents.
Crime rates in Coachella in most major categories (violent crimes, motor vehicle thefts, property crimes overall, etc.) either decreased or remained flat in 2025. But there was a marked increase in incidents of larceny and theft, and especially in shoplifting incidents, which saw more than a 60% increase year over year. What do you believe is driving this increase, and how can the city reverse this trend?
It’s good to know that we’ve not increased in those major crimes, but I think theft and a lot of that is stemming from the increasing costs in the U.S. and from what’s going on in our nation. We’re at a time where inflation is so large, and (it’s) increasing costs nationally. You see that trickle down (to) what’s going on in communities where you see theft, and people (are forced to) rely on that. But it’s really (about): How do we create awareness within neighborhoods, right? And I think there’s a way to re-activate that neighborhood watch. I grew up in Coachella during a time when there was heavy gang violence. I wasn’t allowed to go play outside after the sun went down. I remember those days, because crime was high; (there was) gang violence, and so we weren’t allowed to go outside. I couldn’t cross the street to play basketball with my neighbor, and I had to be inside by the time the sun went down. … And now, it’s about how we bring back the awareness in the residents of the neighborhood watch. What does it look like? Where do you report things? How do you make sure that you’re keeping your home safe? But also, how do we work with our local businesses and say, “What are you doing to prevent theft from yourselves, right? What do we need to work on?”
An idea that that comes to my mind is: How do we work with economic development and say, “This is how you ensure safety”? And so, you bring in the police services and say, “These are the top things: Do an inspection program,” and what does that look like? Right? “Or do you have cameras? What is a checklist for you to ensure safety of your businesses? If you’re a small business, do you have an auto lock safe? How do we make sure that we’re helping community members?” That’s one big piece. But also, what is the city doing to provide services (to limit) potential costs? How are we decreasing the potential of people needing to access resources? Maybe people don’t know about certain (programs) that we have … and this is where it ties back to my (belief that) community feedback is very important. I can guarantee you, when I start knocking on doors and talking to people, they’re going to tell me about the crime. “My neighbors are getting (items) stolen. This is getting stolen. What are you guys doing about this?” Because that’s (happened)every election that I’ve campaigned and knocked on doors. People’s biggest thing is public safety. But, it isn’t just paying for more cops. It’s creating a safe neighborhood, because it starts with your neighbors being able to say, “Hey, look after my neighborhood,” or, “What’s going on here? Watch and see and report.” But sometimes people are scared to report, because they fear retaliation. So, it’s about: How do you do anonymous reporting? How do you create a neighborhood watch? And what is it that we want to do in our city?
What is your favorite way to relieve the pressures and responsibilities of your daily life?
For me, it’s enjoying walking in my own community in Coachella. I go and walk the local parks with my husband and my dogs, and just being able to see this is where we live. Last night, I got to go to the first practice for an adaptive sports baseball league. I saw these young kids and their parents … and the joy that it brought me to see the parents just enjoying the time and space with their children, where there was space created for them. And just seeing everyone out in public, because that’s who the people that we represent are. Knowing that the day-in, and day-out job that I have to do serving as mayor, this is who I’m doing it for. These people, right? The work we’re doing, the advocacy work we’re doing, it’s (for) the people that we see out there in the parks. It’s … my neighbors at the grocery store. So that’s how I like to take time off, by just enjoying the community. Because if we don’t stop and breathe, and we just keep going and going, the burnout is real. And, it happens to a lot of people in the corporate world, (or) in any job, right? You just have to stop and enjoy the air. And for me, it’s enjoying the air and just seeing how everyone’s excited by what we have here in Coachella. I can pick any other place to go, but you know, Coachella is a place to go and walk, and we have just great weather. So, just enjoying the nighttime and being there with community.
Jesus “Kino” Gonzalez
What are the two most pressing issues facing Coachella residents? If elected, how do you hope to address them?
