Preceded by Shari Buck Succeeded by Peggy Pierce Role Mayor of North Las Vegas Preceded by Jon Porter Full Name John Jay Lee Education Rancho High School | Succeeded by Pat Spearman Political party Democratic Party Democratic Party Preceded by Maureen Brower Name John Lee | |
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Born August 20, 1955 (age 68)
South Ruislip Air Station, Middlesex, England, U.K. ( 1955-08-20 ) Office Mayor of North Las Vegas since 2013 Residence North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | ||
John Jay Lee (born August 20, 1955) is an American entrepreneur and politician. He is the current mayor of North Las Vegas, a former member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 1 (2004–2012), and a former member of the Nevada Assembly, representing District 3 (1996–2000).
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Early life
Lee was born on the U.S. Air Force Base in South Ruislip, Middlesex, England where his father was enlisted. At the age of six, he moved to North Las Vegas, in Clark County, Nevada. He attended Lincoln Elementary School, Quannah McCall Elementary School, St. Christopher’s, Marion E. Cahlan Elementary School, Bridger Junior High and Rancho High School. As a boy, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America and earned his Eagle Scout.
Lee's first job was as a dishwasher at the Silver Nugget on Las Vegas Boulevard. In 1975, he started working in the plumbing trade, using the family station wagon as his plumbing truck.
In 1991, Lee started Vegas Plumbing, Inc., a non-union plumbing company which he owns and operates today.
Political career
Lee began his political career by serving on a myriad of city and county boards, including:
Lee was elected to the Nevada Assembly in 1996 and served in the Assembly until 2000. He was elected to the Nevada Senate in 2004, where he served as a member of the Legislative Operations and Elections, and the Energy, Infrastructure, and Transportation committees.
He was also chairman of the Senate Government Affairs Committee, where he worked with city and county officials throughout Nevada to make government more responsive to the needs of residents.
On August 1, 2011, Lee announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress for the 2012 election cycle. This campaign ended less than four months later when he instead announced that he would run for re-election, which he lost to Pat Spearman in the Democratic primary.
North Las Vegas Mayor
On April 2, 2013, Lee was elected Mayor of North Las Vegas defeating incumbent Mayor Shari Buck. Lee assumed office on July 1, 2013. At the time of his election, North Las Vegas was facing large monetary challenges including a deficit of more than $150 million. Because of employee concessions and a strong management team, he was able to balance the budget without tax increases or layoffs in less than a year.
Lee has made the expansion and enhancement of North Las Vegas Libraries and parks two of his biggest priorities. In addition, his administration has streamlined business licensing procedures, attracting new businesses to the City. Lee also initiated an innovative plan to use state tax credits as an incentive to jumpstart development at the Apex Industrial Park, an effort that could eventually result in the creation of 116,000 jobs to the area.
Personal life
Lee met his first girlfriend, Marilyn Ruesch, in high school on a blind date. They married and had their first two children to the family a year apart. Today, they are the parents of seven children and twenty-three grandchildren.
In 2007, Lee was diagnosed with stage IV cancer, which he overcame in 2009.
Lee is an active member of the Boy Scouts of America Executive Board. His commitment to the Boy Scouts began through his affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).