Svante Myrick

Svante Myrick
Mayor of Ithaca, New York
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2012
Preceded by	Carolyn K. Peterson
Personal details
Born	(1987-03-15) March 15, 1987 Florida, U.S.[1]
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Ithaca, New York
Alma mater	Cornell University
Awards	The John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards (2014)
Website	https://www.facebook.com/svantem

Svante L. Myrick (born March 15, 1987) is mayor of Ithaca, New York. He is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Myrick won a contested primary election for the Democratic Party mayoral nomination, and on November 8, 2011, won the general election with 54.9% of the vote, defeating three other candidates (two independents and one Republican). Upon taking office In January 2012, he became the city’s youngest mayor and its first African-American mayor. Myrick was born in Florida and raised in the small town of Earlville, New York. First elected at age of 20 to Ithaca's Common Council, he was one of the youngest elected African Americans in United States history. At 29, he is one of the youngest mayors in US history and one of the few to be popularly elected by city-wide vote.

On August 8, 2016 Politico.com asked 71 mayors from all around the country to voted the mayors who most likely to succeed and rate each other in a variety of categories. Svante Myrick received votes for most innovative, biggest turnaround and a mayor to “keep our eye on.”^[2]

Early life and education

Svante Myrick is the third of four children, raised in Earlville, New York, a small village with 900 people, by his single mother and his grandparents.^[3] Through his childhood, he was in and out of homelessness; his family struggled to get by and depended on food stamps. He attended public schools and graduated from Sherburne-Earlville High School in 2005. He then studied communication at Cornell University, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and a leader of the Interfraternity Council and Quill and Dagger society. He began his public-service career though volunteer activities while a student, including working with the REACH program (Raising Education Attainment Challenge) and the Ithaca Youth Council. Myrick graduated in 2009.^[4]

After graduating, he continued his work with local youth working as an apprenticeship coordinator with The Learning Web. Myrick also served as the Assistant Director of Student and Young Alumni Programs for Cornell University before resigning his position to run for mayor.

Political career

Common council (2008–2011)

In January 2008, at the age of 20, Myrick became the youngest alderperson for the City of Ithaca and one of the youngest elected African Americans in U.S. history.^[4] Myrick’s principal contributions while serving as a councilman included forwarding a successful effort to create a "tobacco-free zone"^[5] on the Ithaca Commons, promoting youth involvement in city government through overseeing the creation of the Ithaca Youth Council,^[6] and playing a role in master planning and zoning changes in Ithaca’s dense, student-dominated Collegetown neighborhood.^[7][8]

Mayoral campaign (2011)

On March 29, 2011, Myrick declared his intent to pursue the office of Mayor of Ithaca as a Democrat.^[9] In the Primary election, he faced Alderperson J. R. Claiborne, and County Legislator Pamela Mackesey.^[10] As the Democratic Party nominee, Myrick faced concerns about his age, experience, connection to the community and capability.^[11] Myrick earned 54.9% of votes cast in the November general election (a 28.5% margin from the nearest candidate), winning all city voting districts.^[12] Myrick defeated Janis Kelly (Republican Party candidate), J. R. Clairborne (Independence Party candidate), and Wade Wykstra (Independent).^[13][14]

Accomplishments as Mayor (2012 – present)

Myrick became the City of Ithaca's youngest Mayor and first Mayor of color when he was sworn into office on January 1, 2012. He chaired the committee that created the Ithaca Youth Council and also chaired the Collegetown Vision Implementation Committee, which led to the creation and endorsement of a master plan for promoting development while still preserving neighborhoods in Collegetown.^[15]

2012 – 2015: First term

When Myrick assumed office in January 2012, he inherited an anticipated $3 million to $3.5 million budget deficit in the City of Ithaca.^[16] His first budget, FY13, concentrated on maintaining city services while streamlining City Hall through merging departments, reducing management and adopting new technology systems to reduce city inefficiencies.^[17] While reducing financial obligations and increasing efficiency for the City of Ithaca, Myrick's first budget also prioritized increasing the wages of the City's lowest paid employees.^[18]

On December 4, 2012, it was official to call City of Ithaca for the legalization of marijuana, "We can take money out of the hands of the criminal black market and generate enormous revenues for the government while creating thousands of new jobs." Myrick said.^[19] On April 4, 2013, Myrick proclaimed this day (4/4/2013) to be Kyle Dake Day in the City of Ithaca, to honor a Lansing native and Cornell student who made athletics history by becoming the first person to ever win four NCAA championships in four different weight classes.^[20]