The biggest issue for me is just our weak budget outlook. We have a lack of development, and our budget is shrinking every year. So, for me, I want to make sure that we stimulate development; we stimulate the economy; and that we bring jobs to Coachella. So, I would say the first issue for me is the budget, and how do I fix that issue? How do I stimulate our budget, stimulate our economy? We bring in jobs, and we bring in responsible development with public benefit agreements as well. That’s where I’m at. I want to make sure that we bring in growth. In the city of Coachella, we’re spending all of our money in other cities. We’re building up other cities’ infrastructure. We’re helping to bolster their tax bases, while our budget is getting worse every single year. We’ve had the same leadership there that doesn’t have a vision on how to move the city forward. So that’s my vision, to make sure that we bolster our budget, so we can then spend on infrastructure projects, on public benefit projects with our own city budget, rather than relying on grant funds all the time.
And then it ties into my second issue, which is making sure that we fix our infrastructure, our streets, our roads, that we build bridges to encourage development, and (we) make sure we have the proper infrastructure for small businesses and businesses. And, (we) make sure that individuals can access the city safely, and make sure that we provide them the proper ways to get there.
Why do you believe that your life experience makes you the best qualified candidate to be the mayor of Coachella?
Well, the reality is, out of the candidates who are there, I’m the most educated. I went to Claremont in Claremont, Calif., which is one of the best policy institutions in the country. And, I also went to USC Price, which is Top 10 in in public admin and public policy. So that’s one. Another thing is I’ve worked on monumental bills at the California state capitol for three years in the Assembly and the Senate. I worked on Proposition 4, which brought home a lot of money for parks, clean water and the Salton Sea. I’ve moved the needle on issues like the data center in Coachella and senior transportation. I feel like I’m the most well-equipped, well-educated person to get the job done. And the two other people who are running, they’ve had chances to get a lot of these things done. They really have no vision, no leadership, and that’s why we’re seeing the city where it’s at right now—in a bad position fiscally (and) in a bad position infrastructure-wise. So that’s my answer to that.
In light of former Coachella Mayor Steve Hernandez having pled guilty to a felony charge of conflict of interest, and in light of the City Council’s initial approval of a data center project that motivated city residents to mobilize and force the city’s termination of that agreement: If elected, how do you intend to restore the credibility of, and restore voters’ trust in, the Coachella mayor’s office and the city’s administration overall? Please reference specific actions you could take.
For me, I worked hard against the data center. I started a petition that has close to 10,000 signatures. I showed up at every meeting, (and) I talk to residents every single day. I have a platform on social media where I hear from residents in the comments section, and I reply. And I like to hear some of the issues that they’re (sharing), and I like to create awareness around these issues. I just think being out there and being approachable, and making sure we put in the work, making sure we’re out in the community, is extremely important. I think the way we’re going to restore trust in Coachella City Hall is making sure that we’re providing the residents the best resources possible. We’re providing them with the proper infrastructure. We’re providing them with things like hospitals and … educational facilities. So, I think that’s the main way, just by delivering results to the residents—results that they can see every day, but they’re not seeing right now.
In light of former Mayor Hernandez’s conviction, do you believe that Coachella should switch from the directly-elected mayor model, to the revolving-mayor-for-a-year approach currently employed by the majority of Coachella Valley cities?
You know, for me, if we’re going to change it, let’s take it to the voters. So, that’s where I’m at. I’m not going to sit in the office and make decisions based on my opinions. Let’s take it to the voters. If they want to take away the elected mayor, then so be it. If they don’t, then let’s keep it.
Is the city of Coachella’s 2026 budget flexible enough to absorb the estimated one-time $10 million to $16 million cost of implementing chromium-6 treatment processes, along with $2 million to $3 million in annual operating costs, to reduce chromium-6 levels to meet the stringent new California standards?
I have a background in chromium-6 at the state capital. To answer your question straight forward, the city doesn’t have the financial flexibility, and that’s because the City Council has failed. They’re going to have to pass on the burden the way that they have the model right now. I would say that (the way) the City Council set it up … the burden is going to go to the taxpayer. We need to find ways to make sure that we talk with the state of California, (and) we talk with the federal government to try to make sure that there isn’t a tax hit for the residents. But, as of now, the City Council has failed, and they put us in a really bad position. … Our budget is extremely weak, (and) our budget is actually going down every year. So, we need to make sure we develop responsibly. We need to make sure that we have tax revenue generators in the city, because, like I said, we’re spending our dollars in other cities, and that’s what’s hurting us the most.
