Laura Miller (politician)
Laura Miller (born 18 November, 1958) served as mayor of Dallas, Texas (USA) from 2002 through 2007. She did not run for re-election in the 2007 mayoral race.
Education and Career
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Miller attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and spent the early part of her career as a journalist. As a journalist, Miller worked as a staff writer for The Miami Herald and The Dallas Morning News and then as a columnist for the New York Daily News and the now-defunct Dallas Times Herald. In 1991, Miller became an investigative reporter for the Dallas Observer and then a columnist for D Magazine.[1]
Political Life
In 1998, Miller was elected to the Dallas City Council representing Oak Cliff and southwest Dallas. In 2002, Miller was elected as Mayor of Dallas, replacing Ron Kirk who left the post to run for the United States Senate position vacated by retiring Texas Senator Phil Gramm.
She fought for and won approval of a strengthened smoking ban, an ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, a revamped public housing system, a $23 million homeless assistance center, major changes to the city's Trinity River Corridor improvement plan and a taxpayer-funded downtown redevelopment effort.
She forged a compromise between American Airlines and Southwest Airlines to relax and ultimately repeal federal flight restrictions at Love Field Airport.
David Levey, executive vice president for Forest City Enterprises, credits Ms. Miller for reviving a $250 million deal to renovate downtown's long vacant Mercantile Bank Tower.
Miller's inability to successfully negotiate a deal to build the new Dallas Cowboy's stadium in Dallas has been the legacy of her term. The Dallas Cowboys subsequently agreed to build a stadium in Arlington, Texas that will host the 2011 NFL Super Bowl.[2] Meanwhile, Miller's efforts to save the ailing Cotton Bowl has been another controversial issue since only two college games have committed to play at the venue. There has been much speculation that both issues could have been avoided if Miller pursued a more cooperative approach to working with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. As a result of failing to negotiate the new stadium deal, millions of dollars that would have flow through the City of Dallas is now going to Arlington/Ft. Worth.
Personal
Miller is married to Dallas attorney and former Texas State Representative Steven D. Wolens. They have two daughters, Alex and Lily, and a son, Max.
Miller announced on 6 July 2006 that she would not seek re-election in May 2007.[3]
References
- ^ City of Dallas - Mayor. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
- ^ Dallas Morning News - "North Texas gets Super Bowl", BRUCE TOMASO and RICK GOSSELIN reporting, originally published 22 May 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ KTVT 11 (CBS) - "Dallas Mayor Laura Miller Won’t Seek Re-Election", Sarah Dodd reporting, originally published 6 July 2006. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
External links
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