On May 2 – 3, 2013, Myrick participated in a conference about establishing more effective approaches to drug policy in New York held in Buffalo, NY, by the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) and DPA, which jointly released a Blueprint for a Public Health and Safety to Approach to Drug Policy. This new approach to drug policy was also discussed at a conference co-sponsored by DPA and Baldy Center for law and Social Policy called Leading the Way: Toward a Public Health and Safety Approach to Drug Policy in New York State.^[21]

On June 6, 2013, Myrick delivered the keynote address at the 13th Annual New York State Supportive Housing Conference, which address touched on race and his personal history of homelessness.^[22] On October 1, 2013, the City of Ithaca became a Certified Living Wage Employer.^[23] On December 5, 2013, Myrick participated in the White House Mayor’s Manufacturing Summit. Nearly 20 mayors from across the U.S. attended to meet with other local government leaders and share their concerns and ideas for manufacturing progress in their local communities.^[24]

By the end of Myrick's second year in office, half his term, the Mayor's adopted FY14 budget had successfully closed the deficit inherited in 2012, and brought about the lowest tax levy increase in over a decade.^[25][26][27] On November 25, 2014, Myrick was invited to the American Swiss Foundation’s Young Leaders Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, for discussions with high-level diplomatic, government, business, media, and cultural leaders.^[28]

Over the last four years he erased the budget deficit and stemmed the tide of rising taxes, rebuilt a once decaying downtown, completed the Waterfront trail, paved streets and fixed bridges, rebuilt trust between the community and the police department, built more places for people to live, and made the City a more beautiful place to live.

On January 23, 2015, Myrick joined President Obama hosting more than 200 bipartisan Mayors during their annual U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Winter Meeting. Administration officials discussed ways in which to continue partnering with cities to raise wages and incomes, to strengthen the standing of working families in a new economy and to bolster and expand the middle class.^[29]

Ithaca named as best city in 2015

On July 28, 2015, Ithaca was named one of the 10 Smartest Cities in America.^[30] With 50.9% of bachelor's degrees or higher degrees, it is the same as most well-educated cities. Ithaca has a large population of young people, many of whom attend Cornell University. Ithaca residents were several times more likely to work in education and health services than their fellow Americans. On August 27, 2015, Ithaca was named the Healthiest City in New York State^[31] by Publisher 24/7 Wall St. created and analysis conducted by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program to identify the healthiest city in each state. Population of Ithaca community without health insurance: 9.6% Percent food insecure: 5.8% and 2014 unemployment rate: 4.3%

On August 15, 2015, Myrick was invited to join people from 180 countries in the conference of the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, for a meeting of the Global Shaper's Community to promote local change for global impact.^[32]

2016 – present: Second term

Launch of the country’s first supervised heroin injection site

After nearly two years of research by the Municipal Drug Policy Committee formed in April 2014 by Mayor Myrick,^[33] on February 25, 2016, Ithaca was "poised to lead the nation" with the implementation of the country’s first supervised heroin injection site.^[34] This initiative Also committed to establishing a 24-hour crisis center to ultimately serve as a safer injection facility where heroin users can administer the drug under the supervision of a medical professional.

The Ithaca Plan proposes the implementation of a Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program (LEAD), in which police officers "divert people directly into the social service system" instead of perpetuating the revolving-door system of incarceration for low-level offenses. The Ithaca Plan: A Public Health and Safety Approach to Drugs and Drug Policy^[35] has been two years in the making. The 64-page Ithaca Plan is centered on several tenets: prevention, treatment, law enforcement, harm reduction, governance and leadership. The LEAD pilot program has had success in Seattle, Washington where streets became safer after the plan’s implementation.^[36]

The inspiration for the Ithaca Plan comes from the success of a similar program in Vancouver, where two supervised injection facilities have been operating for nearly 15 years as safe clinics for drug abusers. The theory behind the harm reduction approach to public health policy rests upon the humane idea that, as a community, we have a responsibility to keep drug abusers alive in order to give them the treatment they deserve. As over 30 published articles have proven, the facilities in Vancouver have been incredibly successful at both preventing overdose deaths and improving public safety.

