Mary Norwood
Encyclopedia
Mary Norwood was a 2009 mayoral candidate in Atlanta and a city council
woman in Atlanta, Georgia
, representing Post 2 At Large. Norwood was elected to the Atlanta City Council
in 2001.
of the City of Atlanta, but eventually lost to Kasim Reed
in a runoff election.
According to an investigation by the staff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, campaign records show that the Georgia Democratic Party spent at least $165,000 to attack Reed's opponent, Mary Norwood, and contribute to an unprecedented eight percent jump in voters for the runoff held on 1 December 2009. Reed won the mayoral runoff election by about 700 votes after trailing Norwood in the general election by more than 7,000 votes.
Ethics questions have been raised over Reed's win because records show that several major contributors who had already donated to Reed's campaign the maximum allowed by law made illegal additional campaign donations. As this was a non-partisan race, it would have been furthermore unlawful to spend the extra money to benefit Kasim Reed over Mary Norwood. Hence, Reed's name wasn't mentioned. What was done, instead, was focus a last minute get-out-the-vote drive in the predominantly black parts of Atlanta, which turned out enough votes for Reed that he won the mayoral runoff election.
If she had been successful in her mayoral bid, Mary Norwood would have become Atlanta's first white mayor in 36 years.
Norwood received 46 percent of the vote on Election Day, the largest proportion of all the candidates, but as no candidate received a majority (more than 50% of the vote), she entered a runoff election on December 1, 2009. However, Kasim Reed
received more votes in the runoff, and, after a recount, Norwood conceded.
Norwood campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility, and in a political advertisement she asserted that the city of Atlanta had misplaced $100 million. However, the city administration disputed the claim, explaining that $116 million was borrowed from the Watershed Management Department for city projects, and the money is being repaid by those departments.
The City of Atlanta’s budget was said to be balanced for several years. However, by March 2009, Atlanta’s bond rating was downgraded by Standard & Poor’s, a key credit rating agency
. This downgrade resulted from four years of operating deficits, as well as longer-term pressures associated with the Atlanta’s underfunded pensions, police overtime, and subsidies to several funds. Atlanta’s solid waste and capital finance funds were also downgraded.
In June 2009, the City Council voted 8-7, to increase the Atlanta property tax rate for general operations from 7.12 mills to 10.12 mills, a 42 percent increase. Atlanta is one of the few big cities nationwide to raise property taxes this year. Mary Norwood voted against this increase, insisting that there was money to be found within Atlanta’s budget.
and has been an Atlanta resident for 35 years. Her husband, Dr. Felton Norwood, was a pediatrician at Piedmont Hospital for more than 30 years. She was born in Augusta, Georgia.
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
woman in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, representing Post 2 At Large. Norwood was elected to the Atlanta City Council
Atlanta City Council
Atlanta City Council is the main municipal legislative body for the city of Atlanta, Georgia. It consists of 15 members elected from districts within the city. The Atlanta City Government is divided into three bodies: the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The Atlanta City Council serves...
in 2001.
2009 Atlanta mayoral election
Mary Norwood has been involved with the City of Atlanta for the past 30 years, beginning as a community activist. In 2009, she ran for MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the City of Atlanta, but eventually lost to Kasim Reed
Kasim Reed
Mohammed Kasim Reed, known as Kasim Reed, is a Democratic politician and the 59th Mayor of Atlanta, who previously represented the 35th District of the Georgia State Senate. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002...
in a runoff election.
According to an investigation by the staff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, campaign records show that the Georgia Democratic Party spent at least $165,000 to attack Reed's opponent, Mary Norwood, and contribute to an unprecedented eight percent jump in voters for the runoff held on 1 December 2009. Reed won the mayoral runoff election by about 700 votes after trailing Norwood in the general election by more than 7,000 votes.
Ethics questions have been raised over Reed's win because records show that several major contributors who had already donated to Reed's campaign the maximum allowed by law made illegal additional campaign donations. As this was a non-partisan race, it would have been furthermore unlawful to spend the extra money to benefit Kasim Reed over Mary Norwood. Hence, Reed's name wasn't mentioned. What was done, instead, was focus a last minute get-out-the-vote drive in the predominantly black parts of Atlanta, which turned out enough votes for Reed that he won the mayoral runoff election.
If she had been successful in her mayoral bid, Mary Norwood would have become Atlanta's first white mayor in 36 years.
Norwood received 46 percent of the vote on Election Day, the largest proportion of all the candidates, but as no candidate received a majority (more than 50% of the vote), she entered a runoff election on December 1, 2009. However, Kasim Reed
Kasim Reed
Mohammed Kasim Reed, known as Kasim Reed, is a Democratic politician and the 59th Mayor of Atlanta, who previously represented the 35th District of the Georgia State Senate. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002...
received more votes in the runoff, and, after a recount, Norwood conceded.
Norwood campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility, and in a political advertisement she asserted that the city of Atlanta had misplaced $100 million. However, the city administration disputed the claim, explaining that $116 million was borrowed from the Watershed Management Department for city projects, and the money is being repaid by those departments.
Taxes Matter
Norwood voted against the tax increase proposal in June 2008, which did not pass. The City of Atlanta then responded by slashing public safety personnel and imposed a 10 percent pay cut on city workers to balance the budget. In both instances, Norwood instead asked the City to reduce its spending on areas other than public safety personnel.The City of Atlanta’s budget was said to be balanced for several years. However, by March 2009, Atlanta’s bond rating was downgraded by Standard & Poor’s, a key credit rating agency
Credit rating agency
A Credit rating agency is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves...
. This downgrade resulted from four years of operating deficits, as well as longer-term pressures associated with the Atlanta’s underfunded pensions, police overtime, and subsidies to several funds. Atlanta’s solid waste and capital finance funds were also downgraded.
In June 2009, the City Council voted 8-7, to increase the Atlanta property tax rate for general operations from 7.12 mills to 10.12 mills, a 42 percent increase. Atlanta is one of the few big cities nationwide to raise property taxes this year. Mary Norwood voted against this increase, insisting that there was money to be found within Atlanta’s budget.
Education
Mary Norwood is a graduate of Emory UniversityEmory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
and has been an Atlanta resident for 35 years. Her husband, Dr. Felton Norwood, was a pediatrician at Piedmont Hospital for more than 30 years. She was born in Augusta, Georgia.