Jason West
{{Short description|American politician (born 1977)}}
{{about|the mayor of New Paltz|the American video game developer Jason West|Respawn Entertainment}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name= Jason West
|image=Mayor_Jason_West.jpg
|order = Mayor of New Paltz, New York
|term_start=June 1, 2011
|term_end=May 30, 2015
|predecessor=Terry Dungan
|successor=Tim Rogers
|term_start2=January 1, 2003
|term_end2=May 31, 2007
|predecessor2=Thomas Nyquist
|successor2=Terry Dungan
|alma_mater=State University of New York at New Paltz
University of California, Berkeley
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1977|3|26}}
|birth_place=Latham, New York, U.S.
|party=Green
}}
Jason West (born March 26, 1977{{Cite web|url=http://ww1.birthdatabase.com/|title=birthdatabase.com|website=ww1.birthdatabase.com}}) is an American politician who served as mayor of the village of New Paltz, New York, from January 1, 2003, to May 31, 2007, and again from June 1, 2011, to May 31, 2015.
A graduate of the State University of New York at New Paltz, West made headlines by solemnizing same-sex marriages in New York.{{cite web |url= http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/02/28/MNG1Q5ALUP1.DTL|title= N.Y. village mayor jumps into same-sex marriage fray|accessdate=2008-09-15 |author= Justin Silverman|date=2004-02-28 |work=San Francisco Chronicle}} After running as a protest candidate for the New York State Assembly in 2000 and 2002 on the Green Party ticket, West was elected mayor of New Paltz in 2003. He lost his reelection bid on May 1, 2007, to village trustee Terry Dungan.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/nyregion/03mayor.html |title=Boldness That Won Him Wide Attention Costs a Brash Young Mayor His Re-election Bid |accessdate=2008-11-29 |author=Erin Quinn |date=2007-05-03 |work=The New York Times}}
Mayoral history
=Summary=
Elected mayor of New Paltz in 2003 with promises of environmental sustainability,{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyfreeman.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1769&dept_id=74969&newsid=7934256&PAG=461&rfi=9 |title=Upstart ousts New Paltz mayor |accessdate=2008-10-13 |author=Hallie Arnold |date=2003-05-07 |work=FreemanOnline.com |publisher=Daily Freeman |quote=West, a house painter and puppeteer, said his vision is to explore alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and use them in local government to 'make New Paltz the cutting edge of environmentally sustainable practices within municipalities.' |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510000801/http://www.dailyfreeman.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1769&dept_id=74969&newsid=7934256&PAG=461&rfi=9 |archivedate=2007-05-10 }} West gained international attention, initially as part of the first Green Party majority elected in New York State and later for risking criminal prosecution to marry 25 same-sex couples.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/28/magazine/mayor-with-a-mission.html |title=Mayor With A Mission |last=Sullivan |first=Robert |date=March 28, 2004 |work=The New York Times |language=English |accessdate=February 22, 2017 |location=New York, New York |archivedate=July 8, 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708112648/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/28/magazine/mayor-with-a-mission.html?_r=0 |url-status=dead }}
West was named the Best New Mayor of 2003 by Hudson Valley magazine. He was honored by such organizations as the New York State Senate Democratic Conference, the California State Legislature and community organizations from around the country. He has been profiled in the New York Times Magazine, Plenty, Out, The Advocate, and Jane, among others.
=Same-sex marriages=
{{Main|Same-sex marriage in New York}}
File:Jason West 20050612 gayrally.jpg
On February 27, 2004, West drew national attention to New Paltz when he announced that he would be performing same-sex marriages. On the first day he performed 24 such ceremonies. On March 2, he was charged with 19 misdemeanor counts of "solemnizing marriages without a license" by Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams.{{cite web |url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/politics/columns/statepolitic/n_10018/ |title=The Marrying Kind |accessdate=2008-09-20 |last=Kolker |first=Robert |work=New York Magazine |date=2004-03-08 }} According to Williams, West was not charged for all 25 ceremonies because police only witnessed 19 of them.
