Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is the current Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He is a Democratic politician and former Newark Councilman and community activist who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2002 against longtime incumbent Sharpe James. Booker ran again in 2006 and won a sweeping victory against Ronald Rice to become the 36th mayor of Newark. This is a list of Mayors of Newark, New Jersey: 1836–1837: William Halsey 1837–1838: Theodore Frelinghuysen 1838–1840: James Miller 1840-1841: Oliver Spencer Halstead 1841-1843: William Wright (1794–1866) 1844-1845: Stephen Dod 1845-1846: Isaac Baldwin 1846-1848: Beach Vanderpool 1848-1851: James Miller 1851... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sharpe James (born February 20, 1936) is a State Senator for the 29th Legislative District and was 35th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - D.C. Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Nickname: Map of Newark in Essex County County Essex Founded/Incorporated 1666/1836 Government  - Mayor Cory Booker, term of office 2006–2010 Area [1]  - City 67. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Sharpe James (born February 20, 1936) is a State Senator for the 29th Legislative District and was 35th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. ... Sen. ... This is a list of Mayors of Newark, New Jersey: 1836–1837: William Halsey 1837–1838: Theodore Frelinghuysen 1838–1840: James Miller 1840-1841: Oliver Spencer Halstead 1841-1843: William Wright (1794–1866) 1844-1845: Stephen Dod 1845-1846: Isaac Baldwin 1846-1848: Beach Vanderpool 1848-1851: James Miller 1851...

[edit] Background

The son of civil rights activists, Cary and Carolyn Booker, who were among the first African-American executives at IBM, Booker was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in the predominantly white, affluent town of Harrington Park in Bergen County, New Jersey.^[1] He is an alumnus of Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan.^{[citation needed]} Booker traveled west to study at Stanford University, where he earned a B.A. in political science in 1991 and an M.A. in sociology the following year. He played varsity football — he made the All-Pacific Ten Academic team; — and was elected to the council of (four) presidents. While he was there, he ran The Bridge, a student-run crisis hotline and organized help for youth in East Palo Alto from Stanford students.^[2] IBM redirects here. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - D.C. Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2... Map highlighting Harrington Parks location within Bergen County. ... Bergen County is a county located in the state of New Jersey. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan is a comprehensive four-year regional public high school serving students from several municipalities in Bergen County, New Jersey. ... Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University (or simply Stanford), is a private university located approximately 37 miles (60 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco and approximately 20 miles northwest of San José in Stanford, California. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, or high school or other secondary school. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... The Bridge Peer Counseling Center (usually referred to as simply The Bridge) is a student-run 24-hour peer-counseling center at Stanford University, offering free confidential counselling as well as a comprehensive information and referral service. ... East Palo Alto (often called EPA) is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. ...

He won a Rhodes Scholarship and studied at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he was awarded an honors degree in modern history in 1994. At Oxford, he became friends with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. He became the President of the L'Chaim Society, a Jewish group founded by Boteach, to signify his commitment to end tensions between Jews and African Americans. Rhodes House in Oxford, designed by Sir Herbert Baker. ... College name The Queens College Collegii Reginae Named after Queen Philippa of Hainault Established 1341 Sister College Pembroke College Provost Sir Alan Budd JCR President Vishal Mashru Undergraduates 350 MCR President Matthias Range Graduates 133 Homepage Boatclub High Street entrance to Queens College from the main quad. ... The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ... Shmuley Boteach (born November 19, 1966) Los Angeles, California, USA is an American Orthodox rabbi, radio and television host, and author. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

After Oxford, he obtained a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1997 and, while there, started and operated free legal clinics for low-income residents of New Haven. He was also a Big Brother, and was active in the Black Law Students Association. After law school, Booker returned to New Jersey. He served as Staff Attorney for the Urban Justice Center in New York and Program Coordinator of the Newark Youth Project. Doctor of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Juris Doctor (abbreviated J.D. or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a professional degree in law offered by universities in a number of countries. ... The Sterling Law Building Sculptural ornamentation on the Sterling Law Building Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. ... Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships. ...

