Mayoralty of Dennis Kucinich
Mayoralty of Dennis Kucinich November 14, 1977 – November 6, 1979 | |
Party | Democrat |
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Election | 1977, 1978 recall, 1979 |
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The mayoralty of Dennis Kucinich lasted from November 14, 1977 to November 6, 1979, while he served as the 53rd Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. The Kucinich administration is often regarded as one of the most tumultuous in Cleveland's history.[1][2][3] The mayor relied heavily on confrontation politics, a style that "alienated business and civic leaders, the news media, and, ultimately, even those neighborhood groups that had been his chief supporters."[2] His supporters, however, assert that Kucinich "championed the public good over private-sector rights and pointed to inequities that result when business-centered economic growth (like corporate collusion and tax abatements) is prioritized over neighborhoods. He stood steadfastly for public ownership of utilities in Cleveland."[4]
Tenure
1977 election
Under
Many expected the real race to be between Kucinich and Feighan battling for the second spot and a run off against Perk. However, by the time of the mayoral
In his campaign, Kucinich hearkened back to the mayoralty of
Beginning of tenure
Kucinich's term as mayor began in January 1978, a time when Cleveland and Northeast Ohio were suffering from unrelenting snowfall, to the point where the metropolitan area was considered a "disaster zone." Additionally on January 26, the worst blizzard in the city's history hit with winds exceeding 100 miles an hour.[10]
Despite this, once in office, Kucinich moved to reverse actions of the Perk administration that he campaigned against. He rejected a $41 million federal grant for an
Hongisto feud
As mayor-elect, Kucinich appointed the former
1978 recall election
After Hongisto's discharge, both critics and former supporters alike felt that Kucinich's actions against the police were too rash and that his administration was not capable of governing a struggling city.[16] A drive began to remove the mayor from his post through a recall election.[14][17] The first recall election in the city's history was set for August 13.[17] Kucinich ended up winning, but by a narrow margin of 236 votes.[2][18]
Municipal Light
For years, CEI sought to acquire Muny Light and violated
The Kucinich administration not only stopped the sale, but revived the city's antitrust lawsuit against CEI. For its part, CEI went to
As the week dragged on, the mayor appeared on ABC's Good Morning America and repeated his vow not to sell.[26][27] The city's surrounding suburbs offered little financial support. Only 12 of the 59 agreed to help in a plan led by University Heights mayor Beryl Rotheschild.[28] These suburbs included Bay Village, Bedford, Fairview Park, Garfield Heights, Lakewood, Maple Heights, Newburgh Heights, North Royalton, Orange, Richmond Heights, University Heights, and Westlake.[28] Three of the six banks that held Cleveland's $14 million in notes presented the notes for redemption at the office of the city treasurer at Cleveland City Hall. They stated that they were willing to listen if the city developed "a financial plan satisfactory to all parties involved."[26] Meanwhile, news reporters from around the nation flocked to Cleveland to watch as the situation intensified.
On December 14 at 11 p.m. (EST), Council met to consider a resolution that only gave Kucinich a stark choice: sell Muny Light or claim default.[26] At the same session, Kucinich handed each Council member a letter advising him or her that he was exercising the right given to him to call the special council meeting. However, council refused to hold a special meeting.[26] At midnight on December 15, 1978, amid dramatic closed-door deliberations at City Hall involving the mayor, council members, and CEI business leaders, Cleveland became the first major American city to go into financial default since the Great Depression.[29][30]
On February 27, 1979, the city held a
1979 election
Kucinich ran for re-election as mayor in 1979. His challenger was Republican
Notably, during his subsequent administration, Voinovich
Overview
Critics of Kucinich's performance as mayor cite the city's economic decline during his stewardship. Known as the "boy mayor" due to his age and youthful appearance,
However, Kucinich's supporters say that Kucinich kept his campaign promise of refusing to sell Muny Light to CEI and was brave for not giving into big business. "There is little debate over the value of Muny Light today," wrote Cleveland Magazine in May 1996. "Now Cleveland Public Power, it is a proven asset to the city that between 1985 and 1995 saved its customers $195,148,520 over what they would have paid CEI."[32] Kucinich's move also preserved hundreds of union jobs. In 1998, city council granted Kucinich amnesty, stating that he had "the courage and foresight to refuse to sell the city's municipal electric system."[38] In subsequent years since his mayoralty, observers also began to notice that the once confrontational Kucinich became more politically mature. "He is a remarkably practical and astute politician," observed writer Studs Terkel. "His [Congressional] Ohio track record tells you that."[38]
In 1989, Cleveland artist James C. Kulhanek offered to paint a portrait of Kucinich after discovering that the former mayor was not represented with one in Cleveland City Hall. Kucinich met with Kulhanek several times to provide references and to pose for the portrait, and Kulhanek passed away shortly after completing the painting. Due to a number of changes in administrations and other circumstances, the portrait ended up not being displayed publicly.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-093298606-1.
