Steve Luecke
31st Mayor of South Bend
In office
January 3, 1997 – January 1, 2012
Preceded byJoe Kernan
Succeeded byPete Buttigieg
Member of the South Bend Common Council from the 1st District
In office
January 3, 1988 – January 3, 1997
Personal details
BornFreeport, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpousePeg
Residence(s)South Bend, Indiana
Alma materFordham University

Stephen J. Luecke[1] (born 1950) is an American politician who served as the 31st mayor of South Bend, Indiana, United States from 1997 to 2012.[2] A member of the Democratic Party, he was the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.[3]

Early life and education

Luecke grew up in of Freeport, Illinois.[4]

Luecke attended the University of Notre Dame and graduated from Fordham University.[5]

During the Vietnam War, Luecke had been a conscientious objector.[6][7]

Early career

Before entering politics, Luecke worked first as a carpenter apprentice for four years.[5][8] After this he worked as a partner in the Old Building Reycling Co., which restored holder homes.[8] After this he worked at the South Bend Heritage Foundation, a foundation focusing on affordable housing and other local issues.[8][5]

Elected in 1987, Luecke served as a member of the South Bend Common Council for nine years, serving as the councilman for the 1st District in the city's northwest.[1][8]

Mayoralty

In January 1997, Luecke became mayor of South Bend, filling the vacancy created by the departure of Mayor Joe E. Kernan, who had become lieutenant governor.[1] He was endorsed by Kernan to be his successor, and was thereafter appointed unanimously by the Common Council to fill the vacancy.[7] Luecke remained mayor until 2011.[2] A Democrat, he was the city's longest-serving mayor.[3] Luecke was first reelected in 1999, being subsequently reelected in 2003 and 2007.

Highlights of Luecke's tenure as mayor included a reduction in crime in the city, urban redevelopment efforts, and the renovation of the Morris Performing Arts Center.[3]

During Luecke's tenure South Bend received a number of positive accolades, such as being named an All-American City by the National Civic League in 2011 and receiving the National League of Cities Gold Award for Municipal Excellence in both 2002 and 2010.[8] However, it also received some negative accolades, being listed by Newsweek in a January 2011 article as one of "America's Dying Cities".[9]

Luecke opted against running for what would have been a fourth full (and fifth overall) term as mayor, making the 2011 South Bend mayoral election an open race to succeed him, and the first open mayoral election in South Bend in 24 years.[10][11][12] Luecke abstained from endorsing any candidate ahead of the Democratic primary.[13] The race to succeed Luecke was ultimately won by Pete Buttigieg.

Arts and culture

Morris Performing Arts Center

As mayor, Luecke envisioned South Bend as a regional center for arts and culture.[14] He took actions which had generated a growth in the offerings of entertainment and dining in the city's downtown.[14]

The Morris Performing Arts Center was renovated in 2000 under his mayoralty.[15] Two studies conducted around 2007 had demonstrated that these efforts by Luecke were allowing the city to enjoy millions in economic spending.[14] One of these, a study by Saint Mary's College, showed that the city-owned Morris Performing Arts Center would generate a $5.9 annual indirect economic impact, excluding its own ticket sales.[14]

Development and private investment

Eddy Street Commons

A major new development that the city saw during Luecke's tenure was the beginning of the first phase of Eddy Street Commons.[15] Leucke had supported Eddy Street Commons in the approval stage.[16] Other projects included redevelopment along West Washington Street.[4]

The city saw the construction of a The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center during Luecke's mayoralty.[4]

Luecke is credited for having strengthened the relationship between the City of South Bend and the nearby University of Notre Dame.[15]

Under Luecke, the city made the decision that the former Studebaker plant buildings would be demolished for new use. The city put together TIF funds and federal funding to clear the site, which later became the site of the Innovation Park and Ignition Park tech parks.[15] Innovation Park broke ground in September 2008.[17]

By 2007, Luecke was proclaiming that the city had seen $1.3 billion in investments during his tenure.[18]

Environment

Luecke took some actions regarding the reducing city's harm to the environment.

In 2008, Luecke signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.[19]

In April 2009, Luecke launched the Green Ribbon Commission to issue recommendations regarding the city's environmental impact.[20][21] In 2010, he established the Municipal Energy Office, which prioritizes environmental concerns such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, transportation efficiency and innovation, municipal regulation, and recycling and waste management.[20]

Among the infrastructure efforts undertaken during his tenure was a "smart sewer" program.[22][23] On his last day in office, Leucke's administration, on behalf of the city, signed a consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency that the City of South Bend would make sewer improvements by 2031 that were projected to cost, altogether, $713 million.[24][25] The "smart sewer" program was subsequently built upon substantially by his successor Buttigieg.[26]

