William Lantigua | |
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Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts | |
In office January 4, 2010[1] – Present |
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Preceded by | Michael J. Sullivan |
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 16th Essex District[2] |
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In office January 2003 – February 12, 2010[3] |
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Preceded by | Jose L. Santiago[4] |
Succeeded by | Marcos Devers[5] |
Personal details | |
Born | February 19, 1955 [2] Dominican Republic[2] |
Political party | Independent,[6][7] Democratic[2] |
William Lantigua (born February 19, 1955) is a Dominican American politician in Massachusetts. He became Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts in January 2010 following his November 2009 defeat of Lawrence City Councilor David Abdoo. Upon taking office, Lantigua became the first elected and second serving Hispanic mayor in Massachusetts history.
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William Lantigua was born in the Dominican Republic on February 19, 1955 to Enrique Lantigua and Ana Elvira Soto. Lantigua has three siblings one sister and two brothers. He moved to the United States in 1974 from the Dominican Republic. Educated in the Dominican Republic and later worked for 23 years for Schneider Electric in North Andover, MA. William Lantigua is the father of three daughters; Veronica, Vanessa, and Valerie as well as his son William Kennedy.[8]
For years during the 1990s, Lantigua worked as an organizer in the City of Lawrence helping elect Jose Santiago, the second Puerto Rican to serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (the first was Nelson Merced, elected in 1988[9]) and later Mary-Ellen Manning to Massachusetts Governor's Council over incumbent and Mayor of Lawrence Patricia Dowling.[8]
In 2002 Lantigua, ran as an independent against Democrat Jose Santiago and was elected a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2002. In 2004 Jose Santiago again ran against Lantigua eventually losing for a second time.[6] In 2006 Lantigua decided to run for the first time as a Democrat this time being challenged by long time city councilor and former Mayor of Lawrence Marcos Devers. But Lantigua was able to have Devers removed from the ballot challenging his residency in the district since Devers lived in the district under one year. Lantigua went on to win the election unopposed.[10] In 2008 Devers again challenged Lantigua in the Democratic primary this time with his name on the ballot only to lose by 399 votes.[11] Lantigua was unchallenged in the general election winning his 4th election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Lantigua was State Representative of the 16th Essex district from 2003 until his resignation February 2010.[12]
As a State Representative, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Elder Affairs Committee and as a member of the Way’s and Means Committee along with the Committee on Bonding and Capital Expenses. Lantigua also served two one-year terms as chair of the Massachusetts Black Legislative Caucus.[8]
Upon taking office, Lantigua became the second Hispanic mayor in Massachusetts history and only the third Dominican-American Mayor in the United States, after Mayor Alex Blanco of Passaic, New Jersey, elected in 2008 and Marcos Devers who was appointed in 2001 to fill the vacant position left by Mayor Patricia Dowling.[13] Lantigua caused controversy when fellow lawmakers on Beacon Hill questioned his ability to hold the position of mayor and State Representative simultaneously in the midst of a citywide financial crisis.[12] Simultaneously holding state and municipal elected positions in Massachusetts has occurred before but Lawrence's time requirements were higher under financial reorganization. The commute time was also higher than for example Saundra Graham or Timothy Toomey who were from Cambridge.
In April 2011 Lantigua was the subject of a federal investigation into possible corruption and other potential wrongdoing.[14] This investigation was the latest in a series of bizarre events[15] that have led to a recall petition to oust Lantigua from office after 15 tumultuous months.[16][17]
On May 11, 2011 Lantigua was criticized for receiving fuel assistance (along with his girlfriend, with whom he is currently living) totaling possibly $1,165, despite a combined household income of $145,000. Lantigua later returned the money, but still faces the fallout from the ongoing appearance of impropriety.[18]
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Michael J. Sullivan |
Mayor of Lawrence January 2010-Present |
Succeeded by (current incumbent) |
Preceded by Jose L. Santiago |
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 16th Essex District January 2003-February 12, 2010 |
Succeeded by Marcos Devers |