From 1998 to 2006, he lived in Brick Towers, a notorious public housing project in Newark's Central Ward. Booker organized tenants there to fight for improved conditions. In November 2006, Booker left his apartment for the top unit in a three-story rental on Hawthorne Avenue on Newark's south side, an area described as "a drug- and gang-plagued neighborhood of boarded-up houses and empty lots."^[3] Central Ward is neighborhood comprising the heart of Newark It was initially populated by Connecticut Puritans, became for a time primarily Jewish, and is currently primarily African-American. ...

[edit] Councilman

In 1998, Booker won an upset victory, beating an unorganized four-term incumbent to get elected to the Newark City Council, a council known for its corruption and hard-fought elections.

Once on the Council, Booker proved to be an unconventional public official. In 1999, he went on a 10-day hunger strike, living in a tent in front of one of Newark's worst housing projects, to protest open-air drug dealing. For five months in 2000, he lived in a motor home, parking on street corners known to be places where drug trafficking occurred.

He proposed a variety of Council initiatives that impacted housing, young people, law and order, and the efficiency of City Hall, but was regularly rebuffed by a resistant City Council and often outvoted 8-1.

While on the Council, Booker became an advocate of school vouchers as part of a reform of the education system.

[edit] 2002 Mayoral run

Promotional poster for Street Fight documentary

In 2002, rather than run for re-election as Councilman, Booker decided to run for Mayor of Newark. This pitted him against long-time mayor, Sharpe James. His campaign was ultimately unsuccessful. The Academy-Award-nominated documentary by Filmmaker Marshall Curry entitled Street Fight details his bid for mayor. Image File history File links Street_Fight_Documentary. ... Image File history File links Street_Fight_Documentary. ... Street Fight is an Academy Award-nominated documentary about Cory Bookers ultimately unsuccessful 2002 run against Sharpe James for mayor of Newark, New Jersey by filmmaker Marshall Curry. ... Sharpe James (born February 20, 1936) is a State Senator for the 29th Legislative District and was 35th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. ... The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and the most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Street Fight is an Academy Award-nominated documentary about Cory Bookers ultimately unsuccessful 2002 run against Sharpe James for mayor of Newark, New Jersey by filmmaker Marshall Curry. ...

After concluding his service as a Councilman, in 2003 Booker founded, and became the director of, Newark Now, a grassroots nonprofit group. He is also a partner at the West Orange law firm, Booker, Rabinowitz, et al., and a senior fellow at Rutgers University's Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at Teachers College, Columbia University, a member of the Executive Committee at Yale Law School and was formerly a member of the Board of Trustees at Stanford University. Map of West Orange Township in Essex County West Orange is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. ... “Rutgers” redirects here. ... The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University serves as a center for the theory and practice of planning and public policy scholarship. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Board of directors. ... Teachers College, Columbia University (sometimes referred to simply as Teachers College; also referred to as Teachers College of Columbia University or the Columbia University Graduate School of Education) is a top ranked graduate school of education in the United States. ... The Sterling Law Building Sculptural ornamentation on the Sterling Law Building Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. ... Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University (or simply Stanford), is a private university located approximately 37 miles (60 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco and approximately 20 miles northwest of San José in Stanford, California. ...

[edit] 2006 Mayoral run

As expected, Cory Booker announced on February 11, 2006 that he would run for mayor again, an intention he made clear after his loss in 2002. is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On March 6, 2006, Deputy Mayor (and State Senator) Ronald Rice entered the race, adding "that Mayor James had encouraged him to run but noted that if the mayor decided to join the race, his candidacy could change." ^[4]. On March 27, 2006, James announced that he would not seek a sixth term, preferring to focus on his seat in the New Jersey Senate. ^[5]. is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sen. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature. ...

Rice ran a campaign attacking Booker for raising over $6 million for the race. Booker's campaign outspent Rice's 25 to 1. Booker tried to identify Rice as a "political crony" of former mayor Sharpe James, to whom Booker lost in 2002. ^{[6] [7]}

On Election Day, May 9, 2006, Newark's nonpartisan election took place. Booker won with 72 percent of the vote, soundly defeating Ronald Rice. Booker's entire slate of City Council candidates, known as the "Booker Team," swept the Council elections, giving Booker firm leadership of the city's government. is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In U.S. politics, nonpartisan denotes an election in which the candidates do not declare or do not formally have a political party affiliation. ...

