John Riley (mayor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John B. Riley
Mayor of Opa-Locka, Florida
In office 1984–1986
Preceded by	Helen L. Miller
Succeeded by	Robert B. Ingram
City Commission of Opa-locka, Florida
In office 1982–1986
Personal details
Born	1943/1944 (age 81–82) Gadsden, Alabama
Alma mater	University of Maryland

John B. Riley was an American politician. He was born in 1943 or 1944. He served as both a commissioner and the mayor of Opa-Locka, Florida.

Early Life and Education

John B. Riley was born in Gadsden, Alabama. He later attended the University of Maryland. Before becoming a politician, he worked as the chairman of the Opa-Locka Housing Authority. This role involved helping with housing in the city.

Becoming a City Leader

Joining the City Commission

In 1982, John Riley decided to run for a seat on the Opa-Locka City Commission. This group helps run the city. There were many candidates, and he was almost elected. However, he did not win one of the three available spots at first.

Later that year, a commissioner named Willie Logan resigned. This created an open spot. John Riley ran in a special election on November 2, 1982. He won this election. This allowed him to serve the rest of Logan's term on the City Commission. His term lasted until April 1984.

Serving as Mayor

In April 1984, John Riley ran for the City Commission again. This time, he received the most votes. This meant he earned a four-year term on the commission. For the first two years of this term, he also served as the mayor of Opa-Locka.

During his time as mayor, Riley faced a big challenge. The city had a large budget problem. He worked hard to fix this issue. He successfully balanced the city's budget. He also started plans to improve the downtown area. Plus, he helped finish the restoration of the city hall building.

Riley also suggested a change in how the mayor was chosen. He wanted voters to directly elect the mayor. Before this, the person who got the most votes for commissioner became mayor. His idea was approved, leading to direct mayoral elections in the future.

Later Political Efforts

Leaving the Mayor's Office

John Riley resigned from his role as mayor on November 4, 1986. He did this so he could run for re-election as mayor. At this time, he faced some challenges. People had questions about some of his actions.

In the October 1986 mayoral primary election, Riley finished fourth. This meant he did not get enough votes to move on to the final election. The final election was between Helen L. Miller and Robert B. Ingram. Ingram won that election. This was the first time Opa-Locka voters directly chose their mayor.

Continued Campaigns

After his time as mayor, John Riley continued to be involved in politics. He ran for various positions several times.

• In November 1998, he ran for a seat on the City Commission but did not win.
• In November 2002, he ran for mayor again. He lost in the primary election.
• In September 2004, he ran for mayor in a special election. This election happened after Mayor Myra L. Taylor was removed from office. Riley received a good number of votes but did not win.
• In November 2012, he ran for the City Commission once more, but was not elected.
• His last known campaign was in November 2018. He ran for mayor in a four-person race. Matthew Pigatt won that election.