Luis A. Quintana

Luis A. Quintana
Member of Municipal Council, At-Large
Incumbent
Assumed office
2014
Mayor of Newark
In office
November 4, 2013 – July 1, 2014
Preceded by Cory Booker
Succeeded by Ras Baraka
Member of Municipal Council, At-Large
In office
1994 – 2013 (resigned)
Personal details
Born January 29, 1960
Añasco, Puerto Rico
Political party Democratic
Residence Newark, New Jersey
Alma mater Seton Hall University

Luis A. Quintana (born January 29, 1960) is an American politician who is Councilmember-at-Large of the Municipal Council of Newark, New Jersey, first elected in 1994. He served as Mayor of Newark from November 2013-June 2014, after which he was re-elected to his council seat.

Background

Quintana was born in Añasco, Puerto Rico. In 1967, at the age of eight, he and his family moved to Newark, where he later graduated from Barringer High School. He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Seton Hall University.[1]

Councilman-at-Large

Quintana become Councilman-at-Large of the Municipal Council of Newark in 1994.[1][2] In 1986 became deputy mayor under Sharpe James.[3] He became Council President in September 2013.[4] Quintana ran unsuccessfully in the 2003 primary[5] and 2007 election for New Jersey State Senator for the 29th Legislative District, which was won by Teresa Ruiz.[6][7]

Quintana was re-elected in May 2014.[8]

Mayor

After having won the October 16 special election for U.S. Senator to replace the late Frank Lautenberg, Cory Booker resigned as mayor and was sworn in on October 31, 2013 as the junior U.S. Senator from New Jersey.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

While rules state that any Newark resident can be selected as interim mayor by a vote of the municipal council, normally its president ascends to the post. The resignation of Donald Payne Jr. in November 2012 left the position vacant and the council with eight instead of nine members.[15] Payne's resignation led to a power struggle for the vacant council seat, with opponents contesting Booker's appointment and an eventual judicial rulings which would leave it vacant until November 2013 special election.[16][17][18][19][20] Quintana is the longest serving councilman and has allies on both sides of the political divide, which tends to fall along racial lines.[15]

Quintana was voted council president on September 19, 2013 in a near-unanimous vote by seven colleagues, with one abstention by Quintana himself.[21] He became acting mayor on October 31, 2013, and was sworn in on November 4, 2013, assuming the unexpired term of Booker,[22] which ended on June 30, 2014. He is the first Latino mayor of Newark, the total population of which is one-third Latino[23] and 13% Puerto Rican.[24]

Quintana's style is considered to be considerably different than Booker's, particularly the use of social media. Whereas Booker was known for his contacts outside the established political network, Quintana was expected to staff city hall from within local political establishment.[25][26] Since Newark received $32 million in emergency state aid in 2011 and 2012, a memorandum of understanding between Newark and the state requires the city to request and the state approve hiring of city hall staff,[27] which they initially did not do.[28] and later denied.[29]

Mayoral election 2014

Quintana's term ended on June 30, 2014.[23] He has not expressed interest in running for the seat in the 2014 elections.[3] Quintana was seen as an ideal interim mayor because he was "someone who wasn't planning to run and is well-steeped in the minutiae of running Newark." None of the mayoral candidates sought the position since not only "would it be difficult to run the city for the first time while campaigning, it would be hard to demand change in a city while running it."[30] "I am not considering a run for mayor of Newark, and I've said that before,..My only mission is to be the gatekeeper, and to give the citizens of Newark a model for future mayors to come." said Quintana in December 2012.[31]


As quoted in the Newark-based newspaper, the Star-Ledger, Rutgers University professor Clement Price characterized the election as the “first mayoral race after the long drama associated with the ending of Mayor Sharpe James’ last term and the national ascent of Cory Booker” and "wonders whether the local and national attention in this campaign will be anywhere proximate to the life and times of Cory Booker and Newark.”[32] Booker's departure prompted an earlier begin than normal campaigns.[33]