West originally announced that he intended to continue performing same-sex weddings;{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/03/03/cnna.west/index.html |title=Mayor: Gender irrelevant in marriage |accessdate=2008-10-13 |work=CNN.com |publisher=CNN |date=2004-03-03 }} however, on March 5, New York state judge Vincent Bradley issued a temporary restraining order barring West from performing any such ceremonies for a month. West indicated that he would abide by the judicial order while evaluating his legal options. On June 6, Ulster County Supreme Court Judge Michael Kavanagh made the injunction permanent.{{cite web |url=http://www.lc.org/pressrelease/2004/nr060704b.htm |title=Judge Issues Permanent Injunction Against New Paltz Mayor Jason West Ordering Him to Stop Illegally Solemnizing Same-Sex Unions |accessdate=2008-09-22 |publisher=Liberty Counsel |date=2004-06-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120907200932/http://www.lc.org/pressrelease/2004/nr060704b.htm |archivedate=2012-09-07 }} West later remarked, "Give it 10 or 20 years when we're holding state legislatures and Congress. It will just be a nonissue."{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-07-14-young-pols_x.htm |title=Young people answer call of political action, run for office |accessdate=2008-10-22 |author=Carl Weiser |date=2004-07-14 |work=USAToday.com |publisher=USA Today}}
On June 10, New Paltz Town Court Justice Jonathan Katz dismissed the charges against West, ruling that the district attorney had failed to show that the state had a legitimate interest in preventing the marriages, or that the law under which West was charged was constitutional. The district attorney said that he would appeal the ruling.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32522-2004Jun10.html?nav%3Dheadlines |title=Judge Dismisses Charges Against New Paltz Mayor |accessdate=2016-01-05 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=2004-06-11}}
=Involvement in the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords=
As mayor, West took part in the creation of the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords in San Francisco in the Spring of 2005. He is one of 60 mayors from across the world who signed the original accords.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wed2005.org/pdfs/Accords_v5.25.pdf |title=Text of the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords |access-date=2006-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060814171453/http://www.wed2005.org/pdfs/Accords_v5.25.pdf |archive-date=2006-08-14 |url-status=dead }}
A signatory to the United States Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement and the member of the international network Mayors for Peace, West was also a founding member of the Young Elected Officials Network, a nationwide organization of progressive politicians under 35. He also served on its steering committee.
=Defeat in 2007=
West lost his bid for a second four-year term by on May 1, 2007, after a campaign highlighted by an endorsement by Ralph Nader{{cite web |url=http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/NEWS/704240310 |title=Nader supports New Paltz mayor |accessdate=2008-09-29 |author=Jeremiah Horrigan |date=2007-04-27 |work= RecordOnline.com|publisher=Times Herald Record}} with 514 votes for Dungan to West's 379.
=Reelection in 2011=
West was reelected as mayor of New Paltz on May 3, 2011. His salary at the time was $22,500. West requested a $13,000 raise in 2012. The Village of New Paltz Board of Trustees approved the raise. West requested another $13,000 raise in 2013 but instead had his salary returned to the $22,500 level in a revised budget passed 4–0 by the board, with the mayor absent from voting.{{cite web |url=http://dailyfreeman.com/articles/2013/06/30/news/doc51cf825b49ded680132475.txt |title=New Paltz Mayor Jason West's salary at heart of legal debate - DailyFreeman.com |website=dailyfreeman.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703023741/http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2013/06/30/news/doc51cf825b49ded680132475.txt |archive-date=2013-07-03}} In response, West sued the board of trustees. The lawsuit was settled by a $12,000 settlement in February 2015.Horrigan, Jeremiah. "Mayor Jason West, New Paltz Village Board settle salary reduction lawsuit." New Paltz Times. http://www.newpaltzx.com/2015/02/13/mayor-jason-west-new-paltz-village-board-settle-salary-reduction-lawsuit/
=Defeat in 2015=
West was defeated by former New Paltz school board member Tim Rogers, who garnered 323 votes, while West received 204 votes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailyfreeman.com/article/DF/20150506/NEWS/150509772|title = News about area groups: Feb. 9, 2014|date = 8 February 2014}} West stated that he was considering the possibility of returning to school for a teaching degree while remaining active in village affairs,{{Cite web|url=http://www.newpaltzx.com/2015/06/04/jason-west-sally-rhoads-ariana-basco-get-fond-sendoff-at-their-last-new-paltz-village-board-meeting/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605030810/http://www.newpaltzx.com/2015/06/04/jason-west-sally-rhoads-ariana-basco-get-fond-sendoff-at-their-last-new-paltz-village-board-meeting/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 5, 2015|title = Jason West, Sally Rhoads, Ariana Basco get fond sendoff at their last New Paltz Village Board meeting - Hudson Valley One|date = 4 June 2015}} and then went about pursuing a Master of Science degree at Bard College.{{cite web| url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmatthewwest | title=Jason West| website=linkedin.com| url-access=registration}} {{Self-published source|date=June 2022}}
Writings
- Dare to Hope: Saving American Democracy 2005, {{ISBN|1-4013-5238-3}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sPOcb2Mlek Jason West Green Party 2004 Convention] video also includes Scott McClarty
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW4KhtRLngI speaking at the Hunter College chapter of the Roosevelt Institution] February 22, 2008
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Jason}}
Category:Mayors of places in New York (state)
Category:People from New Paltz, New York
Category:New York (state) Greens
Category:State University of New York at New Paltz alumni
Category:People from Latham, New York
Category:Activists from New York (state)