In your view, are the new state chromium-6 limits excessively stringent, thus creating an unnecessary financial burden for Coachella and other municipalities throughout the state?
Well, if you look at the federal standard, (California’s is) a lot higher than the federal standard. I believe that we need to … thread a fine line there and make sure that the residents don’t take a huge tax hit, while making sure that we have safe drinking water.
Crime rates in Coachella in most major categories (violent crimes, motor vehicle thefts, property crimes overall, etc.) either decreased or remained flat in 2025. But there was a marked increase in incidents of larceny and theft, and especially in shoplifting incidents, which saw more than a 60% increase year over year. What do you believe is driving this increase, and how can the city reverse this trend?
I’m not too well-versed, but I’m sure if we looked at the rates of these crimes (throughout) the state of California, I’m sure it’s happening across the state of California because of the fact that a lot of things are unaffordable these days. Our economy is not the best right now for working class individuals. … I’m a big advocate of public safety, and want to make sure that we … hold our public safety officers accountable. I know we’re contracting (for police services with) the sheriff’s department, (so we need to) hold them accountable, make sure that they’re doing the best they can, and (we need to) make sure that we create the best economy we can, so people aren’t hurting … the way they are today.
What is your favorite way to relieve the pressures and responsibilities of your daily life?
I would say I like to talk to residents. I like to feel their energy. That’s one way. I like to stay active. I like to go to the gym … and I like to read as well. I like to stay well-versed, and keep my mind sharp by reading political theory. So those are the three things I do.
What are the two most pressing issues facing Coachella residents? If elected, how do you hope to address them?
The first and most pressing issue to me, and for the residents of Coachella, because I am a resident of Coachella, is that I’ve discovered that our former mayor is corrupt, negligent and incompetent. Our current mayor is also negligent and incompetent. And the rest of the council, excluding (Juan) Martinez because he wasn’t here—are also negligent and incompetent. They got us into the data center proposal project with Stronghold, and in that document, there are so many adversarial terms to the city. And, although $250 million over the term of 30 years is a good chunk of change for the city of Coachella, I think that the environmental impact and the financial impact that it would have had on the community would not have made that a worthy investment.
So, I think that the most pressing issue is that our council and our mayor are negligent and incompetent, and we need leaders who read the contracts that are being handed to them, who research the impacts of the projects that they’re pushing in our city, and who aren’t afraid to walk away and say, “No,” or to stand up and fight for our community. Our city attorney is also negligent. I don’t think they’re incompetent, because they’re obviously licensed, and this is part of that first issue that I’m talking about. I think that’s the first and most important issue, because a society, well, our city, will not move forward if we do not have competent and thorough leaders who are diligent about doing their research and their investigation about any business or city matters. So, that’s the most important thing to me as a resident.
The next important thing to me, also as a resident, is affordable homes. It’s my understanding, based on listening to my council member Stephanie Virgen, that the reason why (the City Council) did this Municipal Utility Development Agreement (MUDA) (regarding the data center) project was to bring electricity to the city so that they could meet … the (required) amount of affordable homes that are supposed to be built every year. … What I’ve heard is that we haven’t been able to meet those numbers for over 20 years. When we look at minimum wage jobs, and we look at the prices of homes, there’s a huge gap in that. There’s a huge gap in that purchasing power for someone who’s working, one, two, even three jobs. I’ve talked to a neighbor who said that he can’t even buy a house if he had three jobs. So, we need affordable homes, and in order in order to build affordable homes, we need electricity.
So this ties back to my previous issue, that our leadership at the city of Coachella, specifically the mayor and the council, are negligent and incompetent, because if they knew this, (then) why did they approve a data center that’s going to take away electricity from us being able to build, or even sustain homes?
So, I think that those two together are the two most important issues to me as a resident. And, as mayor, I will continue to do what I’ve already done, which is do the investigation, and be diligent about understanding what we’re looking at.