Municipal elections in Newark are nonpartisan[34] and are held the 2nd Tuesday in May[35] (May 13, 2014).[36] Booker's election, and eventual departure, as well as shifting demographics, have been instrumental in changing the political climate and political alliances in Newark.[37] The percentage of Latinos in Newark has grown considerably between 1980 and 2010, from 18.6% to 33.8%; that of blacks has slightly decreased from 58.2% to 52.4%. While municipal elections have seen black-Latino coalitions, voting tends to remain racially polarized.[38][39][40][41]

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Luis A. Quintana". City of Newark. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  2. ↑ Tuttle, Brad R. (2009), How Newark Became Newark: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American City, Rutgers University Press
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Longtime Newark City Councilman Luis Quintana Slated To Take Over Mayor's Spot". Fox News Latino. October 30, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  4. ↑ Giambusso, David (September 19, 2013). "Luis Quintana voted Newark Council president and possible interim mayor". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  5. ↑ "Quintana, Luis A (career profile0". Candidate Summary. Follow the Money. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  6. ↑ "NJ State Senate 29". Our Campaigns. June 9, 2008. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  7. ↑ Official List Candidate Returns for State Senate For November 2007 General Election, New Jersey Department of State, December 3, 2007. Accessed 2013-11-29
  8. ↑ http://newarkpdonline.org/tempuploads/Letter%20to%20All%20Candidates%20re%20Unofficial%20Results%20of%20Municipal%20Election.pdf
  9. ↑ Sherman, Ted. (November 4, 2013). "Luis Quintana sworn in as Newark's first Latino mayor, filling unexpired term of Cory Booker". The Star-Ledger (nj.com).
  10. ↑ "With Booker leaving, who will run Newark?: Council President Luis Quintana expected to act as interim mayor; Booker to be sworn in as U.S. senator Thursday". FIOS1. October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  11. ↑ Lee, Eunace (October 30, 2013). "See Cory Booker's resignation letter as he bids farewell to Newark City Hall, goes to Washington". The Star-Ledger (nj.com). Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  12. ↑ 2013 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed May 13, 2013.
  13. ↑ Giambusso, David (October 25, 2013). "Quintana looks like a lock to become interim mayor of Newark". The Star-Ledger (nj.com). Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  14. ↑ About Mayor Booker, City of Newark. Accessed August 6, 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Giambusso, David (June 9, 2013). "Questions, suspicion dominate debate over Booker's replacement in Newark". Retrieved 2013-12-07.
  16. ↑ "Heated Newark council battle has been building for months". The Star-Ledger. December 6, 2012. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
  17. ↑ Giambusso, David (November 18, 2012). "Speculation grows over Newark City Council seat held by Payne". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  18. ↑ Giambusso, David; and Queally, James. "Citizens rush council members as chaos erupts at Newark City Hall meeting", The Star-Ledger, November 20, 2012. Retrieved 2013-12-06. "After weeks of jockeying for Rep. Donald Payne’s successor, Booker made an unprecedented personal appearance to cast the deciding vote with his council allies for Shanique Davis Speight, a longtime ally of power broker Stephen Adubato, over the angry objections of residents."
  19. ↑ Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division (July 5, 2013). "CORY BOOKER ROBERT MARASCO ANIBAL RAMOS JR AUGUSTO AMADOR CARLOS GONZALEZ LUIS QUINTANA SHANIQUE DAVIS SPEIGHT v. RONALD RICE RAS BARAKA MILDRED CRUMP DARRIN SHARIF". DOCKET NO.&#ensp;A–2413–12T4. Find a Law. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  20. ↑ Giambusso, David. "Judge rules Cory Booker did not have authority to vote for open Newark council seat", The Star-Ledger, December 11, 2012. Accessed December 12, 2012. "The court had to decide whether Mayor Cory Booker had the power to vote for Shanique Davis Speight, and give her the five votes needed to join the City Council.Carey reversed Booker’s vote today, saying the mayor did not have the authority to vote on the issue.... Now the city’s legislators are divided, 4-4, and the seat vacated by Donald Payne Jr., the former council president, will probably remain vacant until a special election can be held next year. "
