Joseph Petty
| Joseph Petty | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts | |
|
Assumed office 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph C. O'Brien |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Gayle Perrone Petty |
Joseph "Joe" Petty is the current mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts.[1]
Early life and education
Raised in Worcester, Petty graduated from Holy Name Central Catholic High School. He attended Nichols College and earned a law degree from New England School of Law.[1]
Professional career
Petty was first elected to the Worcester City Council in 1997. After serving six two-year terms on the council, he mounted a campaign for mayor in 2011 when incumbent Joseph C. O'Brien decided not to seek reelection due to family concerns.[2][3] He defeated former mayor Konstantina Lukes, perennial candidate Bill Coleman, and Carmen Carmona by earning 48% of votes cast.[4] During the preceding campaign, Petty received the endorsement of Congressman Jim McGovern.[5]
As mayor, Petty has overseen the partial demolition and redevelopment of Worcester Common Outlets, an abandoned downtown mall. This effort involves recreating a direct roadway between Union Station and Worcester City Hall and Common that was lost when the mall was built in the 1960s.[6]
In May 2012, Petty brokered a tax reform compromise among city councilors. Some councilors favored a sharp decrease in the city's commercial tax rate, while others wished to maintain the lowest possible residential tax rate. Petty proposed a comprise that decreased the commercial tax rate by $5.57 and raised the residential tax rate ¢92 per $1000 of assessed value. This tax reform, which passed on a 6-5 vote, was the subject of controversy, for it came in the wake of a revelation that annual property revaluations would lead to significantly higher commercial tax bills.[7] While the city's assessors contended that the increased tax bills were due to reforms, such as considering a building's exact vacancy rate when calculating its assessment, other figures accused past administrations of improperly overriding assessments to provide lower tax bills.[8]
Personal life
Petty is married to Gayle Perrone Petty. They have three children.[9]
References
- 1 2 "Mayor Petty". Retrieved January 5, 2011.
- ↑ "Two Minutes With . . . Joe Petty". Worcester Magazine. December 29, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
- ↑ Nick Kotsopoulos (September 17, 2011). "O'Brien ends re-election bid for city mayor; Family challenges cited". Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
- ↑ "Election Results". Retrieved January 5, 2011.
- ↑ Nick Kotsopoulos (October 23, 2011). "In mayor's race, no clear leader". Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
- ↑ Walter Bird (July 4, 2012). "GoLocalWorcester Sits Down With Worcester Mayor". GoLocal Worcester. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ↑ Walter Bird (May 23, 2012). "Worcester's Contentious Tax Debate". GoLocal Worcester. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ↑ Jeremy Shulkin (May 16, 2012). "Worcester's Contentious Tax Debate". Worcester Magazine. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ↑ "About Joe". Retrieved January 5, 2011.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joseph C. O'Brien |
Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts January 2, 2011 - present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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