Kwame Kilpatrick

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Kwame Kilpatrick
In office
January 1, 2002 – Present
Preceded by Dennis Archer
Succeeded by Incumbent
Born June 8, 1970
Detroit, Michigan
Political party Democratic
Spouse Carlita Kilpatrick

Kwame M. Kilpatrick (born June 8, 1970) is the Mayor of Detroit, Michigan. Elected at age 31, he is the youngest mayor in the history of Detroit, as well as the second youngest current mayor of any major U.S. city. Kilpatrick briefly addressed the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

Prior to defeating City Council President Gil Hill (former Detroit police detective who also appeared in the Beverly Hills Cop films) in the 2001 mayoral election, Kilpatrick served as a Democratic member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, becoming the first African American to lead any party in the Michigan Legislature.

Kilpatrick is a lifelong resident of the city of Detroit and attended Pelham Middle School and Cass Technical High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in political science from Florida A&M University, where he was also captain of the football team. The City of Detroit website claims that he also earned a teaching certificate from [[Florida A&M University]. He holds a Juris Doctor from the Detroit College of Law (now part of Michigan State University). His mother, U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, represents Michigan's 13th District in the United States House of Representatives. His father, Bernard Kilpatrick, served as Chief of Staff to then-Wayne County Executive Ed McNamara and now serves as the President of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Kilpatrick is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans.

Contents

[edit] First Term and Controversy

By April 2005, Kilpatrick's approval rating in Detroit was sharply declining due to the scandals and the perceived lack of improvement in the city. As a result, the April 17, 2005 issue of Time Magazine listed him as one of the three worst big-city mayors in the United States. [1][2] The other two mentioned in the article are Dick Murphy of San Diego and John F. Street of Philadelphia.

In May 2005, the Detroit Free Press reported that over the first 33 months of his term, Kilpatrick has charged over $210,000 on his city-issued credit card for travel, meals, and entertainment.

In October 2005 Kilpatrick caused controversy with an advertisement which compared media criticism of him to lynch mobs. [3]

[[4]]

[edit] 2005 Re-Election Campaign

Kilpatrick staged one of 2005’s greatest political comebacks by confounding critics and returning to city hall for a second term

Both the incumbent Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick and his challenger Freman Hendrix – both Democrats - initially both claimed victory but as the count proceeded it became clear that Mayor Kilpatrick had come back from the political dead ton win a second term in office. Only three months ago most commentators declared his political career as over after he was the first Detroit incumbent mayor to come second in a primary. Pre-election opinion polls all predicted a win for Mr Hendrix. However, the Mayor had the last laugh gaining 53 per cent of vote. 4


Kilpatrick touted his accomplishments-improved city services, new homes and downtown construction--for the revitalization of Detroit, the nation's 11th-largest city. Jet, Nov. 28, 2005

[edit] Second Term

Kilpatrick was at the center of an ironic controversy in 2006 when, at an NAACP event to raise funds to defeat a state anti-affirmative action measure that ultimately passed [5], he echoed the notorious formulation of segregationist Alabama governor George Wallace, replacing the word "segregation" with "affirmative action" in claiming, "We will affirm to the world that affirmative action will be here today, it will be here tomorrow and there will be affirmative action in the state forever." [6].

Kilpatrick was hospitalized in Houston, Texas, in July 2006, diagnosed with diverticulitis. Dr. Aaron Maddox, Kilpatrick's personal physician indicated that Kilpatrick's condition may have been caused by Kilpatrick's high-protein weight-loss diet. [7]


In July, 2006, The Detroit Free Press reported The council voted unanimously to approve Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s tax plan, which he said he hopes will provide homeowners some relief from the city’s high property-tax rate. The cuts ranged from 18% to 35%, depending on the property’s value. [[8]] Bello

[edit] New Beginning for Detroit

On December 19, 2006, Kilpatrick unveiled a neighborhood initiative that could be a new beginning for several Detroit neighborhoods in need of revitalization. The NEXT Detroit initiative is a five-year strategy to transform blighted neighborhoods into vibrant areas by focusing on cleanliness, safety, beautification, and growth and development. Six neighborhoods were identified and divided into three categories _ redevelop, revitalize, and reinforce _ based upon each area's needs. The critical issues include decreasing insurance premiums, reducing and preventing crime, improving schools and increasing commercial retailing. [[9]], Detroit, MI [[10]]


Among the downtown milestones in the year since the Super Bowl's teams and tourists left Detroit are: Work finally got under way in mid-2006 on the long-delayed $180-million Book-Cadillac Hotel renovation.

