Maureen O'Connor (California politician)

Maureen Frances O'Connor (July 14, 1946–) is an American Democratic politician from California.

Maureen O'Connor was born 1946 in San Diego, California. She was one of 13 children; her parents were former local boxer, "Kid Jerome", and Frances Mary O'Connor. She and her twin sister Mavourneen ("Mo") were avid athletes in their youth—she a swimmer and her sister a tennis player. Maureen graduated from San Diego State University in 1970. After graduation, O'Connor was physical education teacher and counselor for Rosary High School for a few years.

Although shy, she got her start in politics after being treated rudely at City Hall. In 1971 she ran for and was elected to the San Diego City Council and served to 1979. O'Connor was commissioner for the Port of San Diego from 1980–1985.

O'Connor met her future husband Robert O. Peterson, founder of the Jack in the Box fast food chain, while first running for city council, and were married in 1977 in Europe. Although a Republican, he supported her in her political campaigns. He filed for divorce in 1985 but they soon reconciled. Peterson died in 1994. They had no children.

In 1983 she ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Roger Hedgecock, but won in 1985 after Hedgecock resigned under a cloud of scandal. O'Connor was the first female mayor of San Diego and served until 1992. She was considered by many to be the voice of the people.^[1] O'Connor once spent a few nights incognito with the homeless to see first-hand how they were doing. A nun recognized her and whispered to her that "if you want to conceal your identity, you should remember that homeless women don't read the financial pages."^[2]

Although considered "one of the most popular San Diego mayors ever" by some and known affectionally as "Mayor Mo" by her supporters, her critics included members of the city council. Former councilman Bob Filner accused her of avoiding debate and "bullying people, one issue at a time." Others charged that she avoided difficult issues and concentrated on her "'populist' appeal that [is] . . . 'a mile wide and an inch deep.'"^[2]

In 2000 she joined consumer activists in decrying the notoriously destructive effects of utility deregulation on California. "This is turning into a nightmare for San Diego," O'Connor said. "It [deregulation] didn't work, unfortunately. . . Let's admit it, fix it and save San Diego." [1] [2]

Upon the death of her friend, philanthropist Joan B. Kroc, in 2003, O'Connor said, "San Diego was privileged and very lucky to have Joan Kroc, whom I always called St. Joan of the Arches. She was a woman of generous spirit and a loving heart for all people of San Diego. She has no equal." [3]

O'Connor lives in San Diego.

Quotes

"I came in as a maverick, and I will go out as a maverick."

"The mayor and the council in the past decade have decided to support the dessert menu: pay for ballparks, the Republican convention, anything that supports the chamber of commerce and the big downtown corporate leaders. They have neglected the basics: potholes in the streets, clean bay, clean ocean, affordable housing. When I left office there was an AAA bond rating, money in the bank. . . . [later] city government underfunded the pension fund to pay for this dessert menu."^[3]

External links

• San Diego Union-Tribune article written by O'Connor, August 2005

References

1. ^ Los Angeles Times, Mayor's Leaving, December 6, 1992.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Lady Power in the Sunbelt", Time, March 19, 1990 by Jordan Bonfante
3. ^ "Corporate Welfare and Ethical Meltdown", San Diego Reader, October 27, 2005 by Don Bauder