Jorge Santini
Encyclopedia
Jorge Santini Padilla (born March 11, 1960) in San Juan, Puerto Rico
) is an Puerto Rican
Politician
and current Mayor of San Juan City.
in the Puerto Rico State Guard
. His Military Occupational Specialty is 27A (or Judge Advocate). Santini received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Puerto Rico
in 1982 and studied law at IAU Law School until 1987 where he obtained a Juris Doctor
(J.D.) cum laude degree. In 1986, he became a partner at the law firm of Miranda Cárdenas & Córdova where he specialized in medical malpractice suits. Santini married Irma Garriga on August 23, 1986 and they have three children: Odette (b. 1987), Jorge Andrés (b. 1996), and Amanda (b. 2003).
Santini was admitted to practice law at the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
and the Supreme Court of the United States
. In 1994, he started serving as Legal Advisor to Governor of Puerto Rico
Pedro Rosselló
until 1996. That same year, Santini was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico
representing the San Juan senatorial district. He then served as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Santini entered the race for Mayor
of San Juan
in 1999 and challenged Senate President Charlie Rodriguez
in an NPP primary. Rodríguez had been the choice of the party leadership, but Santini prevailed in the primary. He went on to defeat Popular Democratic Party
candidate Eduardo Bhatia
in the 2000 elections and sought reelection in 2004 defeating Bhatia for a second time.
In his 6th year as Mayor of San Juan, Santini began inaugurating major projects such as the 28 million dollar world-class Natatorium
swimming pool and diving complex, the 'San Juan Golf Academy, a sports-oriented magnet school and a bilingual municipal magnet school. He also created San Juan's Ronald Reagan
Autism-Specialized Day Care Center. In 2007, Santini was rumored to be a possible candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico
in the event that NPP president and former Governor Pedro Rosselló chose not run against then Resident Commissioner
Luis Fortuño
in 2008. However, Rosselló announced on April 28, 2007 that he would seek the NPP nomination for Governor. Santini then announced on May 13, 2007 that he would seek a third term as Mayor of San Juan in the 2008 elections. He ran unopposed within the NPP and faced PDP Rep. Ferdinand Pérez in the 2008 general elections. During the NPP primary process for the 2008 general election, Santini's candidate for Governor, Dr. Pedro Rosselló
was overwhelmingly rolled-over in a landslide by Luis Fortuño. However his other candidates Kimmey Rashke, Albita Rivera, Jorge Navarro, Nuno Lopez and Liza Fernandez were elected to conform his San Juan legislative team.
Fortuño went on to win the general election by a landslide. In the 2008 Puerto Rican general election
, Santini defeated Ferdinand Pérez (PPD) and Luis Piñero (PIP) for his third term as mayor. He is the longest running popularly-elected Mayor of the city. He is now proposing a light-rail extension of the heavy-rail Tren Urbano into Old San Juan. On July 20, 2009, Gov. Fortuño will sign legislation backed by Mayor Santini classifying San Juan as a "local education authority", enabling Santini's administration to access federal education funds directly. He is credited with attracting a talented cabinet, including former Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority Executive Director Miguel Cordero and former Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico President Lourdes Rovira as Vice Mayor, Police Colonel Adalberto Mercado and Sports and Recreation Director Maria Elena Batista
. Doña Felisa was the longest mayor service in San Juan to 1946 to 1969.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
) is an Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
Politician
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and current Mayor of San Juan City.
Biography
Santini is the third son of Nicolás Santini and Ivonne Padilla. He has three brothers and studied in the public school system of Puerto Rico until graduation in 1978. In 1975, he joined the United States Marine Air Cadet Corps, and later the National Guard, holding the rank of ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Puerto Rico State Guard
Puerto Rico State Guard
The Puerto Rico State Guard is a voluntary professional military corps who offer support for security and medical services in Puerto Rico. The PRSG respond directly to the Adjutant General of Puerto Rico, is commanded by a Brigadier general and is composed of main units in San Juan Metropolitan...
. His Military Occupational Specialty is 27A (or Judge Advocate). Santini received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
in 1982 and studied law at IAU Law School until 1987 where he obtained a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) cum laude degree. In 1986, he became a partner at the law firm of Miranda Cárdenas & Córdova where he specialized in medical malpractice suits. Santini married Irma Garriga on August 23, 1986 and they have three children: Odette (b. 1987), Jorge Andrés (b. 1996), and Amanda (b. 2003).
