Robert L. Butler
Encyclopedia
Robert L. Butler, is the current Mayor of Marion, Illinois
, and was disbarred from practicing law by the Illinois Supreme Court in 1983 (case number 79 SH 108) Butler is now serving in his 12th term. Butler has been Mayor of Marion since 1963. He is the son of Homer and Eva (Clarida) Butler. His father served six years on the Marion City Council starting in the 1930s. His maternal grandfather J. H. Clarida, served as mayor of the city in the 1920s during the Bloody Williamson era. He was his 13th election for mayor April 5, 2011, with 58 percent of the vote in a three-way race.
Now approaching 48 years in office, Butler is believed to be the longest serving Illinois mayor or village president still active, though he still has a few years to go to surpass the record of his fellow Williamson County
Mayor, Frank Caliper of Colp
who served 52 years from 1935 to his death in 1987, and Donald Stephens
of the tiny Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois
who served 51 years from the village's incorporation in 1956 to his death in 2007. The nation's longest-serving active mayor is believed to be Hilmer Moore of Richmond, Texas
, first elected in 1949, now in his sixth decade as mayor.
party, but is classified as an Independent due to his paleolibertarian-paleoconservative stances on issues. Many praise him as a straight-shooting, old-school public servant whose pro-growth agenda has helped turn this once-flagging city into a regional powerhouse along Interstate 57
. Butler has an industrial park in Marion named after him due to his hard work of bringing business with low paying wages to Southern Illinois over the years.
His maternal grandfather. J. H. Clarida, served as mayor of Marion from 1923–27 and, for a time, was the Police Chief. Butler's father, Homer Butler, served on the local school board and city commission, then spent 16 years in the state Legislature during the 1940s and '50s. Butler grew up in Marion and graduated from Marion High School. As a youth he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the local Boy Scout troop and served on summer camp staff in 1943 at what would later become Ferne Clyffe State Park
. That summer he became a charter member of the Ney-A-Ti Lodge, the local chapter of the Order of the Arrow honor society in Scouting.
He served in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps following World War II in Japan and Korea. He graduated from the University of Illinois Law School in 1952.
Butler served as an assistant state's attorney in Williamson County under State's Attorney Carl Sneed from 1954 to his election as mayor. On April 12, 1960, he received one write-in vote for the Democratic nomination for state's attorney. His boss, another Republican, won the Democratic primary with 45 write-ins.
Marion adopted a zoning ordinance in December 1958. The following month the city council created the Marion Planning Commission and named Butler as one of seven members. In July 1961, Butler outlined the commission's agenda as additional off-street parking, new water mains and extensions, shopping centers, the courthouse and fire protection. Butler called the location of the county courthouse in the center of the square as "a detriment to the business community."
Several businesses offering minimum wage jobs have been created in Marion and the Marion area due to non-regulated use of TIF Districts and political favors to enhance Butler's policies, and other "special favors" conducted during the documented 1,159 Open Meeting Violations by the City of Marion's City Council. The violations of the Open Meetings Act were published in a comprehensive series of stories appearing in the Marion Daily Republican newspaper, in Marion. Butler, past and present city attorneys and city administrators have been sued dozens of times for their actions - recently, by the local school district as a result of the vast number of TIF districts, which offset real estate taxes for all taxing bodies in the County.
In addition to the over-use of TIF Districts, Butler and the City Council entered into a lease to eliminate the properly assessed real estate taxes for a private company - which was later reversed by the State of Illinois Department of Revenue.
As a disbarred attorney (Illinois Supreme Court, 1983 - case # 79 SH 108) when Butler has faced criticism from opponents about his business "deals" (mostly conducted during rampant use of executive session of city council meetings), he has defended his actions by demonstrating the minimum wage jobs, slush funds from TIF Districts paid to developers and those friendly to City Hall, and by "special favors" by eliminating real estate taxes for select private businesses which Butler has continually cited as examples of the success which he has orchestrated.