Supervised injection facilities do not purport to end drug abuse overnight, nor do they claim to be the best or only way to reduce drug abuse. What they aim to do, however, is reduce public drug use, prevent overdose deaths and promote treatment instead of criminalization. The Ithaca Plan is not designed to end opiate/opioid abuse once and for all; it is a policy designed to prevent people from overdosing in the streets and to give them the basic medical attention they deserve as members of our community. For Ithaca, harm reduction will likely be just as important as prevention.^[37]

On August 8, 2016 Politico.com asked 71 mayors from all around the country to voted the mayors who most likely to succeed and rate each other in a variety of categories. Svante Myrick received votes for most innovative, biggest turnaround and a mayor to “keep our eye on.” ,adding in the third person, “He gets more done in less time.”^[38]

Public service

On October 25, 2012, Myrick visited the Tompkins Cortland Community College at the Childcare Center to read to the children before speaking to a packed house in the Student Center about the importance of getting involved. He gave the students three reasons why they should get involved: 1. Young people bring energy. 2. Young people are creative. 3. Young people understand a moral imperative.^[39] On November 20, 2012 he spoke at Richardson Memorial Hall Tulane University, a private four-year research institution in New Orleans, Louisiana about sustainability in the city.^[40]

On March 3, 2013, Myrick judged the traditional 15th IPEI - Ithaca Public Education Initiative Adult Spelling Bee at Ithaca High School.^[41] On April 1, 2013, students from across campus came together to hear Myrick ’09 speak about volunteering and diversity at Cornell during an event for campus volunteers, "Class of 2017: Engage, Impact, Inspire".^[42]

On April 19 and 22, 2013, Myrick joined forces with student organizers of the Youth Power Summit 2013 at Ithaca College Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprise, a climate justice convergence for over 100 young people ages 16–23 from Tompkins County. He met with students to discuss divestment, and agreed to issue a statement from the city and explained his support for youth leadership, "I believe that young people have the creativity, energy, and moral authority that is needed in many of our public debates. A perfect example is the work this group has done. The commitment these young people have shown to safeguarding our environment should serve as an inspiration to us all."^[43] During October 6 – 8, 2013, Myrick joined NBC Education Nation 2013, which was held at the New York Public Library. The 2013 summit theme, "What It Takes," examined the state of education in the United States, with a specific focus on preparing students for future education and employment opportunities.^[44]

On October 30, 2013, at Tompkins Cortland Community College, Myrick talked about "Why college students should vote", the inspiration perseverance that got him where he is today.^[45] On November 14, 2013, he gave a speech at the Rice School of Architecture in Houston, Texas, entitled "The Time is Now! The Case for Youth in Government".^[46]

On July 1, 2014, Myrick spoke at Ithaca High School's class of 2014 graduation about the importance of not letting social media dictate one's life to more than 300 graduating students.^[47] On July 5, 2014 Myrick hosted Dustin Brown for the second time in three years, Ithaca native Dustin Brown brought the great Stanley Cup trophy back home.^[48] Brown, who played hockey at Ithaca High School, is the team captain of the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. The Kings won the finals last month after beating out the New York Rangers in five games. And on November 3, 2014 he was a guest lecturer for The Prison Education Program, Cornell University at Auburn, New York to incarcerated students at Auburn at correctional facilities manifests as Ezra Cornell’s commitment to founding an institution where "any person can find instruction in any study."^[49]

On January 30, 2015, Myrick addressed the GHS auditorium at Geneva High School in New York to speak as part of the LEAP (Lead Excel Achieve Progress) Initiative about his Civic Engagement to Geneva High's students who are typically African-American and/or Latino and are at high risk of dropping out of school. Myrick's life illustrates what can be accomplished through perseverance, support, encouragement and having a vision for your life, despite your current circumstances."^[50] On February 16, 2015, at Cinemapolis, Ithaca, NY, Myrick hosted a special screening of the Sundance-award-winning film and thought-provoking documentary with a panel discussion, "The House I Live In", offering a poignant look inside US drug policy and its far reaching impact.^[51] On March 20, 2015, at College Town Bagel, North Aurora St. Mayor Myrick judged a culinary sandwich for the Second Annual Hunger Hero Competition. The winning sandwich will be added to the CTB menu and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to United Way of Tompkins County.^[52]

In June 9, 2015, for the Cornell University International Summer Debate Camp (August 2–9, 2015), Myrick, as an alumnus of the debate program at Cornell University, negotiated with the University to secure 10 full-ride scholarships for local students. Most students at the camp will be from all over the world and pay $4,000 to attend. The Cornell International Summer Debate Camp consists of 8 days of intense instruction for high school students interested in learning the fundamentals of argumentation and debate. Students will learn about debate and topics that include; nanotechnology, genetically modified crops, prisons and punishment, and hydraulic fracturing.^[53] On May 9, 2015, Myrick appeared as a keynote speaker at Morrisville State College commencement at Morrisville State College Recreation Center, before about 725 student graduation candidates. Morrisville is a village about 20-minutes' drive from Earlville, where he grew up. Both Morrisville and Earlville are in Madison County, New York.^[54]