Manuel Perez is the supervisor of District 4 for the county of Riverside, which happens to be the district that we’re in. I filed an FPPC (Fair Political Practices Commission) complaint against him for his involvement in the data center project, and I went to the budget hearing where he was present alongside his other supervisors. I let him know that I don’t think it’s just—that I’m doing his job, and that I’m doing my mayor’s and my council’s job, because they’re the ones getting paid to protect our community. Right? So, Manuel Perez wrote a letter of support to Stronghold for the data center project. He later rescinded it. (Approximately two minutes of Molina’s response have been excluded here, as a number of accusations were made against various regional political figures that did not apply to the question.)
So, what I plan to do as mayor is I want a clean and transparent government. I want to create policies that prohibit the city from doing business with companies that are registered in anonymous states. So, if the principal will not announce themselves (as) to who they are, we will not do business with them. Another thing is, I already advocated for a new city attorney, which we’re getting. I’m also pushing for, like, a background check that is required for any business partner of the city of Coachella. So, anybody who gets awarded any type of contract or wants to do any type of business with the city of Coachella, they have to go through a background check of sorts. … So, I want to establish ordinances and laws that prohibit us from doing business with these anonymous companies, because they’re too risky.
I’m also pushing for a website where we have a live dashboard of the city budget, and of our deficit or surplus. And on that website, as soon as city contracts are awarded, all materials related to that contract (will be) immediately available to the public for them to see. So, I want to get rid of this CPRA (California Public Records Act) request process, and the reason why is because it delays investigation, and it allows for people who are misusing (it) or doing things that are not in the city’s interest (to) use that mechanism as a shield. If I’m doing a timely investigation, I want to have the information right now so I can do what I need to do right now. (I don’t want it) 45 or 50 days later after … I’ve requested the information that I need in order to keep an eye on my city.
There are a lot of problems in the city of Coachella, you know. But if we want, I’ll just leave it there. I want a clean, transparent government. I’m going to push for ordinances that make our government clean and transparent, so that we don’t run into issues like we did with … Stronghold ever again. And in terms of affordable housing … as mayor, I want to start laying the foundation for what type of affordable homes we’re going to start building. We want to do research with the community to understand what the needs of our community are, and start creating ideas and get feedback about the types of affordable homes that we want to build. And, we also need to secure an electrical supply. And so those are the two things that are the most important to me as mayor right now. So clean government, transparent government, and start looking for solutions to affordable homes, and secure an electrical supply.
Why do you believe that your life experience makes you the best qualified candidate to be the mayor of Coachella?
I’ve worked as an electrician from the age of 12, all the way up until now. I have a ton of experience in the construction area. I know how to read blueprints. I know how to wire homes from the ground up. I’m an electrician, so I have that understanding of construction. I also am an MBA candidate. I’m currently … getting my MBA in entrepreneurship. And what we’re learning is how we quickly and efficiently launch a business by understanding our customers, and getting feedback, and working quickly and inexpensively to develop solutions that are tailored to our customers. I also have a generative AI certificate from College of the Desert, and I’m certified via Certiport. Also, I am studying data engineering. So, I bring all of this knowledge and experience to the city of Coachella.
I am an entrepreneur, and I think that’s what the city needs. The city needs somebody who is able to handle the risky situation that we’re in, and I have the skill set and the tools to be able to lead the city out of the situation (we’re in), and into a renaissance.
In light of former Coachella Mayor Steve Hernandez having pled guilty to a felony charge of conflict of interest, and in light of the City Council’s initial approval of a data center project that motivated city residents to mobilize and force the city’s termination of that agreement: If elected, how do you intend to restore the credibility of, and restore voters’ trust in, the Coachella mayor’s office and the city’s administration overall? Please reference specific actions you could take.
My solution is very simple, and it’s basically just transparency. That’s it. We need a clean, transparent government. I want people to understand that the path for Coachella moving forward is a two-way street between me as mayor (with) my council, and the community. So, like I said, I’m studying for my MBA, and we learn about getting feedback. So, I want to be transparent, and I want to have those communications with my city and the residents of Coachella. I am a resident of Coachella, and just because I’m mayor, (that wouldn’t) change anything. So, I want people to know I’m a human, and I value transparency. I value being a virtuous person, being a righteous person, and I think that’s it.
In light of former Mayor Hernandez’s conviction, do you believe that Coachella should switch from the directly-elected mayor model, to the revolving-mayor-for-a-year approach currently employed by the majority of Coachella Valley cities?
