John Norquist

John Olof Norquist (born October 22, 1949) is a retired American politician, urbanist consultant, and author. He served as the 43rd mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, winning four terms (1988–2004). He previously represented Milwaukee's south side in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1975–1983) and Wisconsin Senate (1983–1988). After serving as mayor, he worked for ten years as president of the Congress for the New Urbanism.

Early life and career Norquist was born in Princeton, New Jersey, where his father was attending seminary.

He attended Augustana College in western Illinois for two years, then transferred to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he graduated with his bachelor's degree in political science in 1971. Shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army Reserve and was trained as a medic. Later that year, he went to work at Milwaukee Electric Tool, where he operated machinery on the assembly line and also served as a first aid attendant.

Wisconsin Legislature Assembly

While working at Milwaukee Electric Tool in 1974, Norquist launched a primary challenge against incumbent state representative Earl Keegan Jr., in Wisconsin's 8th Assembly district. He ran against completing the Stadium South Freeway, which was to run from Milwaukee County Stadium south to I-894. In 1974, nearly 50% of the freeway segment was either built or the land was cleared for construction. Norquist defeated Keegan in the Democratic primary and faced no opposition in the general election. He continued to oppose the new freeway despite his constituents voting for completion in the November 1974 Milwaukee County freeway referendums (complementing the April 1967 city vote in favor of the Park East-Lake Freeway project).

In the Assembly, Norquist joined forces with emerging generation of legislators including James Moody (later a US representative) in opposing freeway expansion. Norquist was re-elected to three more terms in the Assembly.

Senate

Norquist won a seat in the Wisconsin Senate in 1982. While in the Senate, Norquist served on the powerful Joint Finance Committee and was recognized by Milwaukee Magazine as a leading legislator. He was re-elected to another term in the Senate in 1986 He was strongly in favor of light rail as a solution for the city's transit problems and was known throughout the country for his anti-freeway stance and for the removal of the Park East Freeway, the largest highway ever purposely destroyed. He consistently reduced the property tax rate every year since becoming mayor and kept city budgets from growing beyond the rate of inflation.

In October 2003, local journalist Tom Bamberger reflected on Norquist, "a lousy politician in the ways Tommy Thompson was a good one. … He had good ideas instead of good friends." In 2007, Bamberger further reflected, "Norquist hadn't seen urban landscape and architecture as an issue. … But over time, he learned from urban theorists … and helped developers increase Milwaukee's value." In 2005, local journalist Kurt Chandler described Norquist as having succeeded as mayor at "demanding results from inflexible players", but having failed at challenge of "bringing rivals to the table".

Elections In 1987, Milwaukee mayor Henry Maier announced he would not run for another term as mayor in 1988, and would leave office after 28 years in the role. Norquist announced his candidacy for mayor, advanced through the nonpartisan primary, and defeated former governor Martin J. Schreiber in the April 1988 general election, taking 54% of the vote.

Norquist was re-elected in 1992, 1996, and 2000.

First term (1988–1992) One of the first controversies of Norquist's tenure occurred in 1988, when he took a trip to Israel. The trip was paid for by local Milwaukee Jewish organizations, but as a result of the controversy, Norquist afterward paid much of the cost himself. On his return, the Milwaukee Sentinel printed a political cartoon showing him getting off a plane dressed as a Hasidic Jewish rabbi. The cartoon created an uproar, and the Sentinel published an apology for it.

In June 1990, local journalist Bruce Murphy offered praise for the first years of Norquist's mayoralty, writing, "He has addressed a host of issues that his predecessor, Henry Maier, would have ignored – everything from local schools to transportation problems to arts programming to recreation in the Menomonee Valley." However, in October 1990, Murphy also criticized him as leveraging his position for cronyism and political vengeance, writing, "Most politicians reward their friends and punish their enemies. But the mayor seems to be pushing this maxim to extremes."

Second term (1992–1996)

Third term (1996—2000)

Fourth term (2000–2004) In December 2000, Norquist's future as mayor was thrown into doubt after a staff assistant alleged that the mayor had sexually harassed her. Norquist admitted to a five-year consensual affair, but claimed that it was entirely consensual. Eventually, in April 2002, Norquist announced that he would not seek a fifth term as mayor in 2004.

In July, 2001, when the Communist Party held its 27th national convention in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student union, Norquist sent the convention his greetings, noting commonalities between the city's socialist heritage and the goals of the Communist Party. Norquist later released a statement saying he "does not endorse Communist ideology and condemns many elements of Communist history."

In April 2001, local journalist Mary Van de Kamp Nohl wrote in strong rebuke of Norquist, "It took 24 years to become isolated and self-absorbed. John Norquist has done that in half the time."

Wisconsin Senate (1982, 1986)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1982 Primary Democratic 11,281 73.00% Dem. 4,172 27.00% 15,453 7,109 General Democratic 25,921 100.0% 25,921 25,921 1986 General Democratic 23,860 100.0% 23,860 23,860

Milwaukee Mayor (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1988 Primary Democratic 44,984 45.24% Dem. 40,575 40.81% 99,427 4,409 Non. 7,885 7.93% Non. 5,983 6.02% Non. <1% Non. <1% Non. <1% General Democratic 49,180 49.31% Non. 36,444 36.54% 99,710 12,736 Non. 7,082 7.10% Non. 4,790 4.80% Non. 1,266 1.27% Non. 978 0.98% General Democratic 77,714 63.04% Non. 45,563 36.96% 123,277 32,151 1996 General Democratic 82,148 59.91% Non. 54,972 40.09% 137,120 27,176 2000 Primary Democratic 21,674 51.94% Non. 12,432 29.79% 41,730 9,242 Non. 7,624 18.27% General Democratic 52,847 55.96% Non. 41,582 44.04% 94,429 11,265

Published works

Awards Edmund N. Bacon Prize, Ed Bacon Foundation (now under the Philadelphia Center for Architecture), 2008