Parks and recreation

Under Luecke, the city made a number of improvements to its parks and established new bike and pedestrian paths.[8]

Transportation

South Street Station, opened in 1998

In 1998, the South Street Station, a bus center, opened in downtown South Bend.[27][28] The effort to build the station had begun planning in the mayoralty of Luecke's predecessor Joe Kernan.[27][29] It opened without an originally-planned Amtrak station component.[27] Luecke sought to have the Amtrak component constructed,[29] but was unsuccessful.[27]

In 2006, Luecke opposed a private group's plan to create short line railroad named the South Bend Railway by acquiring and refurbishing a former Norfolk Southern rail line running through the city's west side. The plan would have seen the railway utilize the track for freight service, with the potential of having passenger services utilize it in the future to transport football spectators directly to the campus of Notre Dame University. Luecke cited safety and quality-of-life concerns for residents that live near the tracks in his opposition.[30][31]

Other

Luecke worked to reduce the size of the city's government through staff reductions.[8][32]

In 2005, when it appeared that the South Bend Silver Hawks were potentially leaving the city, Luecke pledged to make strong effort to keep minor league baseball in South Bend.[33] Ultimately, a leadership group led by Joe Kernan stepped up to buy the team and keep it in the city.[34]

In August 2009, Luecke announced an alliance between the city's five largest medical providers.[35]

Luecke appointed many ethnic minorities to offices, including having African American appointees all heading the largest city departments during part of his tenure.[36]

Post-mayoralty

From 2013 until his retirement in 2017, Luecke was the executive director of the South Bend Alumni Association, which raises money to benefit South Bend schools.[37] After retiring as executive director, he was named the association's board of trustees.[8]

Luecke participated in developing the Near Northwest Neighborhood Quality of Life Plan in 2013 for Near Northwest Neighborhood, Inc.[38]

In July 2014, Luecke joined his mayoral predecessor Joe Kernan and other South Bend community leaders in holding a press conference condemning the conduct of the South Bend Common Council.[39]

Luecke serves as a commissioner on the Housing Authority of South Bend board.[40] During part of his tenure on the board, he has served as its vice president.[41]

In the 2019 South Bend mayoral election, Luecke endorsed his former special assistant Lynn Coleman in his, ultimately unsuccessful, bid for the Democratic nomination.[42][43]

In November 2022, the City of South Bend added Luecke's name to the names of Brownfield Park and the Coal Line Trail, which were rededicated after him. Luecke is only the fourth mayor in the city to have a park named after him.[44]

Electoral history

Common Council

Mayoral

1999
1999 South Bend Democratic mayoral primary[45]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen J. Luecke (incumbent) 8,265 61.49
Democratic John Voorde 4,214 31.35
Democratic Kevin C. Horton 855 6.36
Democratic Zbigniew "Ziggy" Borowski 108 0.80
Total votes 13,442 100
1999 South Bend mayoral election[46]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen J. Luecke (incumbent) 13,678 68.39
Republican Steven Bradley 6,321 31.61
Total votes 19,999 100
2003
2003 South Bend Democratic mayoral primary[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen J. Luecke (incumbent) 7,480 100
Total votes 7,480 100
2003 South Bend mayoral election[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen J. Luecke (incumbent) 10,598 71.68
Republican Thomas R. Schmidt 4,188 28.32
Total votes 14,786 100
2007
2007 South Bend Democratic mayoral primary[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen J. Luecke (incumbent) 4,781 79.12
Democratic William F. Davis 1,262 20.88
Total votes 6,043 100
2007 South Bend mayoral election[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen J. Luecke (incumbent) 12,355 62.14
Republican Juan A. Manigault 7,471 37.57
Green Thomas Eugene Brown (write-in) 58 0.29
Total votes 19,884 100

