John Stein (mayor)
Encyclopedia
John C. Stein, is a former American
Republican
later turned Democratic
politician who served as the Mayor
of Wasilla, Alaska
from 1987 to 1996.
background, John Stein was born in 1944. His first son, Reber, was born in 1968 followed by Morgan in 1969 and finally Peter in 1971. All three were with John's first wife, Sandee Snow. John and his second wife, the late Karen Marie, adopted an infant boy, Jackson, in the early 1990s.
, Palin's father-in-law Jim Palin and his wife Faye started a planning group, Watch on Wasilla, to found a police department. Members Stein, Stambaugh and Palin traded notes on their plans at a step-aerobics class they took together.
candidate. Irl Stambaugh, who had become Chief of Police for Wasilla, supported Stein in the campaign. Palin campaigned against Stein's policies related to funding public works
. Stein's experience was a factual basis for his campaign. His opponent took a different, less objective route in portraying Stein's policy and character during the election. Stein was ironically, considering his previous associations with Palin, categorized as part of an "old boy network". His opponent was categorized as "Wasilla's first Christian mayor" by a local TV station. Stein felt compelled to reply, listing the previous eight Christian mayors, and clarifying that he was in fact Lutheran, despite his Jewish name. "I'm proud of such a reputation but I, my family and forbearers are of the Christian persuasion". The validity of Stein's marriage was publicly challenged by local activists Steve Stoll and Mark Chryson, says Stein; his attempts to prove himself by producing a marriage certificate were berated. "They said, 'Well, you could have forged that'". In 2008, Stein reflected back upon Palin's political allies in the 1996 race, calling them her "liquor cabinet", and noting the prevalence of Wasilla's religious conservatives among them.
, Big Lake
, Willow
, Houston
, and Talkeetna
. The population and traffic continue to grow, and the city now hosts a half-dozen "big box stores" and many national fast food franchises.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
later turned Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who served as the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wasilla, Alaska
Wasilla, Alaska
Wasilla is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, United States and the sixth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part of the state. The city's population was 7,831 at the 2010 census...
from 1987 to 1996.
Early life and career
Of Pennsylvania DutchPennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
background, John Stein was born in 1944. His first son, Reber, was born in 1968 followed by Morgan in 1969 and finally Peter in 1971. All three were with John's first wife, Sandee Snow. John and his second wife, the late Karen Marie, adopted an infant boy, Jackson, in the early 1990s.
Watch on Wasilla
As Wasilla grew, the need for a police department for the city became evident. Stein, his wife Karen, Chas St. George, Irl Stambaugh (later to be Chief of Police), Sarah PalinSarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, Palin's father-in-law Jim Palin and his wife Faye started a planning group, Watch on Wasilla, to found a police department. Members Stein, Stambaugh and Palin traded notes on their plans at a step-aerobics class they took together.
Mayoral race of 1996
In 1996, Sarah Palin ran against Stein for the post of mayor as the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate. Irl Stambaugh, who had become Chief of Police for Wasilla, supported Stein in the campaign. Palin campaigned against Stein's policies related to funding public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
. Stein's experience was a factual basis for his campaign. His opponent took a different, less objective route in portraying Stein's policy and character during the election. Stein was ironically, considering his previous associations with Palin, categorized as part of an "old boy network". His opponent was categorized as "Wasilla's first Christian mayor" by a local TV station. Stein felt compelled to reply, listing the previous eight Christian mayors, and clarifying that he was in fact Lutheran, despite his Jewish name. "I'm proud of such a reputation but I, my family and forbearers are of the Christian persuasion". The validity of Stein's marriage was publicly challenged by local activists Steve Stoll and Mark Chryson, says Stein; his attempts to prove himself by producing a marriage certificate were berated. "They said, 'Well, you could have forged that'". In 2008, Stein reflected back upon Palin's political allies in the 1996 race, calling them her "liquor cabinet", and noting the prevalence of Wasilla's religious conservatives among them.
Political positions
During the mayoral race of 1996, Stein ran on the platform of increasing services to Wasilla that had defined his past achievements in the city including establishing a 2% sales tax to support the creation and operation of a police department and pave many of the gravel streets. He later characterized the issues of abortion, gun control and church/state as being outside the scope of non-partisan local government, and stated that he had been surprised at their appearance as campaign issues in the 1996 election. During his tenure the city of 5,000 was characterized by highway strip development. Stein helped protect Wasilla residential neighborhoods and recreational lakes by initiating an exhaustive public process that lead to the strengthening of local zoning ordinances, along with the surrounding Mat-Su Valley towns of PalmerPalmer, Alaska
Palmer is the borough seat of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the state of Alaska, USA. It is part of the Anchorage Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 5,937....
, Big Lake
Big Lake, Alaska
Big Lake is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Willow
Willow, Alaska
Willow is a census-designated place in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 1,658.-History:...
, Houston
Houston, Alaska
Houston is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,202 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Houston is located at ....
, and Talkeetna
Talkeetna, Alaska
Talkeetna is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 772.-Geography:...
. The population and traffic continue to grow, and the city now hosts a half-dozen "big box stores" and many national fast food franchises.