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Madeline Rogero

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Madeline Rogero
Mayor of Knoxville
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 17, 2011
Preceded byDaniel Brown (interim)
Personal details
Born (1952-08-26) August 26, 1952 (age 72)[1]
Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Political partyDemocratic Party[1]
Spouse(s)Gene Monaco (2001–)
Mark Pitt (divorced 1983)[1]
Alma materFurman University
University of Tennessee[1]

Madeline Anne Rogero (born August 26, 1952) is the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, elected in 2011. She is first female to hold the office. Before entering politics, Rogero worked as an urban planner for various regional entities. She served on the Knox County Commission from 1990 to 1998, and first ran for mayor in 2003, losing to the current Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam.[1]

Early life

Rogero (the "g" is pronounced as an "h") was born in Jacksonville, Florida, one of ten children of Gerald Rogero, a mechanical contractor, and Anita Ghioto, a former nun.[1] She spent her childhood in Eau Gallie, Florida, and later in Kettering, Ohio, where she attended Archbishop Alter High School.[1] Rogero attended multiple universities, including Temple University and Ohio State University, before eventually graduating with a degree in political science from Furman University in 1979.[1]

During the mid-1970s, Rogero and her first husband, Mark Pitt, worked as organizers for César Chávez's United Farm Workers, a labor union that sought better wages for migrant farm workers.[1][2][3][4] She and Pitt moved to Knoxville in 1980, where Pitt helped run the textile workers' union, UNITE.[1] Rogero obtained a master's degree from the University of Tennessee's Graduate School of Planning, having been inspired to enter the urban planning field while helping fight an attempt by the city to install temporary trailers in her neighborhood in anticipation of the 1982 World's Fair.[1]

Knox County Commission

In 1990, Rogero successfully ran for the 2nd District Knox County Commission seat, defeating 24-year incumbent Jesse Cawood.[1] She was reelected in 1994.[1] Following her second term (she was ineligible for a third term due to term limits), Rogero returned to non-profit work and community development, namely as head of Knoxville's Promise, a branch of Colin Powell's America's Promise.[1]

2003 mayoral campaign

In 2003, Rogero ran for mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, competing with businessman Bill Haslam for the position being vacated by long-time Knoxville mayor Victor Ashe. Her plan for the city involved four key components:[5]

  1. Bring higher-paying jobs to the city, accusing many of the city's business leaders of keeping higher-paying jobs out of town for fear that this would lead to increased pay expectations in their own businesses.
  2. Strengthen neighborhoods and work with neighborhood organizations.
  3. Revitalize the Downtown area, namely with a better retail strategy for Gay Street and Market Square, and the creation of more parking areas.
  4. Address quality of life issues, namely greenways, arts, and historic preservation, and link them to economic growth.

By June 2003, Rogero had raised $72,000 in contributions, far short of the $467,000 Haslam had raised,[6] though she eventually amassed over $160,000 (about one-fourth of Haslam's eventual total).[7] As the campaign heated up, Rogero attacked Haslam on several fronts, attempting to paint him as a representative of oil interests (Haslam's father, Jim Haslam, is the founder and chairman of Pilot Corporation), and arguing he would be a puppet of developers that have "gone up against many of our neighborhood organizations."[6] Haslam was generally considered an "establishment" candidate, but ran a grassroots-style campaign in an attempt to connect with all of the city's neighborhoods, and won the support of numerous black leaders in East Knoxville.[8]

While Haslam won the election with about 53% of the vote, Rogero garnered praise for running an effective campaign and energizing the city's urban and working class voters.[8] In 2006, Haslam appointed Rogero director of community development, a move inspired in part by the Doris Kearns Goodwin book, Team of Rivals.[9]

2011 mayoral campaign

Haslam was reelected mayor in 2007 (Rogero didn't run), and resigned the office in January 2011 after he was elected governor of the state. Councilman Daniel Brown was appointed interim mayor. Rogero announced her candidacy for mayor in August 2010, joining a field that eventually included councilwoman Marilyn Roddy, former councilman Ivan Harmon, businessman Mark Padgett, former councilman Joe Hultquist, and local 911 operator Bo Bennett. Roddy dropped out in April 2011 to run for the district's state senate seat, leaving Rogero as the front runner in the nonpartisan mayoral election.[10]

By July 2011, Rogero had managed to raise $160,000, and by September she had raised over $345,000.[11] Her candidacy was endorsed by the Knoxville News Sentinel, Knoxville's daily newspaper; the alternative weekly Metro Pulse; the Public Trust PAC, a nonpartisan political action committee in Knox County that was established after a series of 2007 scandals involving county government;[12][13][14] former State Senator Ben Atchley; former Knox County Executive Tommy Schumpert; several key members of the city staff under former mayor Haslam; and the Knoxville Firefighters Association.[15] By the day of the primary election, she counted a total of "more than two dozen" endorsements from current or past elected officials in the Knoxville and Knox County governments.[16]