On May 31, 2006, before taking office as Mayor, Booker sued Newark in order to get the New Jersey state courts to stop the city from selling land at prices he felt were too low. The land was mainly sold at prices ranging from $1 to $4 per square foot. The city council argued that this was the only way to promote development in Newark's blighted neighborhoods. Booker was also criticized by council members because as a councilman he approved of some of these deals. Booker's attorneys argued that the city had violated the state's "pay-to-play" law by rewarding campaign contributors with land deals at favorable financial terms. On June 20, 2006 Superior Court Judge Patricia Costello ruled in favor of Booker, stating that his attorneys had "made a persuasive argument that campaign contributors were given discounted land deals". ^[8] is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pay to Play can refer to several different concepts. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Days before Booker took office in late June, New Jersey investigators foiled a plot, led by Bloods gang leaders inside four New Jersey state prisons, to assassinate Booker. The plot was led by New Jersey Bloods gang leader Lester Alford, an inmate in East Jersey State Prison in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The plan called for prisoners in four New Jersey state prisons to riot and then for Bloods gang members on the outside to simultaneously assassinate Booker. Booker has been placed under 24-hour surveillance by the Newark Police Department. The reason for the threats against Booker are believed to be in response to Booker's campaign promises to increase the number of police on the streets and take a harder line on crime. ^{[9] [10] [11]} The Bloods are one of the Los Angeles, California street gangs. ... Rahway State Prison is the former and still most commonly used name for the East Jersey State Prison, a male prison facility of the U.S. state of New Jersey. ... Woodbridge Township is a township located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. ...

[edit] Mayoral administration

Booker assumed office as mayor of Newark on July 1, 2006, just the third person to govern the city since 1970.^{[12] [13] [14]} After a week, Booker announced a 100-day plan to implement reforms in Newark. The centerpiece is adding police officers; other changes include ending background checks for many city jobs, an effort to help former offenders find employment in the city; refurbishing police stations; improving city services; and expanding summer youth programs. ^{[15] [16]} is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Booker campaigned for U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman in Connecticut on August 6, 2006, two days before the Democratic primary pitting Lieberman against challenger Ned Lamont.^{[17] [18]} Joseph Isadore Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is an American politician from Connecticut. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Edward Miner Lamont, Jr. ...

On August 21, 2006 Booker formally introduced his proposed Newark City Budget before the Municipal Council for approval. Booker's $697.1 million budget calls for an 8.3% increase in the city's property tax, which if passed would be one of the largest property tax increases in the city's history. The budget would also increase the number of city employees from 3,968 to 4,197. ^{[19] [20]} is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Booker appointed Garry McCarthy, a former police commander of Manhattan's 33rd Precinct in the late 1990s, as the director of the Newark Police Department. McCarthy was credited with sharply reducing crime in the precinct but was also criticized by some for methods including setting up police barricades around neighborhoods in order to monitor the drug trade. ^[21]

Booker's administration has held monthly office hours with city residents where residents can meet personally with the Mayor to discuss their problems. ^[22]

Booker is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition^[23], a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston mayor Thomas Menino and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. The Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition is a coalition of mayors from 225 different United States cities, with a stated goal of making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets. ... In a two-party system (such as in the United States), bipartisan refers to any bill, act, resolution, or any other action of a political body in which both of the major political parties are in agreement. ... Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ... Thomas Michael Menino (born December 27, 1942) is the current mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, United States and the citys first Italian-American mayor. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born 14 February 1942) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Bloomberg L.P., currently serving as the Mayor of New York City. ...

