Michael B. Coleman
Encyclopedia
Michael B. Coleman is an American politician of the Democratic Party, the 52nd and current mayor
of Columbus, Ohio
. He is the first African-American mayor of Ohio's capital.
Coleman was born in Indianapolis
, but moved to Toledo
at an early age. After growing up in the Toledo
area, Coleman earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science
from the University of Cincinnati
and a Juris Doctor
from the University of Dayton School of Law
. Coleman was a member of the Columbus City Council from 1992–1999, and served as president of this city council from 1997-1999. In 1998, Coleman was the running mate for gubernatorial candidate Lee Fisher
. Coleman ran for and won the Columbus
mayorship in 1999 and was re-elected unopposed November 4, 2003.
In February 2005, Coleman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for governor of Ohio in the 2006 gubernatorial race, but subsequently dropped out of the race on November 29, 2005, citing heavy work and family obligations. In 2007, Mayor Coleman won a third term as mayor of Columbus. In 2011, he was re-elected for a fourth term.
. Fisher and Coleman lost a heavily contested race to Bob Taft
and Maureen O'Connor
.
Coleman later endorsed fellow Democrat Ted Strickland
for governor. After Strickland’s victory in November 2006, Coleman was selected as chair for Strickland’s transition team.
2011 Mayoral Campaign
Mayor Coleman is running for a fourth term as Mayor of Columbus. The election was November 8th, 2011. He was reelected in a landslide. Should Coleman serve the full length of his fourth term, he will be Columbus's longest serving mayor in its history.
Coleman is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The coalition is co-chaired by Boston
Mayor Thomas Menino
and New York City
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
.
Coleman was longlisted for the 2008 World Mayor
award.
With his re-election he is now Columbus's longest serving mayor.
on November 18, 1954 and raised in Toledo, Ohio
. In 1984, Coleman married his wife Frankie; it was the second marriage for both. The Colemans have three adult children: Kimberly; Justin, who is an officer with the Columbus Division of Police
; and John-David, who is a currently a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps
.
In an October, 2009, issue of The Other Paper
, it was announced that Coleman and his wife are in the process of getting a divorce.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. He is the first African-American mayor of Ohio's capital.
Coleman was born in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, but moved to Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
at an early age. After growing up in the Toledo
Toledo metropolitan area
The Toledo Metropolitan Area is a metropolitan area centered in the American city of Toledo, Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 651,429.According to the U.S...
area, Coleman earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
and a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Dayton School of Law
University of Dayton School of Law
The University of Dayton School of Law is a private ABA-approved law school. It is located in Dayton, Ohio, and is affiliated with the University of Dayton, which is a Catholic university of the Marianist Order.-Mission:...
. Coleman was a member of the Columbus City Council from 1992–1999, and served as president of this city council from 1997-1999. In 1998, Coleman was the running mate for gubernatorial candidate Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
. Coleman ran for and won the Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
mayorship in 1999 and was re-elected unopposed November 4, 2003.
In February 2005, Coleman announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for governor of Ohio in the 2006 gubernatorial race, but subsequently dropped out of the race on November 29, 2005, citing heavy work and family obligations. In 2007, Mayor Coleman won a third term as mayor of Columbus. In 2011, he was re-elected for a fourth term.
Election to city council
Coleman served as Columbus City Council President from 1997 until his election as mayor in 1999. Michael B. Coleman began his career in public office when he was appointed to Columbus City Council in 1992. He was subsequently re-elected to two terms in office.1998 elections
Mayor Coleman was selected as the democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, on the same ballot as Lee FisherLee Fisher
Lee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
. Fisher and Coleman lost a heavily contested race to Bob Taft
Bob Taft
Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
and Maureen O'Connor
Maureen O'Connor
Maureen O'Connor is an American jurist and the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Prior to this, O'Connor served as an Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio under Gov. Bob Taft...
.
2006 Democratic primary for governor of Ohio
In 2005, Michael B. Coleman was the first Democrat to announce in the Democratic primary for governor of Ohio. But on November 29, 2005, he withdrew from the race. He cited family concerns and also that the city of Columbus needed him.Coleman later endorsed fellow Democrat Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
for governor. After Strickland’s victory in November 2006, Coleman was selected as chair for Strickland’s transition team.