In his race against Cooksey, Butler campaigned against the "willy-nilly city administration." He campaigned for more jobs and economic development, addressing the issue of water supply and sewer lines, as well as dealing with flood control and drainage issues. He attacked Cooksey for the city's finances which were $42,000 in the red the previous year and scheduled to be $90,000 in the red by May 1963. He also provided his basic philosophy of what a mayor should do. "It's up to the mayor to study each problem as it arises, determine in his own mind what is best to do for all of the people. I think the mayor of any town has got to stand on his own two feet and make up his mind without being dictated to by any individual or group. I think also when a man is elected mayor the people are ntitled to know where he stands. He ought to be able to tell the people. If a matter requires a 'yes' or 'no' answer he should say 'yes' or 'no.'"
The regional newspaper, the Southern Illinoisan endorsed Butler in his race. "Marion voters will chose Tuesday between orderly, progressive city government or a continuation of the present slap-dash regime... Butler, in short, offers an excellent alternative... He has our wholehearted support."
At the General Election two days later on April 16, Butler beat Cooksey by 687 votes, 2,914 to 2,227.
In 2007, Butler opposed the Illinois electric rate increase
that continues to leave many people to struggle economically. The New York Times ran a feature story on this important issue featuring Butler.
Marion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
, and was disbarred from practicing law by the Illinois Supreme Court in 1983 (case number 79 SH 108) Butler is now serving in his 12th term. Butler has been Mayor of Marion since 1963. He is the son of Homer and Eva (Clarida) Butler. His father served six years on the Marion City Council starting in the 1930s. His maternal grandfather J. H. Clarida, served as mayor of the city in the 1920s during the Bloody Williamson era. He was his 13th election for mayor April 5, 2011, with 58 percent of the vote in a three-way race.
Now approaching 48 years in office, Butler is believed to be the longest serving Illinois mayor or village president still active, though he still has a few years to go to surpass the record of his fellow Williamson County
Williamson County, Illinois
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*92.7% White*3.8% Black*0.4% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*0.4% Other races*2.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
Mayor, Frank Caliper of Colp
Colp, Illinois
Colp is a village in Williamson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 224 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Colp is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-History:...
who served 52 years from 1935 to his death in 1987, and Donald Stephens
Donald Stephens
Donald E. Stephens was the first mayor of Rosemont, Illinois, USA, and a leading Illinois Republican politician....
of the tiny Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont
-Places:in Canada:*Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, borough of Montreal, Quebec*Rosemont a provincial electoral district in Quebec*Rosemont, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta, Canadain the United States:...
who served 51 years from the village's incorporation in 1956 to his death in 2007. The nation's longest-serving active mayor is believed to be Hilmer Moore of Richmond, Texas
Richmond, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,081 people, 3,413 households, and 2,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,975.4 people per square mile . There were 3,595 housing units at an average density of 965.3 per square mile...
, first elected in 1949, now in his sixth decade as mayor.
Background
Butler has long been associated with the RepublicanRepublican 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...
party, but is classified as an Independent due to his paleolibertarian-paleoconservative stances on issues. Many praise him as a straight-shooting, old-school public servant whose pro-growth agenda has helped turn this once-flagging city into a regional powerhouse along Interstate 57
Interstate 57
Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
. Butler has an industrial park in Marion named after him due to his hard work of bringing business with low paying wages to Southern Illinois over the years.
His maternal grandfather. J. H. Clarida, served as mayor of Marion from 1923–27 and, for a time, was the Police Chief. Butler's father, Homer Butler, served on the local school board and city commission, then spent 16 years in the state Legislature during the 1940s and '50s. Butler grew up in Marion and graduated from Marion High School. As a youth he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the local Boy Scout troop and served on summer camp staff in 1943 at what would later become Ferne Clyffe State Park
Ferne Clyffe State Park
Ferne Clyffe State Park is an Illinois state park on in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The nearest town is Goreville, Illinois, and the nearest connection to a limted-access highway is at Exit 7 on the Illinois portion of Interstate 24...
. That summer he became a charter member of the Ney-A-Ti Lodge, the local chapter of the Order of the Arrow honor society in Scouting.
He served in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps following World War II in Japan and Korea. He graduated from the University of Illinois Law School in 1952.
Butler served as an assistant state's attorney in Williamson County under State's Attorney Carl Sneed from 1954 to his election as mayor. On April 12, 1960, he received one write-in vote for the Democratic nomination for state's attorney. His boss, another Republican, won the Democratic primary with 45 write-ins.