Personal life

Myrick is a son of Jessie and Leslie. He had asthma in junior year in high school.^[55] Myrick has said that his father battled crack cocaine addiction, which helped inspire him to create the committee to confront the heroin problem.^[56] His mother worked multiple low-paying jobs to support the family: "(My mother) went above and beyond. She sacrificed everything. She saved our lives," says Myrick. Leslie currently works at the front desk of a local hotel in upstate New York. Growing up poor has shaped Myrick's political beliefs, he supports local food banks and free lunch programs. "This is not the story of a self-made man. This is the story of a community that conspired to raise a child. That's the truth," he says.^[57]

Myrick walks to work every day and cares about pedestrian and bicyclist safety, while appreciating the need to improve all infrastructure.^[58] He converted his personal parking space — the reserved parking space next to City Hall that is one of his mayoral privileges — into a mini park. It is now decorated with tree stumps and benches for public open use. "I think it says something about our commitment to the environment and energy reduction," he said.^[59]

In his spare time, the Mayor enjoys speaking to youth groups around the state about achievement, civic engagement, and community building. He is also an avid reader and sports enthusiast who follows the Giants, Yankees and the New York Knicks. Recently, Svante joined Team Mystic in his quest to catch them all in Pokemon Go.

Awards and honors

2012

• Best of Ithaca: Best Ithacan Most Deserving Of A Mural from Ithaca Times Magazine^[60]
• Best of Ithaca: Best Self Promoter from Ithaca Times Magazine
• Best of Ithaca: Best Civic Improvement: Svante Myrick’s Parking Space from Ithaca Times Magazine^[61]
• Awards recognize Cornell-community collaborations Cornell Town-Gown or (TOGO) Awards at Ithaca High School on December 8, 2012, from Cornell University and Ithaca community to celebrate partnerships between local organizations and the University.^[62]

2013

• Best of Ithaca: Best Ithacan from Ithaca Times Magazine
• Best of Ithaca: Best Civic Booster from Ithaca Times Magazine^[63]

2014

• Ithaca's Bandwagon Brewery unveil "Svante's Legislative Session IPA", named for Mayor Svante Myrick, at its monthly Tasting with the Brewer to honor the youngest mayor in the history of a top city by naming a beer after him. A "session" IPA is an India Pale Ale characterized by big hop aroma and flavor, moderate bitterness, and a moderate alcohol content.^[64]
• On December 10, 2014, Svante Myrick were named the recipients of the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, created by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and The Institute of Politics at Harvard University to honor Americans under the age of 40 who are changing their communities and the country with their commitment to public service.^[65]

2015

• Best of Ithaca: Local Facebook Account: Svante Myrick from Ithaca Times Magazine^[66]
• Best of Ithaca: Best Ithacan on Twitter: @Svante Myrick from Ithaca Times Magazine

2016

• Best of Ithaca: Best People: Local Facebook Account: Svante Myrick from Ithaca Times Magazine^[67]

In the media

• Politico (August 8, 2016): America's Mayors: Put Us in Charge—Now.
• The New York Times (March 22, 2016): Ithaca’s Anti-Heroin Plan: Open a Site to Shoot Heroin.
• The Guardian (March 5, 2016): War against harm: Ithaca's mayor is leading the charge against the heroin epidemic.
• NBC NEWS (Feb 2, 2016) NBCBLK28: Svante Myrick: From Homeless to High Office.
• The Washington Post (February 27, 2015): The future of urbanism according to the 27-year-old mayor of Ithaca.
• Meet The Press (March 30, 2014): Democrats Turn Focus To The Economy.
• The New York Times (August 4, 2013) Colleges Help Ithaca Thrive in a Region of Struggles: The city's young and dynamic Mayor discusses the private and public investments which are seeding economic growth and the lowest unemployment rate in New York State.
• New York State Supportive Housing Conference (June 6, 2013): Svante delivers the keynote address and provides evidence that support structures are necessary to bring out individual potentials and success.
• Ora TV with Larry King (October 11, 2012): Svante discusses expectations in the vice Presidential Debate preshow.
• C-SPAN2: Future of American Democracy (October 4, 2012): Mayors Alex Morse (Holyoke, Massachusetts) and Svante Myrick (Ithaca, New York) talked about important questions from their perspective as two of the youngest elected officials in the United States.
• Ora TV with Larry King (August 30, 2012): Svante discusses the Republican Presidential campaign platform.
• Rock Center with Brian Williams (February 29, 2012): "24-year-old mayor's personal life story guides political career".

References

External links

• City of Ithaca Departmental Goals for 2015
• City of Ithaca Accomplishments of 2014