2007 mayoral campaign
During the 2007 mayoral campaign, Coleman was opposed by lawyer William Todd, a Republican. Todd claimed Coleman was soft on crime and ineffective on economic development. In early returns, Coleman was ahead 71 percent to Todd's 29 percent. Coleman was re-elected.2011 Mayoral CampaignColumbus Mayoral Election, 2011The Columbus Mayoral Election, 2011 will be held November 8, 2011 to elect the mayor of Columbus, Ohio. Candidates are incumbent Democrat Michael B. Coleman and Republican Earl W. Smith. The scheduled primary was canceled because neither party had challengers and third party candidates failed to...
Mayor Coleman is running for a fourth term as Mayor of Columbus. The election was November 8th, 2011. He was reelected in a landslide. Should Coleman serve the full length of his fourth term, he will be Columbus's longest serving mayor in its history.Mayoral career
Since 2000, under Mayor Coleman, the city of Columbus has spent $54 million less than budgeted. At the same time, he helped boost the city's spending on police and fire services from 63 percent of the city operating budget to 71 percent in 2005. Under Coleman, the city has also cut more than $190 million from continuation budgeting levels since 2000, despite increases in costs for medical insurance, wages and workers compensation. As of 2007, the city of Columbus had a AAA bond rating, the highest possible credit rating.Coleman is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a coalition of over 600 mayors who support a number of gun control initiatives that the group calls "commonsense reforms" to fight illegal gun trafficking and gun violence in the United States...
, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The coalition is co-chaired by Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
Mayor Thomas Menino
Thomas Menino
Thomas Michael "Tom" Menino is the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, United States and the city's first Italian-American mayor...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
.
Coleman was longlisted for the 2008 World Mayor
World Mayor
World Mayor is a biennial award organized by The City Mayors Foundation since 2004. It intends to raise the profile of mayors worldwide, as well as honour those who have served their communities well and who have contributed to the well-being of cities, nationally and internationally...
award.
With his re-election he is now Columbus's longest serving mayor.
2010 immigration debate
In the spring of 2010 Mayor Coleman banned city workers from traveling to Arizona in a boycott over an Arizona law allowing police officers to demand documentation of citizenship of anyone suspected of being in the United States illegally. Coleman compared the Arizona measure to 19th-century laws that required freed slaves to carry emancipation papers. He said his boycott was intended to show Arizona that its law enforcing illegal immigration measures is not the American way. While travel by city workers to Arizona is prohibited, police officers will be able to travel for the purpose of criminal extradition. Contracts with Arizona companies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Mayor. Redflex Traffic Systems, which is based in Arizona, operates 20 red-light cameras in Columbus. The red-light cameras issue tickets to red-light runners, the program will not be rescinded as a result of the ban, and in fact the number of red-light cameras will double as recently approved by city council.Personal life
Michael B. Coleman was born in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
on November 18, 1954 and raised in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. In 1984, Coleman married his wife Frankie; it was the second marriage for both. The Colemans have three adult children: Kimberly; Justin, who is an officer with the Columbus Division of Police
Columbus Division of Police
The Columbus Division of Police is the main policing unit for the city of Columbus, Ohio. It is composed of 20 precincts, and the Chief of Police is Walter Distelzweig. Columbus is ranked the 8th most dangerous city in the United States of the 15 cities with a population of 700,000 or more,...
; and John-David, who is a currently a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
In an October, 2009, issue of The Other Paper
The Other Paper
The Other Paper is an alternative weekly news publication servicing the Greater Columbus, Ohio area. It is distributed on Thursdays and contains primarily local news and other features such as concert and movie reviews, classified ads, and personals, all with a distinctly irreverent, humorous style...
, it was announced that Coleman and his wife are in the process of getting a divorce.
See also
- Election Results, Ohio Lieutenant GovernorElection Results, Ohio Lieutenant GovernorThe voters of the U.S. state of Ohio elect a lieutenant governor for a four-year term. Starting in 1978, the lieutenant governor is elected in tandem with the governor -- votes earned on a governor-lieutenant governor ticket are indicated in parenthses....
- Election Results, Ohio Lieutenant Governor (Democratic Primaries)