Bill Saffo

Bill Saffo is the Mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina.[1] He was appointed mayor in 2006 and reelected in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. In the 2019 municipal elections Saffo faced his first competent challenger for office in Devon Scott, who garnered 48% of the vote.[2] He is the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.[3]

Bill Saffo
Mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina
Assumed office
2007
Personal details
BornWilmington, North Carolina
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina at Wilmington (B.A.)
ProfessionReal estate businessman

Background

The son of Greek immigrants, Saffo was born in Wilmington.

Political career

Saffo served on the Wilmington City Council from 2003 to 2007, and as Mayor since 2007.[4][5]

Saffo was first elected to City Council in 2003.[6]

During his first year in office he consolidated the city's water and sewer departments; initiated a review of the salaries of municipal employees - cautioning voters that fair salaries would require higher taxes; and began to investigate the economic potential of using revenue from the State's hotel room tax to build a new convention center.[7] By 2009 construction on the new Convention Center was underway.[8] the Convention Center opened in 2010, and is regarded as having been successful in expanding the city's convention and tourism business.[9]

As Mayor, he helped to usher in the age of digital television on September 8, 2008 when Wilmington, North Carolina became the first town in the United States to switch over from the previous analog television platform.[10]

References
  1. "Mayor Bill Saffo | City of Wilmington, NC". www.wilmingtonnc.gov. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  2. "SAFFO MAKES HISTORY WITH ANOTHER ELECTION WIN". www.wwaytv3.com. Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  3. "Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo wins re-election". starnewsonline.com. 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-12-01.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 2011-07-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) City of Wilmington, North Carolina-Mayor Bill Saffo
  5. "CoastLine Candidate Interviews: Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo". Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  6. Fennel, Bettie (10 December 2003). "City Council's changing of the Guard ; A new start". Star - News. ProQuest 285575807.
  7. Mazzolini, Chris (19 September 2007). "Bill Saffo: Putting priority on partnership". Star - News. ProQuest 285508988.
  8. Gannon, Patrick (11 February 2009). ""Beam signing" indicates there's no turning back on Convention Center". Star - News. ProQuest 285685896.
  9. Wagner, Adam (18 April 2016). "Wilmington Convention Center reports strongest year yet". Star - News. ProQuest 1781476654.
  10. AMY SCHATZ; FAWN JOHNSON (September 9, 2008). "Digital-TV Switch Is Tested". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved 2009-06-02.


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