In the primary election on September 27, 2011 Rogero won 49.91% of the vote, ahead of the second and third-place finishers, Mark Padgett (22.64%) and Ivan Harmon (22.32%), but 16 votes short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff.[17]

Rogero faced fellow Democrat Padgett, the second-place finisher, in a runoff election that was held on November 8, 2011. During the weeks following the primary, Rogero picked up an endorsement from the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police,[18] while Padgett was endorsed by all three of the other men who had been candidates in the primary; Jimmy "J.J." Jones, the Knox County Sheriff; the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors; and the Home Builders Association of Greater Knoxville.[18][19][20][21] Rogero won the runoff with 58.6% of the vote.[11][22] Rogero's election made her the first woman mayor of Knoxville.[22]

Mayoral term

Rogero was sworn in as mayor on December 17, 2011 in a ceremony at Chilhowee Park.[1]

Political positions

During her 2011 campaign, Rogero stated she would only consider raising taxes after "all attempts were exhausted to cut expenses to provide needed services."[23]

She also expressed her support for the proposed Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan, which would place restrictions on development along the slopes of area hills and ridges.[24] Supporters of the plan had said it was necessary to preserve the area's scenic beauty and protect neighborhoods and waterways from runoff. Opponents argued that it was too restrictive, and would harm area economic development.[25]

Rogero said that she supports the use of red-light surveillance cameras at city intersections, but does not support the use of such cameras for speeding infractions.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Georgiana Vines, "Meet the New Mayor: Family, Shared Time Important to Madeline Rogero," Knoxville News Sentinel, 11 December 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  2. ^ Joe Sullivan (April 3, 2003). "The Patrician Vs. the Populist; Bill Haslam and Madeline Rogero: A study in contrasts". Metro Pulse. No. Vol. 13, No. 14. monkeyfire.com. Retrieved January 13, 2012. {{cite news}}: |number= has extra text (help)
  3. ^ "About Madeline". Madeline Rogero for Mayor. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  4. ^ Cari Wade Gervin (April 27, 2011). "Knoxville Mayoral Candidate Profile: Madeline Rogero". Metro Pulse.
  5. ^ Ryan Seals, "Rogero Voices Her Vision for the City," The Daily Beacon, 15 August 2003. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  6. ^ a b Joe Sullivan, "Madeline's Song Turns to Discord," Metro Pulse, 10 July 2003. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  7. ^ Rogero Releases First Financial Report. Madeline Rogero for Mayor campaign website, 31 January 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  8. ^ a b The Year In Review, Metro Pulse, December 2003. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  9. ^ Josh Flory, "Building on Experience as Knoxville's Mayor, 'Optimistic and Enthusiastic' Haslam Begins Leading State", Knoxville News Sentinel, January 19, 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  10. ^ Georgiana Vines, "Marilyn Roddy Drops Out of Knoxville Mayoral Race," Knoxville News Sentinel, 22 April 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  11. ^ a b Ali Griffin, "Rogero Takes Mayoral Election," The Daily Beacon, 21 November 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Madeline Rogero endorsed for mayor based on vision, leadership, years of experience" (editorial). Knoxville News Sentinel. September 4, 2011.
  13. ^ "Knoxville Elections '11: Metro Pulse's Endorsements", Metro Pulse, September 7, 2011
  14. ^ Georgiana Vines (September 12, 2007). "Public Trust PAC backs Rogero". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  15. ^ Georgiana Vines (September 27, 2011). "Madeline Rogero needs to ride close call to finish line". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  16. ^ Georgiana Vines (September 23, 2011). "Final stretch: Knoxville mayoral candidates stump for votes". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  17. ^ Cari Wade Gervin, "Close Calls: Notes From a Nail-Bitten Primary Election Night," Metro Pulse, 28 September 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  18. ^ a b Georgiana Vines (October 14, 2011). "FOP picks Rogero in mayor's race". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  19. ^ "Mark Padgett endorsed by 3 former opponents, sheriff". Knoxville News Sentinel. October 5, 2011.
  20. ^ David Hunter (November 1, 2011), "Elephant settles into room during race", Knoxville News Sentinel
  21. ^ "Local Realtors, home builders endorse Mark Padgett for mayor". Knoxville News Sentinel. October 17, 2011.
  22. ^ a b Jim Balloch, Lance Coleman, Mike Donila (November 8, 2011). "Madeline Rogero is Knoxville's first woman mayor". Knoxville News Sentinel.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ a b Madeline Rogero Response to Knoxville News Sentinel Questionnaire," Madeline Rogero for Mayor campaign website, 18 August 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  24. ^ Madeline Rogero Response to Metro Pulse Questionnaire, Madeline Rogero for Mayor campaign website, 19 August 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.
  25. ^ Mike Donila, "Officials: Newly Updated Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan Provides Flexibility, Knoxville News Sentinel, 26 October 2011. Retrieved: 5 January 2012.

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