Karl Dean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karl Dean
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| 6th Mayor of Metropolitan Nashville | |
| In office September 21, 2007 – September 25, 2015 |
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| Deputy | Diane Neighbors |
| Preceded by | Bill Purcell |
| Succeeded by | Megan Barry |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Karl Foster Dean
September 20, 1955 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Anne Davis
(m. 1983) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Columbia University (BA) Vanderbilt University (JD) |
Karl Foster Dean (born September 20, 1955) is an American politician. He served as the 6th Mayor of Nashville, Tennessee from 2007 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Before becoming mayor, he worked as Nashville's Director of Law from 1999 to 2007. He was also elected as the city's public defender in 1990, 1994, and 1998. Karl Dean is a lawyer and currently teaches law at Vanderbilt University Law School.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1978. He then received his law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1981. When he ran for mayor, his main goals were to improve education, public safety, and the economy. He believed "it's all connected."
During his time as mayor, he helped keep the Nashville Predators hockey team in Nashville. He also faced big challenges like the Great Recession and the 2010 Tennessee floods. Mayor Dean helped transform Downtown Nashville. He added a new baseball stadium, a riverfront park, and a large convention center called Music City Center. He also worked to protect historic places like Music Row and RCA Studio A.
In 2017, Karl Dean decided to run for Governor of Tennessee. He won the Democratic nomination in 2018 but lost the election to Bill Lee.
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Becoming Mayor of Nashville
Running for Mayor
Karl Dean announced he would run for mayor on December 19, 2006. His campaign focused on three main areas: public education, economic growth, and public safety. He often said these were the "three pitches you have to hit every day."
In the first election on August 2, 2007, he received the most votes, 24.6%. This meant he went to a second election, called a run-off, against Bob Clement. On September 11, 2007, Dean won the run-off election with 52.2% of the votes.
He was easily re-elected as mayor in August 2011, winning with 79.2% of the votes. Karl Dean finished his term as mayor on September 25, 2015. Megan Barry became the next mayor, and she was the first woman to hold that position in Nashville.
Improving Education
During Mayor Dean's two terms, the budget for Nashville schools grew by $218 million. This was a 37% increase. Nashville schools saw more students graduating and fewer dropping out. Test scores also improved.
He started the "Limitless Libraries" program. This program connects Nashville Public Libraries with Metro Nashville Schools. It helped provide more opportunities for schools that needed extra support. Dean also worked with "Teach for America" to bring more talented teachers to the city.
Boosting the Economy
Nashville's economy grew a lot while Dean was mayor. Sales tax revenue increased by over $100 million, which was a 36% rise. A major project during his time was the Music City Center. This huge convention center has brought in over $735 million for the city.
Other big projects included building the Ascend Amphitheater and First Tennessee Park. These public places bring in millions of dollars and helped expand downtown Nashville. Dean also encouraged businesses like Bridgestone Americas and HCA to move to Nashville.
Nashville During the Great Recession
Mayor Dean led Nashville during the Great Recession. Even during this tough time, Nashville's economy continued to grow. The city added over 144,300 jobs, showing strong employment growth. Nashville had one of the best recoveries from the recession among U.S. cities.
Making Nashville Safer
One of Karl Dean's main promises was to improve public safety. He increased the size of the Nashville police force by 13.5%. He also opened two new police stations to cover more areas of the city. He started Nashville's first DNA crime lab. By 2013, Nashville had its lowest crime rates and homicide rates in history.
Caring for the Environment
During Dean's time as mayor, more greenways and bike paths were built around Nashville. He added over 4,000 acres of park land. He also created the city's Office of Environment and Sustainability. These efforts helped expand curbside recycling and made Nashville a more environmentally friendly city.
Running for Governor in 2018
On February 26, 2017, Karl Dean announced he would run for Governor of Tennessee. He ran as a Democrat. His campaign focused on education, jobs, and healthcare for Tennessee.
He raised a lot of money for his campaign, $1.2 million in the first three months. He easily won the Democratic primary election against Craig Fitzhugh, getting over 75% of the votes.
In the general election, Dean was defeated by Bill Lee. Lee was a businessman who had never held a political office before. Bill Lee won the election on November 6, 2018. He received 1,336,106 votes (59.5%) compared to Dean's 864,863 votes (38.5%).
Personal Life
Karl Dean is married to Anne Davis. She is a well-known lawyer in Tennessee. They got married on August 6, 1983. Both Anne and Karl are Catholic. They have three children named Rascoe, Frances, and Wallen.
Dean was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He grew up mostly in Gardner, Massachusetts. He graduated from Gardner High School in 1974.
