Ernest Page facts for kids

Ernest Page (born around 1942) is a former leader from Orlando, Florida. He was a member of the Orlando City Council. For a short time in March and April 2005, he served as Orlando's temporary mayor. This happened when the elected mayor, Buddy Dyer, was dealing with legal issues about how votes were counted.

After the accusations against Mayor Dyer were cleared in April 2005, Ernest Page went back to his City Council job. He made history as the first African-American person to be mayor of Orlando. Later, he faced legal problems related to his public service.

Ernest Page's Early Life and Education

Ernest Page was born in Orlando, Florida. His parents were Arizona and Edoras Page. His father was a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal church.

Ernest Page finished Jones High School in 1960. He then went to Morehouse College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1964. He continued his studies and received a master's degree in mathematics from Atlanta University. Later, he also earned a business degree from Nova University.

Ernest Page's Time in Public Service

Ernest Page, who is African-American, was first chosen to be on the Orlando City Council in the early 1980s. However, he left his position early during his first term due to legal issues.

He was elected to the City Council again in 1996. Voters chose him again in 2000 and 2004. In March 2005, he was serving as the temporary leader of the City Council, called mayor pro tem. This was under Mayor Buddy Dyer.

Serving as Interim Mayor

In March 2005, Mayor Buddy Dyer faced serious accusations about how votes were counted and was held for a short time. Because of this, Ernest Page stepped in as the temporary mayor of Orlando. He served as interim mayor for about six weeks.

On April 19, 2005, the accusations against Mayor Dyer were dropped. Mayor Dyer then returned to his job as the elected mayor. Ernest Page went back to his role on the City Council.

Legal Challenges and Later Life

On March 1, 2006, Ernest Page was arrested. He faced accusations of misusing his public position while he was in office. In September 2006, he was found guilty of breaking rules about how public officials should act. This involved misusing his power for personal gain or for a group he was connected with.

He received a prison sentence of 42 months. After he was sentenced in December 2006, Governor Jeb Bush officially removed him from his city job.

Ernest Page tried to appeal his conviction in a federal court, but he lost his appeal in March 2008. He began his prison sentence in June 2008. He was released from prison in 2011, after serving about three years of his sentence. Most of his time in prison was spent at Marion Correctional Institution in Marion County, Florida.