Jane L. Campbell

See also: 2001 Cleveland mayoral election

In November 2001, Campbell won the Cleveland mayoral election with 54% of the vote,^{[ citation needed ]} defeating former Clinton administration official and attorney Raymond Pierce, who received 46% of votes. She took office on January 1, 2002, becoming the city's first female mayor.

In office, Campbell inherited a $60 million budget deficit and a city government in financial turmoil.^{[ citation needed ]} In just one year, she stabilized the city's budget without a tax increase. However, some city services endured cutbacks, and the following year she had to lay off many city employees in order to maintain financial stability. ^[2]

One of her political accomplishments was bringing the Lakefront Plan to the forefront of regional awareness, a plan that emphasized Lake Erie as the region's most valuable asset and a vital element for revitalization in Downtown Cleveland.

Throughout her four years, Campbell worked with other levels of government and the private sector to initiate nearly $3 billion of investments for urban development and redevelopment projects.^{[ citation needed ]} By 2005, several of these projects were underway, including Steelyard Commons (a Brownfield-turned-shopping center, opened Sept. 2007), Gordon Square Arts District, Battery Park (redeveloped Eveready Battery Plant), The Avenue District, Fourth Street redevelopment, and Euclid Avenue rapid transit corridor.^{[ citation needed ]}

Also under her administration, Ohio's first state of the art Emergency Operations Center was built,^{[ citation needed ]} and in 2004, Cleveland became the first city in the country to host the International Children's Games. However, Campbell was criticized over her indecision on efforts to build a new city convention center and for her support for the building of a Wal-Mart store at Steelyard Commons. ^[2] Her relations with City Council President Frank G. Jackson were strained, ^[2] and she even faced an attempted recall effort. ^[3]

Ethics of the city government dominated the headlines for much of Campbell's term. During Campbell's mayoralty, a federal corruption investigation continued from the prior city administration, resulting in subsequent convictions of two of the former Mayor's confidantes. ^[4]

In 2005, Intel named Cleveland as one of the "World’s Digital Communities" in 2005, after Campbell set the stage for using technology as a platform for innovative economic development. ^[5]

2005 mayoral election

Main article: 2005 Cleveland mayoral election

On October 4, 2005, after serving one term as mayor, Campbell came in second to City Council President Frank Jackson, in a field of seven candidates in the non-partisan mayoral primary. Only 16% of Cleveland's population participated in the primary, the lowest voter turnout in the city's history. In the November 8, 2005, general election, Jackson defeated Campbell by 55% to 45%. At 11:25 pm (EST), she conceded to Jackson, who became the city's mayor on January 2, 2006.

Later career

After leaving office, Campbell accepted a short-term position at Harvard University as part of a fellowship with the Harvard Institute of Politics. Her teaching covered issues in city governance and Ohio politics. She taught at the school during the spring of 2006.

From 2006 to 2009, she served as managing director of public-private partnerships for Colliers Ostendorf-Morris, in Cleveland's Colliers International office. ^[6]

In January 2009, it was announced that Campbell would become chief of staff to Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. ^[7] She was previously the Director of the Washington Office of the National Development Council (NDC) and President of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP).

In 2019, Campbell became the President and CEO of the United States Capitol Historical Society.

Personal life

Campbell was married to urban planner Hunter Morrison, the head of Youngstown State University's Office of Campus Planning and Community Partnerships. ^[8] Campbell and Morrison have two daughters, Jessica and Catherine Campbell-Morrison. The couple divorced in 2008.^{[ citation needed ]}

See also

• List of first female mayors

References

1. "Jane Louise Campbell's Biography". Vote Smart . Retrieved November 9, 2023.
2. "Mayoral Administration of Jane L. Campbell". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University . Retrieved July 25, 2021.
3. Tobin, Mike (December 27, 2003). "Recall Drive Against Campbell Dies As Clerk Denies Extension". The Plain Dealer.
4. "Appeals court upholds Nate Gray convictions". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
5. "Intel To Help Communities Worldwide Maximize Their Wireless Capabilities". Intel. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
6. "Jane L. Campbell". Colliers International. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
7. "Former Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell moves to D.C. to take job as aide to senator". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
8. Skolnick, David. Edwards called city's 2010 plan 'visionary' Archived January 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . The Youngstown Vindicator, July 18, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2007.

External links

• Profile on the Ohio Ladies Gallery website
• Appearances on C-SPAN

Jane L. Campbell
56th Mayor of Cleveland
In office January 1, 2002 –January 1, 2006

Political offices
Preceded by Michael R. White	Mayor of Cleveland 2002–2006	Succeeded by Frank G. Jackson