| Adrian Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 29, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Ollie Tyler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 33 Years Old Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch |  United States Army
|
| Years of service | 2009–2015 |
| Rank |  Captain
|
Adrian Perkins is a Democratic Party politician and the mayor of his native Shreveport, Louisiana. On December 8, 2018, Perkins defeated incumbent Ollie Tyler, a fellow Democrat, in a run-off election.[1] This was Perkins' first run for office.[2]
Early life and education[]
Adrian Perkins was born in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport to Johnny and Archie Perkins.[3] He attended Captain Shreve High School where he was a member of the student council and the varsity football, basketball and track and field teams.
Inspired to join the United States Army following the September 11 attacks, Perkins sought and received an appointment to the United States Military Academy, a United States service academy located in West Point, New York.[3] While at West Point, Perkins was the first African-American cadet to be selected class president in the 215-year history of the institution.[4]
After leaving the army in 2015, Perkins attended Harvard Law School, at which he earned his Juris Doctor.
Military career[]
Upon graduation, Perkins was commissioned as a field artillery officer and posted at Fort Stewart, Georgia. During his career, Perkins was also posted at Fort Sill, Fort Benning, and Fort Campbell and served deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.[4]
Perkins achieved the rank of captain and company commander before separating from the army in 2015.[4]
Perkins is a Bronze Star recipient.[4]
Issues[]
Economic development[]
Perkins supports expanding Shreveport's budding tech industry through "facilitating the growth of local entrepreneur's ideas and businesses by investing and promoting their models."[5]
Energy[]
Perkins support expanding Shreveport's oil and gas industry, one of the largest industries and employers in the state of Louisiana.[5]
Infrastructure[]
Perkins supports infrastructure investments for the Shreveport Regional Airport and city water and sewage systems.[5]
After taking office, Perkins soon called for an $18 monthly fee for residential and commercial garbage pick-up to be added to municipal water bills.[6] The city council, however, rejected Perkins' proposal in a six-to-one vote but held out the possibility of a garbage fee at a lesser amount.[7]
Public safety[]
Perkins aims to increase public safety by "(1) identifying at-risk youth heading for trouble and offering an alternative route; (2) working alongside the Caddo District Attorney's office to implement programs for job training; (3) building a robust and effective economic stimulation plan that will offer jobs instead of incarceration; and (4) listening to our first class police officers, city leaders, and our community to develop more tailored policing methods."[5]
Saggy pants ordinance[]
Perkins announced in May 2019 that he opposes his city's ban on persons wearing saggy pants in public. The city council is considering dropping the ordinance which was enacted in 2007. The matter promptly attracted national attention. Opposition stems from the fact that 98 percent of those arrested for violation of the ordinance are African Americans, and 100 percent of youth cited for violation of the law are blacks.[8]
2018 mayoral race[]
On April 26, 2018, Perkins announced he would be running for mayor.[9]
On November 6, 2018, Perkins came in first with 17,466 votes and 28.86% during the blanket primary, yet failed to garner a required 50 percent plus one vote to win outright.[10]
On December 8, 2018, Perkins handily defeated incumbent Ollie Tyler in the runoff to become the 58th mayor of Shreveport and its third consecutive black mayor.[1]
| Blanket primary[11] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
| Democratic | Adrian Perkins | 17,466 | 28.86% | ||
| Democratic | Ollie Tyler | 14,405 | 23.80% | ||
| Republican | "Jim" Taliaferro | 12,407 | 20.50% | ||
| Republican | Lee O. Savage, Jr. | 8,314 | 14% | ||
| Democratic | Steven Jackson | 6,760 | 11.17% | ||
| Democratic | Tremecius Dixon | 482 | 0.80% | ||
| No party | Anna Marie Arpino | 357 | 0.59% | ||
| Democratic | Jeron Rogers | 337 | 0.56% | ||
| Total | 60,528 | 100% | |||
| Runoff[12] | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
| Democratic | Adrian Perkins | 25,052 | 64.37% | ||
| Democratic | Ollie Tyler | 13,864 | 35.63% | ||
| Total | 38,916 | 100% | |||
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Adrian Perkins wins Shreveport Mayor's race". December 8, 2018. http://www.ksla.com/2018/12/09/adrian-perkins-wins-shreveport-mayors-race/. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ "And then there was one: Adrian Perkins becomes mayor of Shreveport". December 18, 2018. https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/12/18/and-then-there-one-adrian-perkins-becomes-mayor-shreveport/2348733002/. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "About Adrian". April 26, 2018. https://www.adrianperkins.com. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "A Republican businessman on why he will vote for Adrian Perkins, a Democrat". October 30, 2018. https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2018/10/30/gop-businessman-explains-his-vote-democrat-shreveport-mayor/1824568002/. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "A thriving Shreveport". https://www.adrianperkins.com/new-page-1. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
- ↑ Dominique Brogle (January 17, 2019). "Mayor says proposed garbage fee is necessary to stay competitive, hire drivers". KTBS-TV. https://www.ktbs.com/news/mayor-says-proposed-garbage-fee-is-necessary-to-stay-competitive/article_51ae5112-1aab-11e9-99c8-db32e011b1d4.html. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ↑ "City Councilman John Nickelson: Why the Garbage Fee Was Voted Dowm (Video)". KEEL radio. http://710keel.com/john-nickelson-why-the-18-garbage-fee-was-voted-down-video/. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
- ↑ Erin McCarty (May 31, 2019). "Eyes of Nation on Shreveport for Sagging". KEEL Radio. https://710keel.com/eyes-of-nation-on-shreveport-over-sagging/.
- ↑ "Adrian Perkins announces he's running for Mayor of Shreveport". April 26, 2018. https://www.ktbs.com/news/shreveport-bossier/adrian-perkins-announces-he-s-running-for-mayor-of-shreveport/article_d6ab0cdc-49a2-11e8-b1d9-6f51d672f9a9.html. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ "Perkins, Tyler head to Dec. 8 runoff for Shreveport mayor". April 26, 2018. https://www.ktbs.com/news/arklatex-politics/shreveport-mayor/perkins-tyler-head-to-dec-runoff-for-shreveport-mayor/article_d175c0ca-e242-11e8-8f50-8ba446d99aa1.html. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ "Election Results". November 6, 2018. https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/static/2018-11-06/resultsRace/09. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ "Election Results". December 8, 2018. https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/static/2018-12-08/resultsRace/09. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
The original article can be found at Adrian Perkins and the edit history here.