Black History Month 24
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Frank G. Jackson, Mayor, City of Cleveland

Frank G. Jackson, the 56th Mayor of Cleveland, lives in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood, where he grew up. He graduated from Cleveland Public Schools and served in the U.S. Army. After returning to Cleveland, he earned an associate’s degree from Cuyahoga Community College and his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and law degree from Cleveland State University.

He began his public service career as an Assistant City Prosecutor in the Cleveland Municipal Court Clerk’s Office. From 1990 through 2005, Jackson represented Cleveland’s 5th Ward on Cleveland City Council. From 2002-2005, Jackson also served as President of Cleveland City Council.

In January, 2006, Jackson began his tenure as Mayor of Cleveland. As Mayor, Jackson is focused on ensuring that the city offers an excellent quality of life for every resident, business and visitor and is addressing every aspect of City operations and policy to guarantee that he reaches that goal, including:

Quality of Life

  • Crafting Cleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools, a child-centered plan that would lead to systemic change in how we educate our children
  • Bringing together Ohio colleges, universities, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and educational stakeholders to create the Higher Education Compact, a commitment to helping Cleveland’s children succeed in college
  • Establishing a scholarship for CMSD students, city employees and their children
  • Improving the health of Clevelanders through the Healthy Cleveland Initiative, in partnership with Cleveland City Council and the four major local hospital systems

Public Safety

  • Revising the Use of Deadly Force Policy to help heal the breach between the community and the police
  • Building partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and community organizations to address gun violence, youth violence and violence prevention
  • Improving police officer training and implemented new technology to reduce response time and provide better service

Development

  • Investing more than $160 million in Cleveland’s neighborhoods since 2008, on streetscapes, recreation facilities, city parks and other capital improvements
  • Working with the public sector to encourage a reported $7 billion in development in Cleveland, including the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, the Cleveland Horseshoe Casino, the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center, Flats East Bank Project, Uptown, and the Campus Village Project
  • Building a sustainable economy through Sustainable Cleveland 2019, a 10-year initiative to grow a sustainable economy throughout the region
  • Presenting Cleveland’s Downtown Lakefront Development Plan to encourage 3.5 million square feet in new development that encourages recreation, entertainment commercial maritime activity and economic development.