Mary-Ann Baldwin
62nd Mayor of Raleigh
Assumed office
December 2, 2019
Preceded byNancy McFarlane
Member of the Raleigh City Council, at large
In office
December 2007 – December 2017
Serving with Russ Stephenson
Preceded byJoyce Kekas
Succeeded byNicole Stewart
Personal details
Born1956 or 1957 (age 66–67)
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Rhode Island (BA)
WebsiteGovernment website
Campaign website

Mary-Ann Baldwin is an American marketing executive and politician from the state of North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, serving since 2019, and previously served on the Raleigh City Council from 2007 to 2017.

Early life and education

Baldwin grew up in Rhode Island and graduated from the University of Rhode Island.[1] She is married to Jim Baldwin and she has two children, a daughter and son-in-law.[2]

Career

Baldwin communications

Prior to political service, she worked in the marketing field, including working as marketing director for several firms and managing her own consulting firm, Baldwin Communications.[2]

City council service

Baldwin (fourth from left) at the grand opening of the Raleigh Union Station in 2018

She served on the Raleigh City Council for ten years, from 2007 through 2017 during the mayoral terms of Charles Meeker and Nancy McFarlane.[3] While on the city council, she served as chair of the Law & Public Safety Committee and the Transportation Committee, and served on several other committees, as well as acting as the city's representative to GoTriangle, a regional transportation authority.[2] When Meeker decided to step down prior to the 2011 election, he approached both Baldwin and McFarlane to run for mayor in his stead, Baldwin however declined the offer to run, as she was dealing with personal issues she felt would interfere with her ability to effectively campaign and serve in the role as mayor.[4]

Mayoral service

On March 27, 2019, Baldwin announced that she would be running for mayor of Raleigh in the 2019 election to succeed McFarlane, who was stepping down as mayor in the midst of health troubles.[5] Baldwin came in first place, winning 38% of the vote.[6] A runoff was not requested by Charles Francis, the runner-up, and so Baldwin became mayor of Raleigh.[7] She assumed office December 2, 2019.

Baldwin ran for reelection in 2022, defeating DaQuanta Copeland and Terrance Ruth.[8]

Response to COVID-19

Baldwin was mayor while the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Raleigh. On June 17, 2020, she made a proclamation that mandated masks.[9][10] Baldwin made a second mask mandate on August 13, 2021, due to the rise in the Delta variant that she later terminated on February 18, 2022.[11][12] Mayor Baldwin tested positive for COVID-19 on April 18, 2022.[13]

Response to George Floyd Protests

Baldwin was mayor during the George Floyd protests in Raleigh. In the midst of rioting she declared a citywide curfew.[14][15] Her response was criticized in the following weeks.[16]

Tax Increment Grant (TIG) and Property Tax Increase

On May 4, 2021, Raleigh City Council approved a tax increment grant (TIG) policy which Mayor Baldwin voted in favor of. Mayor Baldwin received campaign contributions from developer John Kane, who may benefit from the TIG.[17][18] The TIG policy allows the city of Raleigh to provide up to $5 million per year (2% of the annual budget) in tax rebates to private developers, effectively shielding them from increases in property taxes due to rising property values.[19] A month later on June 1, 2021, Raleigh City Council passed an annual budget that included an increase in property taxes generating an increased $7 million per year which was supported by Mayor Baldwin.[20]

Gun violence

Baldwin responded after the 2022 Raleigh shootings killed five people, including a law enforcement employee.[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Tauss, Jeffrey C. Billman, Leigh (March 27, 2019). "Exclusive: Mary-Ann Baldwin Says She's Running for Mayor to Lead Raleigh Into a Bold Progressive Future". INDY Week.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 3 "Mary-Ann Baldwin - Bio". Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  3. ↑ Specht, Paul A. (July 21, 2017). "After 10 years on Raleigh council, Baldwin won't seek re-election". The News & Observer. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Tauss, Leigh (10 December 2019). "Politics Ruins Everything: A Story About Nancy McFarlane, Who Happened to Be Raleigh's Mayor". Independent Weekly. Indy Week. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  5. ↑ Baldwin, Mary-Ann (27 March 2019). "It's official. #NotoriousMAB …". @maryannbaldwin.
  6. ↑ "2019 election results". Wake County Board of Elections. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "'I'm really excited': Raleigh's new mayor-elect Mary-Ann Baldwin leads a city hall remake". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Oct 13, 2019. Retrieved Oct 15, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Mary-Ann Baldwin, re-elected as Raleigh mayor, will have to work with new council members". 8 November 2022.
  9. ↑ Pope Iv, Jonas; Johnson, Anna (June 17, 2020). "Raleigh to require face masks in effort to slow the spread of coronavirus".
  10. ↑ "Emergency Proclamation to Require Face Masks - signed June 19, 2020" (PDF). City of Raleigh. June 17, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Proclamation to Require Face Coverings Indoors". Raleigh. August 13, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Termination of Face Covering Order". Raleigh. February 18, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin tests positive for COVID-19". ABC11. April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  14. ↑ Diaz, Jaclyn (October 30, 2020). "Raleigh, N.C., Sets Citywide Curfew Ahead Of Racial Justice Protests". NPR.
  15. ↑ Burns, Matthew (October 30, 2020). "Raleigh mayor on protest; 'I am praying for peace and grace".
  16. ↑ "Outside experts to review Raleigh Police's protest response". The News and Observer. June 8, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Raleigh City Council Considers a Program to Save Developers Tax Money in Exchange for Community Benefits". 24 February 2021.
  18. ↑ "Everything You Need to Know About the Money Race for Raleigh City Council". 30 July 2019.
  19. ↑ "BoardDocs® Meeting: REGULAR MEETING - FIRST TUESDAY - AFTERNOON & EVENING SESSIONS Tue, May 4, 2021".
  20. ↑ "BoardDocs® Meeting: REGULAR MEETING - FIRST TUESDAY - AFTERNOON & EVENING SESSIONS Tue, Jun 1, 2021".
  21. ↑ North Carolina: Five dead, including police officer, in Raleigh shooting, 14 October 2022, retrieved 2022-10-15
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