Leesburg Resident Linda Shotton to Run for Mayor

Public safety, an increased business tax base and maintaining county status are just some of the issues that mayoral candidate Linda Shotton would like to focus on if elected this November. She faces Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd who was first elected to the Leesburg Town Council back in 1992. 

“[My family has been] in Leesburg for 14 years now and basically have seen one mayor,” Shotton said. “I just felt like it was a good thing for people to have a choice because she was running unopposed, at first, and it’s time for there to be a change.”

The biggest thing Shotton would like to focus on, she said, is making sure that Leesburg maintains its county seat status. With talk of the county moving the courts system out of downtown area that would, “just kill downtown Leesburg.”

“We just can’t have that,” Shotton said. “We have to make sure that that does not happen. “

Public safety has always been on the top of her list, Shotton said, adding that speed limits need to be reinforced as well as pedestrian right-of-ways.

She would also like to see more business tax base within the town.

“We’re pretty well developed,” Shotton said. “I know Town Council is looking back at annexation and if that can bring more business tax base into the town then that definitely needs to be looked at.”

This is the first time that Shotton has ever run for public office, she said, and that Umstattd is, “a stunning opponent.” However, she will continue going door to door until the Nov. 6 election to hear what the citizens of Leesburg have to say. 

“Going out and talking is generally the best way to get out there,” Shotton said. “It’s funny. The wider circle you make around Leesburg the less people seem to be connected really with the town itself. So that’s been an interesting thing. “

More About Linda Shotton:

Shotton has been a Leesburg resident and an active member of the community since 1999. She is one of the founding members of the Leesburg Historic District Residents Association and has served several terms as the group’s president.

She has served as president of the Loudoun County Master Gardeners and was appointed to Leesburg’s Environmental Advisory Committee in 2006. She is currently its chairman and has presided over meetings and the committee’s interactions with the town council and town staff for the past year.

In addition, she has been appointed to several Leesburg task forces over the past three years to design and implement solutions for better business partnering in the town.

Shotton said she looks forward to the opportunity to bring her unique style of collaborative leadership to Leesburg. To learn more visit www.lindaforleesburg.com.