Construction is proceeding on three permanent casinos. Much of the city's planned RiverWalk east of the Renaissance Center will be finished by spring. The planned Asian Village restaurants and shops should open near the RenCen by spring 2007. Residential projects to add hundreds of new units are in the works, in addition to the several hundred that opened in the couple of years before Super Bowl XL. In a stunning marker of downtown appeal, some of the penthouse units in the Book-Cadillac recently sold in the $1-million range." Detroit, MI, Free Press January 31, 2007 [[11]]


On Tuesday March 13, 2007 during what many journalists called his best State of the City address Mayor Kilpatrick urged Detroit residents to take ownership of city's problems. The Detroit News said "Kilpatrick correctly concludes that only Detroiters can cure what ails Detroit."

Detroit, MI, Detroit News March 14, 2007 [[12]]


On Wednesday March 14, 2007 The Examiner reported that Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said in his March 13, 2007 State of the City speech that the city will hire 200 new police officers over the next 12 months as part of a sweeping initiative targeting crime, strengthening work force development and stimulating growth. Detroit, MI, Examiner.com March 14, 2007 [[13]] [[14]]

[edit] Critics change tune

On March 11, 2007 a Detroit News Editorial "Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is moving the city in the right direction in three key areas -- finances, crime and education. One of the most noteworthy things about the mayor's financial plan is that it takes the city in exactly the opposite direction from Gov. Jennifer Granholm's proposed tax and fee hikes." [[15]]


A March 14, 2007 Detroit Free Press Editorial read "Given the sorry condition of the state economy, the mayor and the city have much to be proud of." [[16]]


On March 15, 2007 Rochelle Riley, A Detroit Free Press Journalist, said “ That was humility and leadership and maturity. I’m not suggesting that the Mayor woke up one day last week and became a new man. I am suggesting that the Mayor has matured into someone who can rebuild a city, can create a lasting legacy, and can make this city a place young people will choose to raise their families.” about Mayor Kilpatrick after the 2007 State of the city address.


2007

City's image upgrade brings results Entrepreneurs drawn to main business district "Among the downtown milestones in the year since the Super Bowl's teams and tourists left Detroit are:� Work finally got under way in mid-2006 on the long-delayed $180-million Book-Cadillac Hotel renovation.

Construction is proceeding on three permanent casinos. Much of the city's planned RiverWalk east of the Renaissance Center will be finished by spring. The planned Asian Village restaurants and shops should open near the RenCen by spring. Residential projects to add hundreds of new units are in the works, in addition to the several hundred that opened in the couple of years before Super Bowl XL. In a stunning marker of downtown appeal, some of the penthouse units in the Book-Cadillac recently sold in the $1-million range."

Detroit, MI, Free Press January 31, 2007 [[17]]

[edit] Electoral history

  • 2005 Race for Mayor (Detroit)
  • 2001 Race for Mayor (Detroit)
    • Kwame Kilpatrick (D), 54%
    • Gil Hill (D), 46%

[edit] Trivia

  • He has been nicknamed "America's First Hip-Hop Mayor," in part due to an earring that he wore in his left ear. He removed the earring during the 2005 campaign and has since not replaced it.
  • A former offensive lineman for the Florida A&M University football team, Kilpatrick stands at 6'4", and weighs upwards of 300 lbs.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Dennis Archer		 Mayor of Detroit
2002–		 Succeeded by
'Incumbent'
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