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John Dailey
127th Mayor of Tallahassee
Incumbent
Assumed office November 19, 2018
Preceded by	Andrew Gillum
Personal details
Born	John Evans Dailey (1972-12-07) December 7, 1972 (age 52) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Virginia Dailey
Children	2
Education	Florida State University, Tallahassee (BA, MPA) London School of Economics (MA)

John E. Dailey was born on December 7, 1972, to parents Sarah Ann and J. Scott Dailey. Dailey is most well known for being an important and influential political figure in Leon County, Florida. His role as a member of the Leon County Commission was his first significant political position. His political career culminated in his inauguration as Tallahassee's 127th mayor, for which he is best known.

Early life and education

Born in Miami, Florida, John E. Dailey has developed an impressive career in public service and leadership, influenced by his wealth of knowledge and experience as well as the history of his family. His dedication to civic leadership was shaped by his father, Dr. John Scott Dailey, a well-known educator and public servant. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida State University, where he was also a member of the fraternity Sigma Chi and served as president of the student government.

The Reubin O'D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy awarded Dailey a Master of Public Administration as part of his further studies. In pursuit of a global perspective, he earned a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the renowned London School of Economics, where he worked closely with Member of Parliament Roger Casale and gained direct experience in policy making and governance.

After winning a seat on the Leon County Commission in 2006, Dailey served as a representative for his community for 12 years, supporting fair public policy, economic growth, and local development. He was elected mayor of Tallahassee in 2018 due to his leadership on the commission. As mayor, Dailey has promoted unity throughout the city and surrounding area while placing a strong focus on transparency, economic growth, and environmental protection.

Career

Elections

On September 5, 2006, John E. Dailey was elected to the Leon County Commission for District 3, marking the beginning of his political career. He served as chair twice during his three terms, from 2010 to 2011 and from 2016 to 2017. With 51.47% of the vote, Dailey defeated opponent Dustin Daniels in a close second-round runoff to win the 2018 Tallahassee mayoral election.

Dailey came under attack during his 2022 reelection campaign for accepting nearly $20,000 in campaign donations from Seminole Boosters and organizations connected to FSU. This occurred just a few weeks before a significant vote that approved $20 million in public funding for stadium upgrades. Dailey responded by accusing his opponent, Kristin Dozier, of using dark money to influence her campaign in a lawsuit. Despite this, Dailey won reelection in November 2022 with 53.16% of the vote, defeating Dozier by a margin of 6 points.

Dailey's complaint against Dozier, who was charged with campaign misconduct in connection with a mailer in the 2022 election, was dismissed by the Florida Elections Commission in June 2024. The case was dismissed after the commission determined that the mailer qualified as protected speech. Following the decision, Dozier voiced doubts about the efficiency of election complaint procedures

Mayor of Tallahassee (2018–present)

On November 19, 2018, Dailey succeeded Andrew Gillum as mayor of Tallahassee. During his first term as mayor, Dailey, in early 2021, made Election Day a paid holiday for Tallahassee city employees, citing voter suppression in other states and insisting that the move was an opportunity for Tallahassee "to lead an effort to expand rights." He expanded the city's paid parental leave policy to include six weeks of paid leave for all new parents following the birth or adoption of a child. Dailey also formed a Citizens Police Review Board and a mobile app that allows citizens to record interactions with law enforcement. Additionally, he spearheaded the development of a mental health mobile response unit to provide an alternative to police response in mental health emergencies.

Economic growth, diversity, and energy were stated as Dailey's priorities during his time in office. Mayor Dailey highlighted the plan to add an international wing to the Tallahassee airport as a major economic initiative that would greatly benefit the city, with an estimated annual income of $60 million from the international wing alone. However, what was not reported by Dailey was that in 2023, the company contracted for this construction, Burrell Aviation, completely fell through. Burrell Aviation stated that they were not being paid properly and that the city had not followed the terms of the agreement, leading them to terminate the contract. Despite this setback, the city of Tallahassee saw positive economic trends during Dailey's time in office.

During 2024, in Dailey's second term as mayor, the city faced a series of hurricanes, one of which was Hurricane Helene, which reached record-breaking wind speeds in the area. While many prepared for the storm to make landfall, Dailey urged people to take it seriously and evacuate, calling Hurricane Helene “the biggest storm in the history of Tallahassee." He also warned of “unprecedented damage” that the city would face when the storm hit. Many Tallahassee residents reported feeling scared for the safety of their homes and families, yet many still assisted in dumping sandbags, a practice that can help mitigate the damage of tropical storms.

Personal life

Dailey's personal life mostly consists of family time, which aligns with his emphasis on the importance of family values and bonds. The family is a close-knit group of four, including Dailey. Virginia (Ginny) Dailey married John and they have two children: Tommy and Henry. The family appears to be very loving, as they all speak very highly of one another. Not much else is known about John Dailey's personal life, as he focuses most of his efforts on politics and city events.

See also

• Mayor of Tallahassee

References

1. ^ "The City of Tallahassee". www.talgov.com. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
2. "John Dailey - Florida League of Mayors". 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
3. "John Dailey". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
4. "John Dailey". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
5. "Tallahassee mayor's complaint against former rival dismissed by Florida Elections Commission". WFSU News. 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
6. "The City of Tallahassee". www.talgov.com. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
7. "State of the City: Tallahassee leaders, community tackle diversity, employment, energy". WTXL ABC 27 Tallahassee News. 2021-09-22. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
8. AOL. "News, Politics, Sports, Mail & Latest Headlines". AOL.com. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
9. Wynn, Maegen (2024-05-08). "Tallahassee MSA Named Strongest Economy in the United States". Office of Economic Vitality. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
10. Burlew, Jeff. "Tallahassee, Leon officials fear 'unprecedented damage' with Hurricane Helene direct hit". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 2024-12-03.

External links

• 1972 births
• Florida Democrats
• Florida State University alumni
• Living people
• Mayors of Tallahassee, Florida
• 21st-century mayors of places in Florida