Frank G. Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Jackson
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| 57th Mayor of Cleveland | |
| In office January 2, 2006 – January 2, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Jane L. Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Justin Bibb |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Frank George Jackson
October 4, 1946 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S, |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Edwina Jackson |
| Education | Cuyahoga Community College Cleveland State University (BA, MUP, JD) |
Frank George Jackson is an American lawyer and politician. He was the 57th Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, serving from 2006 to 2022. He was first elected in 2005, and then re-elected three more times in 2009, 2013, and 2017. Mr. Jackson is the longest-serving mayor in Cleveland's history, having completed four full terms. He announced in May 2021 that he would not run for re-election.
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Early Life and Education
Frank Jackson was born on October 4, 1946. He grew up in the Central and Kinsman neighborhoods of Cleveland. After finishing high school at Max S. Hayes High School, he served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War.
After his time in the Army, Jackson went to Cuyahoga Community College and earned an associate degree. He then attended Cleveland State University (CSU). There, he earned a bachelor's degree in Urban Studies and History. He also received a master's degree in Urban Affairs and a law degree (Juris Doctor) from CSU.
Starting His Career in Politics
Frank Jackson began his political journey with help from former Cleveland Councilman Lonnie L. Burten. After passing the Ohio bar exam, he started working as an assistant city prosecutor.
In 1989, Jackson won a seat on the Cleveland City Council for Ward 5. As a Councilman, he worked hard to bring in a lot of money for community projects. He helped clean up and improve his ward. He also supported the rebuilding of Arbor Park Place and worked with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) to rebuild housing areas.
Jackson became a strong critic of the mayor at the time, Michael R. White. Mayor White had promised to improve neighborhoods but focused mostly on downtown development. Because of his success in Ward 5, Jackson was elected Council President in 2001.
Mayor of Cleveland
Winning Elections
2005 Mayoral Election
As Council President, Frank Jackson became unhappy with the leadership of Mayor Jane L. Campbell. So, on April 7, 2005, he announced he would run for mayor.
Many important politicians in Cleveland supported him, including Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. In the primary election on October 4, Jackson received the most votes, ahead of the current mayor, Jane Campbell. In the main election on November 8, 2005, he won with 55% of the votes. Mayor Campbell conceded (admitted defeat) to Jackson that night.
On January 2, 2006, Frank Jackson became Cleveland's 56th mayor. During his inauguration speech, he promised to make Cleveland a city where people live and work together with respect and fairness. He also promised to improve the city's schools and build better relationships with nearby suburbs.
2009 Mayoral Election
In April 2009, Frank Jackson announced he would run for another term as mayor. He won the primary election in September 2009. In the general election, Jackson easily defeated his opponent, former Cleveland City Council member Bill Patmon. Jackson received 78% of the votes, while Patmon received 22%.
2013 Mayoral Election
Jackson announced on June 29, 2013, that he planned to run for a third term. Since he only had one challenger, there was no primary election that year. His opponent was Cleveland businessman Kenneth Lanci. On Election Day 2013, Jackson won with 66% of the votes. This made him only the second Cleveland mayor to serve three terms.
2017 Mayoral Election
On November 7, 2017, Frank Jackson won his fourth term as mayor. He defeated councilman Zack Reed, who had finished second in the primary election. This victory made Jackson the first mayor in Cleveland's history to serve four terms.
Time as Mayor
After being elected, Mayor Jackson made several important appointments. He appointed his former opponent, Robert Triozzi, as the city's law director. He also kept Darnell Brown as the city's chief operating officer. Valarie J. McCall became the chief of government affairs.
Soon after becoming mayor, Jackson started working with the Cleveland Police Department. He introduced a new policy about how police officers could use force, making it clear that "Excessive force shall not be tolerated." He also brought back the Cleveland Police Aviation Unit (helicopters) and the Cleveland Police Mounted Unit (horses).
Mayor Jackson was also a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition. This group works to make communities safer by removing illegal guns from the streets.
Residency Laws for City Workers
In 2008, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill to remove local rules that required city workers to live in the city where they worked. Cleveland had a rule, approved by voters in 1982, that said city workers had to live within the city limits.
Mayor Jackson and law director Robert Triozzi strongly disagreed with this new state law. Jackson argued that if Cleveland's residency rules were removed, many city workers might move out of the city. He believed this would hurt the city's economy and safety. He said, "This is about the issue of home rule", meaning cities should have the right to make their own local laws. He even said he would fire any city worker who moved out of Cleveland.
However, on June 10, 2009, the Supreme Court of Ohio decided that these residency requirements were not allowed for Cleveland and other Ohio communities.
See Also
- List of mayors of the largest 50 US cities
