Sheila Dixon is the 48^th Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. When former Mayor Martin O'Malley was sworn in as Governor on January 17, 2007, she became mayor and will serve out the remaining year of his term. She is Baltimore's first female mayor. Here is a list of mayors that have served the city of Baltimore, Maryland. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Martin Joseph OMalley (born January 18, 1963) is a Democratic politician and the 61st and current Governor of Maryland. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Motto: The Greatest City in America,[4] Get in on it. ... 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... The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church, is a Christian denomination founded by Bishop Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Nickname: Motto: The Greatest City in America,[4] Get in on it. ... Martin Joseph OMalley (born January 18, 1963) is a Democratic politician and the 61st and current Governor of Maryland. ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Biography

Sheila Dixon was born on December 27, 1953, and was raised in the Ashburton neighborhood of West Baltimore. Her father, Phillip Dixon, Sr. was a car salesman, and her mother, Winona Dixon, was a community activist, active in her church, political causes, and member of local community groups.

Dixon is a lifelong city resident. She is a graduate of the Baltimore City public school system and holds a bachelor's degree from Towson University and a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is a former elementary school teacher and adult education instructor with the Head Start program. She worked for 17 years as an international trade specialist with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. In 1986, she was elected to the Baltimore City State Central Committee representing the 40th Legislative District. In 1987, she won a seat on the Baltimore City Council representing the 4th Council District, where she served for 12 years. She became the city council president in 1999, the first African-American woman ever elected to this position. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Towson University, formerly Maryland State Normal School (1866-1935), Maryland State Teachers College at Towson (1935-1963), Towson State College (1963-1976), Towson State University (1976-1997), is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland. ... The Johns Hopkins University, founded in 1876, is a private institution of higher learning located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. ... Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that focuses on assisting children from low-income families. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ...

Dixon has been named one of Baltimore's Most Influential Leaders by the Baltimore Business Journal and was recently admitted to The Daily Record's Circle of Excellence for her third selection as one of "Maryland's Top 100 Women." An active member of Bethel A.M.E. Church and former trustee, Mayor Dixon continues to serve as a member of the Stewardess Board. She serves on other boards, including the Institute of Human Virology, the Transplant Resource Center, the Urban Health Initiative, the Baltimore Public Markets Corporation, the Living Classrooms Foundation, and the Walters Art Gallery. The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland is one of the finest small privately-formed art collections open to the public in the United States. ...

She was married in 1988 to Thomas E. Hampton, and had two children, Jasmine and Joshua. In 2006, Dixon filed for divorce from Hampton.^[1] She is the aunt of professional basketball player Juan Dixon. Juan Dixon (born October 9, 1978 in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.) is an American professional basketball player currently with the NBAs Portland Trail Blazers. ...

At the time of her inauguration as mayor, only one U.S. city larger than Baltimore had a female mayor (Dallas, Texas). She is currently the only African American female mayor in the United States in a city with a population greater than 600,000 and she is also the first African American woman to serve as Baltimore's mayor. Nickname: Motto: Live Large. ... 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. ... 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. ...

Although she's only been in office for a short period of time, she "has impressed political pundits with her energetic first three months and her ability to handle crises."^[2] She led the effort to pass Baltimore's smoking ban, she's allocated record funding for campaigns to clean up Baltimore streets and she's expanded funding for affordable housing. While her critics complain that crime has risen in Baltimore during her tenure and that she is not paying enough attention to the issue, her record shows that she has increased police patrols,^[3], is cracking down on the possession of illegal guns,^[4] and is actively securing federal funds for crime fighting programs.^[5] The fact still remains that despite these efforts crime has risen in the city of Baltimore. There were more murders in the three months following the announcement of her crime plan than in the four months of her term prior to that.

She he is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition^[6], an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino. 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. ... 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. ... 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. ...

2007 election

Dixon is running for a full term as mayor in the 2007 election. ^[7]Dixon's campaign warchest recently topped $1 million^[8]. ^[9] Four major unions, UAW, 1199 SEIU, MD/DC Council of the SEIU and the Machinists have endorsed Mayor Dixon's re-election. The next Baltimore mayoral election will take place on November 6, 2007. ...