Marion adopted a zoning ordinance in December 1958. The following month the city council created the Marion Planning Commission and named Butler as one of seven members. In July 1961, Butler outlined the commission's agenda as additional off-street parking, new water mains and extensions, shopping centers, the courthouse and fire protection. Butler called the location of the county courthouse in the center of the square as "a detriment to the business community."
Growth under his administration
By many measurements, Marion's population has grown nearly 92% over the years since Butler took office, rising from the approximately 10,000 citizens in 1963 to a current city proper estimate of 17,200 citizens, not including many residents with a Marion address, which would add an estimated 15,000 people to Marion's micropolitan statistical area. However, according to statistics and data available from the Illinois Department of Transportation, the truth as it relates to Marion's growth has much more to do with the opening of Interstate Route 57 - which is the cross-roads to Carbondale, Illinois, and Southern Illinois University - and far less to do with Butler's time in office.Several businesses offering minimum wage jobs have been created in Marion and the Marion area due to non-regulated use of TIF Districts and political favors to enhance Butler's policies, and other "special favors" conducted during the documented 1,159 Open Meeting Violations by the City of Marion's City Council. The violations of the Open Meetings Act were published in a comprehensive series of stories appearing in the Marion Daily Republican newspaper, in Marion. Butler, past and present city attorneys and city administrators have been sued dozens of times for their actions - recently, by the local school district as a result of the vast number of TIF districts, which offset real estate taxes for all taxing bodies in the County.
In addition to the over-use of TIF Districts, Butler and the City Council entered into a lease to eliminate the properly assessed real estate taxes for a private company - which was later reversed by the State of Illinois Department of Revenue.
As a disbarred attorney (Illinois Supreme Court, 1983 - case # 79 SH 108) when Butler has faced criticism from opponents about his business "deals" (mostly conducted during rampant use of executive session of city council meetings), he has defended his actions by demonstrating the minimum wage jobs, slush funds from TIF Districts paid to developers and those friendly to City Hall, and by "special favors" by eliminating real estate taxes for select private businesses which Butler has continually cited as examples of the success which he has orchestrated.
1963 Election
During Butler's first race for mayor in 1963, he first had to get past a crowded 5-man primary that included the incumbent mayor Robert Cooksey, city commissioners A. R. Douglas and Bob Yearack, and former city commissioner Raymond McCormick. He was the second youngest candidate that year, at age 36. That wasn't the only crowded race, 17 men faced off for the four city commissioner seats. Cooksey won the primary by a substantial margin in the Feb. 26 primary. He received 1,512 votes to Butler's 1,079. However another 1,987 votes were cast for the mayor's three other opponents: 887 for Douglas, 662 for Yearack and 478 for McCormick.In his race against Cooksey, Butler campaigned against the "willy-nilly city administration." He campaigned for more jobs and economic development, addressing the issue of water supply and sewer lines, as well as dealing with flood control and drainage issues. He attacked Cooksey for the city's finances which were $42,000 in the red the previous year and scheduled to be $90,000 in the red by May 1963. He also provided his basic philosophy of what a mayor should do. "It's up to the mayor to study each problem as it arises, determine in his own mind what is best to do for all of the people. I think the mayor of any town has got to stand on his own two feet and make up his mind without being dictated to by any individual or group. I think also when a man is elected mayor the people are ntitled to know where he stands. He ought to be able to tell the people. If a matter requires a 'yes' or 'no' answer he should say 'yes' or 'no.'"
The regional newspaper, the Southern Illinoisan endorsed Butler in his race. "Marion voters will chose Tuesday between orderly, progressive city government or a continuation of the present slap-dash regime... Butler, in short, offers an excellent alternative... He has our wholehearted support."
At the General Election two days later on April 16, Butler beat Cooksey by 687 votes, 2,914 to 2,227.
History As Mayor
Butler ran for the state House once in the 1970s, convinced he could make a bigger difference from Springfield. He has served as mayor through many disasters, including the 1982 Marion Tornado that killed 10 and injured 200, and a disastrous fire in 1997 that burned down the town civic center.In 2007, Butler opposed the Illinois electric rate increase
Ameren
Ameren Corporation was created December 31, 1997 by the merger of Missouri's Union Electric Company and the neighboring Central Illinois Public Service Company . It is now a holding company for several power companies and energy companies. The company is based in St...
that continues to leave many people to struggle economically. The New York Times ran a feature story on this important issue featuring Butler.