Currently, I don’t support it. And the reason why I don’t think that we should is because, right now, we don’t have term limits in our city government for mayors or for council members. And, one of the problems in the city of Coachella, and nationally, really, is that we have career politicians. And when we have career politicians, what I believe happens is that these career politicians end up accumulating too much influence, too much power, too much network, and so they don’t necessarily (act) in the interest of their constituents. They start acting in the interest of their own network and their own agendas. So, I don’t think that we should. I definitely don’t support (it) right now by any means whatsoever. Giving Denise Delgado or Frank Figueroa or any of my council (members) in the city of Coachella the right to choose a mayor (is something) I would not advocate for at all. No, like I said, excluding (current council member) Martinez., they’re all incompetent, and they’re all negligent, and I would predict that … their incompetence and their negligence would lead to further problems, and I just don’t think that they should have the right (to be) mayor, given their record.
Is the city of Coachella’s 2026 budget flexible enough to absorb the estimated one-time $10 million to $16 million cost of implementing chromium-6 treatment processes, along with $2 million to $3 million in annual operating costs, to reduce chromium-6 levels to meet the stringent new California standards?
What I want to say is, “Do we need to do it? Yes. Can we pay for it? Probably not.” So, as I look at the budget, we had a budget of about $700,000. Our city council and our mayor approved the purchase of a bus for $300,000, which I also would have advocated for, and I would have had that bus way sooner. But now the city is down to $400,000, and I mean, you set the numbers yourself. We have a surplus of about $400,000. Where are you going to get the money to pay for that? I mean, the math isn’t mapping. So, I mean, I can sit here and say all day that I want to do it, and I do support it, but it’s like, “OK, when it comes to it, how are you going to pay for it?” And so, is our budget flexible for that? Not really.
Our current mayor and our current leadership, and our past leadership, has led us up to the point where we have three lawsuits, and we have $400,000 surplus. So, do we have a budget to work with chromium? No, we really don’t. We have like three lawsuits, like I said, and how I would go about trying to fix it is, you know, what type of grants can we look for … or what aid can we look for from the Riverside County, or from the state of California or from the federal government to help with this item.
In your view, are the new state chromium-6 limits excessively stringent, thus creating an unnecessary financial burden for Coachella and other municipalities throughout the state?
I’m going to be honest: It is a burden. But at the end of the day, it is necessary, and I think we need to have a conversation about how we’re actually going to efficiently and inexpensively deal with this issue, right? Because, obviously we can’t have chromium-6 in our water. It’s going to kill us. It’s going to cause cancer and stuff. It’s going to destroy us. So, we need to do something about it. But we also need to be realistic about the financial impacts on the communities that are having to fix this issue. So, I’m open to having those conversations about, “How are we going to solve this?”
Crime rates in Coachella in most major categories (violent crimes, motor vehicle thefts, property crimes overall, etc.) either decreased or remained flat in 2025. But there was a marked increase in incidents of larceny and theft, and especially in shoplifting incidents, which saw more than a 60% increase year over year. What do you believe is driving this increase, and how can the city reverse this trend?
What could be driving the theft is … that we need better education systems, and I think we need better pathways to more lucrative opportunities for our people. So, I believe that the reason why these kinds of things are happening in our city is because, generally speaking, you tend to see higher crime in lower and impoverished areas. And, you know it’s no secret that Coachella happens to be one of the lower-income areas in the valley. And so, what we need to do to stop it is invest in workforce development solutions so that we can start creating opportunities for people (to) get the education that they need, so that they don’t have to resort to those things to get the things that they want, or need.
What is your favorite way to relieve the pressures and responsibilities of your daily life?
Yeah, I love playing Call of Duty. I’m a competitive Call of Duty player. I’m a sniper. I’m a run-and-gunner style, even with the sniper, and I love winning games. That’s what I do. I also love making music. I’m an electronic dance-music producer. I like the really heavy bass music, and specifically drum and bass. That’s what I’m into right now. And I also rap, and write songs, and just overall a creative person. Those are the things that I do in my free time that give me joy, that give me pleasure, and allow me to walk away from the world for a moment to enjoy my life.