While there's still a chance that the race will be competitive, the Baltimore Examiner notes "some observers are suggesting that it may be open and shut." Morgan State University political science professor C. Vernon Gray confirms the Examiner's analysis when he noted, "it's (Dixon's) race to lose... she really has done an excellent job of governing despite all the crises she's had." Del. Jill Carter , City Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. and city schools administrator Andrey Bundley are noted as Mayor Dixon's highest profile challengers.^[10] In fact, in a poll released by the Baltimore Sun on July 16, 2007, Dixon, with 47% of the likely democratic voters, leads her nearest rival, Mitchell, by 32 points.[14] Jill Carter is an American politician. ... Keiffer Jackson Mitchell, Jr. ... The Baltimore Sun is the major newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland, with a daily press run of about 430,000 copies, and a Sunday run of 540,000 copies. ...

The focus of this mayoral election will most likely be on crime. By mid-2007, homicides in Baltimore are on pace to surpass 300 for the year, the most since the early years of the O'Malley administration. On June 19th, Mayor Dixon presented her crime plan to 500 Baltimore police officers^[11], but she has been under attack from Mitchell and Carter, for not doing enough.^[12] Dixon's crime plan departs from previous Mayor Martin O'Malley's as it stresses community policing and focusing on apprehending the most violent offenders as opposed to zero tolerance.^[13] As of June 19th, there were 146 homicides and 340 non-lethal shootings in the city.^[14]. As of August 22nd there have now been 199 murders. Martin Joseph OMalley (born January 18, 1963) is a Democratic politician and the 61st and current Governor of Maryland. ... Martin Joseph OMalley (born January 18, 1963) is a Democratic politician and the 61st and current Governor of Maryland. ...

Endorsements

By the end of July 2007, Dixon's campaign had been endorsed by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council of the Maryland AFL-CIO collectively as well as several individual union endorsements. Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot was the only state wide elected official to endorse Dixon until August 13 when Governor Martin O'Malley. Former Congressman Kweisi Mfume also endorsed Dixon that same day at a rally in front of Baltimore's City Hall. [15] State Delegates Tom Hucker (Montgomery County), Maggie McIntosh, Curt Anderson, Cheryl Glenn, Melvin L. Stukes, Talmadge Branch, Senators Nathaniel J. McFadden and Cathy Pugh and Baltimore City Council members Robert Curran, Jack Young, Ed Reisinger, Stephanie Rawlings Blake and Agnes Welch have endorsed Dixon and were at the rally as well. Peter V. R. Franchot (November 25, 1947–) is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the 20th legislative district in Montgomery County, Maryland. ... Martin Joseph OMalley (born January 18, 1963) is a Democratic politician and the 61st and current Governor of Maryland. ... Mfume delivering a speech at NOAA during Black History Month, 2005 Kweisi Mfume (born Frizzell Gerald Gray, October 24, 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland) is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Marylands... Tom Hucker (born 1967) is an American politician and a Democrat from the state of Maryland. ... Maggie L. McIntosh (b. ... Delegate Curt Anderson, chairman of the Baltimore City Delegation [1] was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1983. ... Cheryl Glenn, is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing Marylands 45rd legislative district which is situated in northeast Baltimore. ... Melvin L. Stukes is an American politician who represents the 44th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates. ... Delegate Talmadge Branch is an American politician who represents the 45th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates. ... Nathaniel J. McFadden is an American politician who represents district 45 in the Maryland State Senate and is the Senates majority leader. ... // Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is the President of the Baltimore City Council. ...

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
3. ^ [3]
4. ^ [4]
5. ^ [5]
6. ^ Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members. Retrieved on June 18, 2007
7. ^ [6]
8. ^ [7]
9. ^ [8]
10. ^ [9]
11. ^ [10]
12. ^ [11]
13. ^ [12]
14. ^ [13]

is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

External Links

• Sheila Dixon
• Mayors Against Illegal Guns homepage