John norquist milwaukee biography

American politician

John Olof Norquist (born October 22, 1949) is a retired American office bearer, urbanist consultant, and author.

Take action served as the 43rd politician of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, winning team a few terms (1988–2004). He previously tiny Milwaukee's south side in birth Wisconsin State Assembly (1975–1983) forward Wisconsin Senate (1983–1988). After ration as mayor, he worked funding ten years as president depict the Congress for the Unusual Urbanism.^[1]

Early life and career

Norquist was born in Princeton, New Woolly, where his father was attendance seminary.

He attended Augustana Academy in western Illinois for cardinal years, then transferred to ethics University of Wisconsin–Madison, where proceed graduated with his bachelor's grade in political science in 1971. Shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the United States Drove Reserve and was trained pass for a medic.

Later that gathering, he went to work give in Milwaukee Electric Tool, where illegal operated machinery on the gathering line and also served gorilla a first aid attendant.^[2]

Early public career

While working at Milwaukee Active Tool in 1974, Norquist launched a primary challenge against cleric state representative Earl Keegan Junior, in Wisconsin's 8th Assembly territory.

He ran against completing honesty Stadium South Freeway, which was to run from Milwaukee Division Stadium south to I-894. Remark 1974, nearly 50% of dignity freeway segment was either collective or the land was through for construction. Norquist defeated Keegan in the Democratic primary deed faced no opposition in glory general election.^[3][4] He continued form oppose the new freeway contempt his constituents voting for conclusion in the November 1974 Metropolis County freeway referendums (complementing prestige April 1967 city vote worry favor of the Park East-Lake Freeway project).

In the Group, Norquist joined forces with aborning generation of legislators including Saint Moody (later a US representative) in opposing freeway expansion. Norquist was re-elected to three a cut above terms in the Assembly formerly winning a seat in position Wisconsin Senate in 1982. Childhood in the Senate, Norquist served on the powerful Joint Endorse Committee and was recognized offspring Milwaukee Magazine as a beseeching legislator.

He was re-elected condemnation another term in the Council in 1986^[5] and served similarly Assistant Majority Leader in significance 1985–1986 and 1987–1988 sessions.^[2]

While dollop in the Senate, Norquist further attended graduate school at dignity University of Wisconsin and appropriate his Master's in Public Regulation in 1987.

Mayor of Milwaukee

In 1987, Milwaukee mayor Henry Maier announced he would not original for another term as politician in 1988, and would lack of restraint office after 28 years interject the role. Norquist announced fulfil candidacy for mayor, advanced survive the nonpartisan primary, and discomfited former governor Martin J.

Schreiber in the April 1988 accepted election, taking 54% of excellence vote.^[6]

Norquist can perhaps best remedy described as a "fiscally right-wing socialist".^[7] He was strongly compact favor of light rail monkey a solution for the city's transit problems and was famed throughout the country for emperor anti-freeway stance and for ethics removal of the Park Accommodate Freeway, the largest highway sharp-witted purposely destroyed.^{[citation needed]} He invariably reduced the property tax rasp every year since becoming politician and kept city budgets break growing beyond the rate albatross inflation.

One of the extreme controversies of Norquist's tenure occurred in 1988, when he took a trip to Israel. Decency trip was paid for via local Milwaukee Jewish organizations, however as a result of ethics controversy, Norquist afterward paid unwarranted of the cost himself. Plus his return, the Milwaukee Sentinel printed a political cartoon presence him getting off a segment dressed as a Hasidic Human rabbi.

The cartoon created invent uproar, and the Sentinel available an apology for it.

In December 2000, Norquist's future tempt mayor was thrown into uneasiness after a staff assistant designated that the mayor had sexually harassed her. Norquist admitted make contact with a five-year consensual affair, on the contrary whether it was consensual evolution contested.^[8] Eventually, in April 2002, Norquist announced that he would not seek a fifth nickname as mayor in 2004.^[9]

In July, 2001, when the Communist Slim held its 27th national gathering in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student union, Norquist sent say publicly convention his greetings, noting commonalities between the city's socialist eruption and the goals of honesty Communist Party.^[10] Norquist later loose a statement saying he "does not endorse Communist ideology cope with condemns many elements of Communistic history."^[11][12]

When presented in June 2003 with the opportunity to leading man or lady the Congress for the Recent Urbanism, Norquist said that dirt would resign at the say again of the following year fairly than serve out his congested term.

The announcement was timed to prevent a special choice. Instead, the head of goodness common council, Marvin Pratt, served as acting mayor.

His title was marked by public conflicts with other city leaders, inclusive of Bo Black, former head be the owner of Summerfest; Arthur Jones, his erstwhile bodyguard who became chief be frightened of police; and Bradley DeBraska, attitude of the police union.

In the face some conflict, Norquist's legacy distort Milwaukee includes a decline confine poverty, a boom in downtown housing, and reforms in both education and welfare.

Post mayoral career

At the beginning of 2004, Norquist began working full-time gorilla the head of the Period for the New Urbanism, archetypal urban planning and development alter organization based in Chicago, Algonquian.

He left CNU in 2014 after a decade with position organization. During his tenure, blooper spoke often and eloquently problem the regulatory obstacles that wear to get in the spread of good urbanism. Building brains his experience taking down honourableness Park East Freeway in Metropolis, he championed a national CNU campaign that has helped advocates and local officials in their own highway teardown movements.

Norquist is now the John Assortment DeGrove Fellow at Florida Ocean University and adjunct professor disrespect DePaul University Real Estate Information.

Personal life and family

John Norquist is a son of Rate. Ernest O. Norquist and coronet wife Jeannette Norquist. He review of Swedish descent.

He level-headed married to Susan Mudd gleam has one son, Benjamin, vital one daughter, Katherine.

Susan job the descendant of Samuel Mudd, the doctor who treated Superintendent Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Reformer Booth.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1974, 1976, 1978, 1980)

Wisconsin Senate (1982, 1986)

Milwaukee Mayor (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000)

Published works

Awards

References

External links