Booker became embroiled in controversy in August of 2007 when Newark's policy of overlooking criminal aliens contributed to the deaths of several college students. In response to Congressman Tom Tancredo's (R-Colo.) suggestion that the families of the victims shot execution-style by illegal aliens in the Summer of 2007 sue the City of Newark, Mr. Booker said, "Local law-enforcement officials should not be going out asking, inquiring and investigating whether people are documented or undocumented" because such behavior "creates a chill in which often the most marginalized and vulnerable citizens in my city do not feel comfortable engaging with the police. It's an environment I will never tolerate as mayor." ^[24]

[edit] Senior cabinet

His senior cabinet consist of the following:^{[citation needed]}

• John Kemp, Business Administrator;
• Pablo Fonseca, Chief of Staff;
• Stefan Pryor, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development;
• Ron Salahudddin, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety;
• Margarita Muniz, Deputy Mayor for Commmunity Engagement;
• Jermaine James, Deputy Chief of Staff;
• Aney Chandy, Corporation Counsel;
• Desiree Peterkin Bell, Director of Communications;
• Bari Mattes, Senior Advisor;
• W. Deen Shareef, Senior Advisor

[edit] See also

• List of mayors of Newark, New Jersey

This is a list of Mayors of Newark, New Jersey: 1836–1837: William Halsey 1837–1838: Theodore Frelinghuysen 1838–1840: James Miller 1840-1841: Oliver Spencer Halstead 1841-1843: William Wright (1794–1866) 1844-1845: Stephen Dod 1845-1846: Isaac Baldwin 1846-1848: Beach Vanderpool 1848-1851: James Miller 1851...

[edit] References

The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Stanford Daily is the student-run, independent daily newspaper serving Stanford University. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Star-Ledger is the leading newspaper in New Jersey and ranks number 16 in total circulation for U.S. daily newspapers. ... is the 87th day of the year (88th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Star-Ledger is the leading newspaper in New Jersey. ... The New York Amsterdam News is a weekly newspaper geared for the African-American community of New York City. ... CBS Broadcasting, Inc. ... CBS Broadcasting, Inc. ... ABC News Special Report ident, circa 2006 ABC News is a division of American television and radio network ABC, owned by The Walt Disney Company. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... CBS Broadcasting, Inc. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... The Star-Ledger is the leading newspaper in New Jersey. ... The Star-Ledger is the leading newspaper in New Jersey. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... The Denver Post is a daily newspaper and online website published in Denver, Colorado. ...

[edit] External links

• 2007 City Journal article on Booker and Newark
• Official Mayor Site
• Cory Booker Official Campaign Site
• Mayor-Elect Cory Booker Transition/Newark Government Transition website
• School Choice and Government Reform: Pillars of an Urban Renaissance by Cory Booker
• The Downwardly Mobile Cory Booker (link may be broken, archive.org copy [1])
• Newark Now website
• Cory Booker's Biography at his law firm
• PDF from Esquire Magazine Article by Cory Booker
• Official web site for Street Fight
• PBS's series P.O.V.'s web site for Street Fight
• Article in Salon.com about the harsh 2002 race for Mayor
• New York Metro piece on Booker entitled "The New Natural"
• Interview with Cory Booker The Brian Lehrer Show WNYC February 24, 2006
• Cory Booker Post at Huffington Post
• "100 To Watch: Cory A. Booker" Democratic Leadership Council
• "Cory Booker, Jerome Champagne, World Championship Dominos" June 20, 2006 The Conversation WNYC
• "NPR Morning Edition: Newark Mayor: New Black Leaders Must Innovate 08/08/2006"
• "NPR All Things Considered: Leading Newark, One of America's Deadly Cities, 2006-12-19" features an interview with Booker

v • d • e Mayors of Newark, New Jersey
Halsey • Frelinghuysen • Miller • Halstead • Wright • Dod • Baldwin • Vanderpool • Miller • Quinby • Poinier • Bigelow • Runyon • Peddie • Ricord • Perry • Yates • Fiedler • Lang • Haynes • Lebkuecher • Seymour, Sr. • Doremus • Haussling • Raymond • Gillen • Archibald • Breidenbach • Raymond • Congleton • Ellenstein • Murphy • Villani • Carlin • Addonizio • Gibson • James • Booker