References

  1. 1 2 3 Passed Senate Resolution 108, Indiana Senate, First Regular Session, 117th General Assembly (2011).
  2. 1 2 "Mayor Steve Luecke to deliver final State of the City on Monday". WNDU. February 5, 2011. Archived from the original on February 6, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 McFadden, Maureen. "A Conversation with Mayor Steve Luecke". WNDU. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 McFadden, Maureen (December 19, 2011). "A Conversation with Mayor Steve Luecke". WNDU-TV. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 Austin Murphy, Saturday Rules: A Season with Trojans and Domers (and Gators and Buckeyes and Wolverines) (Harper, 2007), p. 19.
  6. ↑ "Leucke's lead is big" (PDF). The Howey Political Report. 6 (10). October 21, 1999. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  7. 1 2 "TICKER TAPE" (PDF). The Howey Political Report. 3 (15A). December 16, 1996. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "HOF-Program-2019-FINAL.pdf" (PDF). South Bend Alumni Association. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  9. ↑ "America's Dying Cities". Newsweek. January 21, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ Fuller, Jaime (March 10, 2014). "The most interesting mayor you've never heard of". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  11. ↑ Molina, Rich (March 23, 2011). "Meet the Candidates: Pete Buttigieg". WNDU-TV.
  12. ↑ Howey, Brian A. (November 10, 2011). "Big GOP gains shift to city halls" (PDF). Howey Politics Indiana. 17 (13). Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  13. ↑ Galer, Sara (May 4, 2011). "Ex-Indiana treasurer candidate wins South Bend mayoral primary". WTHR. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "2007 Mayoral" (PDF). Howey Political Report. 14 (8). October 4, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Hudson, Melissa (May 22, 2015). "SB150: Former Mayor Steve Luecke". ABC57. WBND-LD. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Council approves rezoning for Eddy Street Commons". Notre Dame News. July 16, 2007. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  17. ↑ Gilroy, William G. (September 25, 2008). "Innovation Park groundbreaking marks beginning of new "bridge to the future"". Notre Dame News. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  18. ↑ Howey, Brian A. (June 14, 2007). "Juan Manigault: GOP's best hope?" (PDF). Howey Political Report. 13 (40). Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  19. ↑ Delta Institute (November 2019). "CARBON NEUTRAL 2050 SOUTH BEND'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN" (PDF). docs.southbendin.gov. South Bend, Indiana. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  20. 1 2 "Sustainability". southbendin.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  21. ↑ "StackPath". www.inovateus.com. Inovateus Solar. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  22. ↑ "South Bend, Indiana Uses Smart Sewer Technology to Monitor and Manage Increased Water Levels". Indiana University. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  23. ↑ Hughes, Jessica (October 1, 2008). "Wireless Sensors Reduce Flooding in Indiana City". GovTech. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  24. ↑ Sinning, Sarah (November 24, 2019). "How South Bend got smart about water quality". gov1.com. Gov1 by Lexpol. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  25. ↑ Parrott, Jeff Parrott (September 3, 2019). "South Bend hopes to spend hundreds of millions less to reduce river pollution". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  26. ↑ Gardner, Drew (April 14, 2019). "How has South Bend changed under Mayor Buttigieg's leadership?". WBND-LD. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "Laporte County intermodal rail yard". WNDU. September 2, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Transpo Overview & History". South Bend Public Transportation Corporation. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  29. 1 2 Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations for 1999: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifth Congress, Second Session, Part 7. United States Congress. 1998. pp. 467–486. ISBN 9780160572760. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  30. ↑ "Notre Dame not interested in rail proposal for coal delivery". nwitimes.com. The Times of Northwest Indiana. June 22, 2006. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  31. ↑ Burke, Tom (2017). "Echoes: The old ND&W | Stories | Notre Dame Magazine | University of Notre Dame". Notre Dame Magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  32. ↑ Schmidt, Bob (August 29, 2008). "Higher Taxes, or Less Police and Fire Protection?". Tax Foundation. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  33. ↑ "It will be sad if the Silver Hawks fly away". Leader Publications. July 15, 2005. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  34. ↑ "South Bend sale agreement reached". OurSports Central. March 9, 2006. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  35. ↑ "NEWS RELEASE". docs.southbendin.gov. August 20, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  36. ↑ Klee, Ricky (November 13, 2016). "Viewpoint: Hired leadership in South Bend doesn't look like the community". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  37. ↑ Former mayor Steve Luecke to retire as leader of South Bend Alumni Association, South Bend Tribune (October 18, 2017).
  38. ↑ "Near Northwest Neighborhood Quality of Life Plan" (PDF). Near Northwest Neighborhood Incorporated. 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  39. ↑ "Kernan: Common Council 'far out of control'". WSBT-TV. July 9, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  40. ↑ Parrott, Jeff (November 11, 2020). "South Bend Housing Authority board meets behind closed doors to discuss 'a lot of things'". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  41. ↑ Bauer, Caleb (October 24, 2019). "Housing authority hires interim director, but still won't say why former director was fired". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Where are the voters? New mayor of South Bend could be decided by small numbers". South Bend Tribune. April 29, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  43. ↑ Bell, Kyle W. (April 24, 2019). "Former South Bend Mayor Luecke endorses Lynn Coleman". South Bend Voice. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  44. ↑ Peterson, Mark (November 11, 2022). "South Bend dedicates park, trail to former Mayor Stephen Luecke". www.wndu.com. WNDU-TV. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  45. ↑ "Democratic Primary Mayoral Elections South Bend". www.in.gov. Indiana Secretary of State. July 21, 1999. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  46. ↑ "Indiana 2003 Racing Form Indiana 2003 Mayoral Races" (PDF). The Howey Political Report. 9 (26). February 27, 2003. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  47. 1 2 3 4 "Historical Election Results". Indiana.gov Voter Portal. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
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