  21. ↑ Giambusso, David (September 19, 2013). "Luis Quintana voted Newark Council president and possible interim mayor". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  22. ↑ Ted Sherman (November 4, 2013). "Luis Quintana sworn in as Newark's first Latino mayor, filling unexpired term of Cory Booker". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Suarez, Monica (November 4, 2013). "Luis Quintana sworn in as Newark’s first Latino mayor". NBC Latino. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  24. ↑ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Newark city, Essex County, New Jersey". Census 2010. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  25. ↑ Haddon, Heather (November 29, 2013). "Newark Gets Shift in Style Interim Mayor Luis Quintana Goes in Different Directions Than Cory Booker". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  26. ↑ Zezima, Katie (December 7, 2013). "Newark's interim mayor is shaking up City Hall". NJ Herald. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  27. ↑ Giambusso, David (December 0, 2013). "State warns Newark mayor his staff moves may not fly". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-05. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ↑ Giambusso, David (December 10, 2013). "N.J. rejects Newark mayor's picks to replace Booker staff". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
  29. ↑ http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2014/01/state_denies_newark_hires_announces_a_new_audit_of_city_books.html#incart_river_default
  30. ↑ "As Cory Booker Heads For Washington, Newark Council Must Choose Interim Leader Luis Quintana Favorite To Assume Role". CBS Local. October 30, 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  31. ↑ Bonamo, Mark (December 4, 2013). "Quintana says he's not running in 2014 Newark mayoral election, but leaves door open". Politeckernj. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  32. ↑ Giambusso, David (June 2, 2013). "With three major candidates declared, Newark braces for mayoral race". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  33. ↑ Giambusso, David (December 8, 2013). "Newark mayoral campaigns heat up on the streets". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-07. With former Mayor Cory Booker leaving office early to become a U.S. senator, political factions in Newark mobilized much earlier than they would have in a normal campaign.
  34. ↑ Pomper, Gerald M. (1988), Voters, Elections, and Parties: The Practice of Democratic Theory, Transaction Publishers, ISBN 0-88738-160-X
  35. ↑ Moszczynski, Joe (September 26, 2010). "N.J. municipalities consider moving non-partisan elections from May to November". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  36. ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=338851
  37. ↑ Milo, Paul (June 20, 2013). "Who Comes Next After Booker at City Hall?". Newark Patch. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  38. ↑ Perry, Ravi K (editor); Gillepsie, Andra (2013), "Beyond Booker: Assissing the Prospect of Black and Latino Mayoral Candidates in Newark, New Jersey", 21st Century Urban Race Politics: Representing Minorities As Universal Interests (Emerald Group Publishing)
  39. ↑ Gillespie, Andra (2012), The New Black Politician: Cory Booker, Newark, and Post-Racial America, New York University Press, ISBN 978-0-8147-3244-1
  40. ↑ Giambusso, David (September 22, 2013). "With Newark council president vote, Ras Baraka could win Latino support". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-04. For Baraka’s political opponents it blunts a potential weapon in the mayoral race, as Ramos seeks to become the first Hispanic mayor of Newark.“Tonight, the Newark City Council made history with our majority vote of Luis Quintana as council president,” Baraka said Wednesday. “Councilman Quintana is well qualified to lead our Council during the coming months of transition in Newark.” The Ramos campaign said the move would do little for Baraka. “If this was Ras Baraka’s desperate ploy to conceal his history of divisiveness in this city, then it won’t work because Newark voters won’t be fooled,” said Ramos spokesman Bruno Tedeschi. “There is no question that Anibal Ramos is the only uniter in this race who will be a mayor for everyone in Newark.”
  41. ↑ Wharton, Jonathon L. (2013). "A Post-Racial Change Is Gonna Come Newark, Cory Booker, and the Transformation of Urban America". Palgrave MacMilan. ISBN 978-1-137-27771-8. Retrieved 2013-12-05.