Don Plusquellic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Donald Plusquellic**

Office:	Mayor, Akron, Ohio
Political party:	Democrat
Term of office:	1987–Present
Preceded by:	Thomas C. Sawyer
Succeeded by:	Incumbent
Date of birth:	July 3, 1949
Profession:	Management

Donald L. Plusquellic (born July 3, 1949) is the current mayor of Akron, Ohio. Mayor Plusquellic is currently serving his fifth term, making him the longest-serving mayor of the city. He was the President of the United States Conference of Mayors during 2004. Plusquellic currently serves as vice president of the International Mayors for Peace organization. He is well known as an architect of the Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) program in Ohio.

He is widely praised and criticized by both sides of the aisle—and some affiliated with neither party. In 2006, an independent watchdog group announced that the city was 1.1 billion USD in debt, more per capita then any other city of its size in Ohio. In 2006, an impasse was declared with the police and fire fighter unions and has yet to be resolved. At the same time crime has increased.[1] The public school system has suffered due to a very strong tax abatement structure Plusquellic employed to bring new development to downtown Akron. Some complain that the City does not run like a municipal body but a business, complete with press releases and news conferences.

His term expires in 2007; he has announced his candidacy for reelection.[2]