- ^ ISBN 9780253211477.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l McGunagle, Fred (August 1, 1999). "Our Century: 'Boy Mayor' Leads Battle Into Default" (PDF). The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Perloff, Richard M. (September 17, 2017). "Reconsidering Dennis Kucinich 40 years after his Cleveland mayoral run". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ISBN 9780877223665.
- ^ Swanstrom, pp. 107–108.
- ^ a b c Swanstrom, pp. 132–133.
- ^ Rice, Joseph D. (November 9, 1977). "Kucinich Beats Feighan: Youngest big-city mayor wins by 3,000 votes". The Plain Dealer. p. 1.
- ^ Okamoto, Lynn (September 7, 2003). "Kucinich's hard childhood a 'gift' yielding strength, compassion". The Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on February 9, 2004. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Condon, p. 169.
- ^ a b Marschall, Dan (1979). The Battle of Cleveland: Public Interest Challenges Corporate Power. Washington, D. C.: Conference of Alternative State and Local Policies. p. 25.
- ^ Condon, pp. 167–169.
- ^ Seven Making History: A Mayoral Retrospective. Cleveland: The League of Women Voters of Cleveland and the Western Reserve Historical Society. 1990. p. 43.
- ^ a b c Condon, pp. 169–171.
- ^ Swanstrom, pp. 214–215.
- ^ Larkin, Brent (March 27, 1978). "Kucinich slips in Press poll". Cleveland Press. p. A1.
- ^ a b "Recall Election". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Larkin, Brent (August 14, 1978). "Mayor called lame duck after winning by only .2%". Cleveland Press. p. A1.
- ^ a b Swanstrom, pp. 158–160.
- ^ a b Swanstrom, p. 160.
- ^ "Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co.". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Swanstrom, p. 157.
- ^ Swanstrom, p. 161.
- ^ Swanstrom, pp. 165–167.
- ^ "Mayoral Administration of Dennis J. Kucinich". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Phipps, Peter (December 15, 1978). "Default Time Arrives as the Nation Watches". Cleveland Press. p. A1.
- ^ Role of Commercial Banks in the Financing of the Debt of the City of Cleveland. Washington, D.C.: United States House of Representatives. July 10, 1979. p. 641.
- ^ a b "Suburbs to Cleveland: Drop Dead!". Cleveland Press. December 15, 1978. p. A1.
- ^ Miller and Wheeler, pp. 178–179.
- ^ Condon, p. 173. "The mayor and city council, still in disagreement, were arguing the pros and cons of the disaster even after the municipal ship had hit the financial iceberg. It was the sort of thing that sent editorial cartoonists rushing to their boards, pens dripping with imagery, to depict the Kucinich ship of state foundering in a sea of icy-faced bankers."
- ^ Marschall, p. 112.
- ^ a b Chapman, Audrey S. (May 1996). "Dennis Kucinich: The Story". Cleveland Magazine. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
- ^ a b McGunagle, Fred (August 8, 1999). "Our Century: Muny Survives, But Kucinich Is Out of Power" (PDF). The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Swanstrom, pp. 249–250.
- ^ Swanstrom, p. 246.
- ISBN 0-271-01876-3.
- ISSN 0038-4941. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ a b Terkel, Studs (April 18, 2002). "American Dreams, Lost and Found". The Nation. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
Further reading
- Seven Making History: A Mayoral Retrospective. Cleveland: The League of Women Voters of Cleveland and the Western Reserve Historical Society. 1990.
- Condon, George E. (1979). Cleveland: Prodigy of the Western Reserve. Tulsa: Continental Heritage Press. ISBN 978-093298606-1.
- Kucinich, Dennis (2021). The Division of Light and Power. Cleveland: Finney Avenue Books. ISBN 978-1638772347.
- Marschall, Dan (1979). The Battle of Cleveland: Public Interest Challenges Corporate Power. Washington, D. C.: Conference of Alternative State and Local Policies.
- Miller, Carol Poh; Wheeler, Robert A. (1997). Cleveland: A Concise History, 1796–1996 (2nd ed.). Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253211477.
- Swanstrom, Todd (1985). The Crisis of Growth Politics: Cleveland, Kucinich, and the Challenge of Urban Populism. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 9780877223665.
- Bartimole, Roldo (1992). "25 Years of Cleveland Mayors: Who Really Governs?". Cleveland: Point of View (Cleveland Memory Project, Cleveland State University).