Santini was admitted to practice law at the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico is the highest court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, having judicial authority within Puerto Rico to interpret and decide questions of Commonwealth law. As the highest body of the judicial branch of the Puerto Rican government, it is analogous to one of the...
, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The court is based in San Juan. The main building is the Clemente Ruiz Nazario U.S. Courthouse located in the Hato Rey district of San Juan...
, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Maine* District of Massachusetts...
and the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. In 1994, he started serving as Legal Advisor to Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Juan Rosselló González, M.D., , is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the sixth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001...
until 1996. That same year, Santini was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico
Senate of Puerto Rico
The Senate of Puerto Rico is the upper house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The Senate is composed of 27 senators, representing eight constituent senatorial districts across the commonwealth, with two senators elected per district; an...
representing the San Juan senatorial district. He then served as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Santini entered the race for 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 San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
in 1999 and challenged Senate President Charlie Rodriguez
Charlie Rodríguez
Charles "Charlie" Rodríguez is a New York City-born Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party . He served as the eleventh President of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 1997 until 2000.-Early life:...
in an NPP primary. Rodríguez had been the choice of the party leadership, but Santini prevailed in the primary. He went on to defeat Popular Democratic Party
Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth....
candidate Eduardo Bhatia
Eduardo Bhatia
Eduardo Bhatia Gautier is a Puerto Rican politician and Senator. He is the current Minority Whip in the Senate of Puerto Rico for the Popular Democratic Party...
in the 2000 elections and sought reelection in 2004 defeating Bhatia for a second time.
In his 6th year as Mayor of San Juan, Santini began inaugurating major projects such as the 28 million dollar world-class Natatorium
Natatorium
A natatorium is a term given for a building containing a swimming pool. In Latin, a cella natatoria was a swimming pool in its own building, although it is sometimes also used to refer to any indoor pool even if not housed in a dedicated building...
swimming pool and diving complex, the 'San Juan Golf Academy, a sports-oriented magnet school and a bilingual municipal magnet school. He also created San Juan's Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Autism-Specialized Day Care Center. In 2007, Santini was rumored to be a possible candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
in the event that NPP president and former Governor Pedro Rosselló chose not run against then Resident Commissioner
Resident Commissioner
Resident Commissioner is the title of several, quite different types of Commissioner in overseas possession or protectorate of the British Crown or of the United States.-British English:...
Luis Fortuño
Luis Fortuño
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
in 2008. However, Rosselló announced on April 28, 2007 that he would seek the NPP nomination for Governor. Santini then announced on May 13, 2007 that he would seek a third term as Mayor of San Juan in the 2008 elections. He ran unopposed within the NPP and faced PDP Rep. Ferdinand Pérez in the 2008 general elections. During the NPP primary process for the 2008 general election, Santini's candidate for Governor, Dr. Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Juan Rosselló González, M.D., , is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the sixth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001...
was overwhelmingly rolled-over in a landslide by Luis Fortuño. However his other candidates Kimmey Rashke, Albita Rivera, Jorge Navarro, Nuno Lopez and Liza Fernandez were elected to conform his San Juan legislative team.
Fortuño went on to win the general election by a landslide. In the 2008 Puerto Rican general election
Puerto Rican general election, 2008
The Puerto Rico general election of 2008, held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 was the most recent election to select the Governor of Puerto Rico.The election was won by Luis G...
, Santini defeated Ferdinand Pérez (PPD) and Luis Piñero (PIP) for his third term as mayor. He is the longest running popularly-elected Mayor of the city. He is now proposing a light-rail extension of the heavy-rail Tren Urbano into Old San Juan. On July 20, 2009, Gov. Fortuño will sign legislation backed by Mayor Santini classifying San Juan as a "local education authority", enabling Santini's administration to access federal education funds directly. He is credited with attracting a talented cabinet, including former Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority Executive Director Miguel Cordero and former Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico President Lourdes Rovira as Vice Mayor, Police Colonel Adalberto Mercado and Sports and Recreation Director Maria Elena Batista
María Elena Batista
María Elena Batista currently is a sports administrator in Puerto Rico. As the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico's Director of Sports and Recreation since January, 2001, she helped revive the previously underused and dilapidated Hiram Bithorn Stadium, attracting MLB's Opening Day Game in 2001,...
. Doña Felisa was the longest mayor service in San Juan to 1946 to 1969.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Corsican immigration to Puerto RicoCorsican immigration to Puerto RicoCorsican immigration to Puerto Rico came about as a result of various economic and political changes in the mid-19th century Europe; among those factors were the social-economic changes which came about in Europe as a result of the Second Industrial Revolution, political discontent and widespread...