Buck Rinehart

Dana Gillman "Buck" Rinehart (February 24, 1946 – February 18, 2015) was the 50th mayor of Columbus, Ohio, from 1984-1992.

Dana G. Rinehart
50th Mayor of Columbus
In office
January 1, 1984 – January 1, 1992
Preceded byTom Moody
Succeeded byGreg Lashutka
Personal details
Born
Dana Gillman Rinehart

(1946-02-24)February 24, 1946
Parkersburg, West Virginia
DiedFebruary 18, 2015(2015-02-18) (aged 68)
Columbus, Ohio
Political partyRepublican
Alma materOhio State University (B.A.)
Ohio State University (J.D.)
ProfessionAttorney
Nickname(s)Buck

Biography

Rinehart was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia in 1946.[1] Having served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, Rinehart attended The Ohio State University in Columbus, earning a B.A. in Political Science. He later attended Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University, graduating cum laude.

Rinehart began his career as treasurer of Franklin County, Ohio, from 1976-1984. As County Treasurer, he posted a sign at the county building listing the names of real-estate tax scofflaws, the "Dirty Dozen".[2]

After mounting a failed 1982 campaign for governor, Rinehart ran for mayor in 1983, to replace outgoing Republican mayor, Tom Moody (1972–1984). Rinehart narrowly won the election to become the 50th mayor of Columbus. He won re-election in 1987.

His term of mayor was characterized by an intense effort to distance Columbus, Ohio from its cowtown reputation (New World Center, 1986; convention center/arena complex, 1987; acquiring St. Louis Cardinals NFL football team, 1988).

In an April 2, 2013 article, the Columbus Dispatch described Rinehart's eight years as the city's mayor as "tumultuous."[3] "No idea was too big, no plan too outrageous for Rinehart," the Dispatch reported. "During his administration, the city built a $28 million Downtown safety building, the Franklin County Solid Waste Authority was established, I-670 from Downtown to Port Columbus was completed, City Center mall was planned and built (and is now a downtown park), redevelopment of the Short North and Brewery District got under way, the Martin Luther King Center was developed, and retail and residential growth began at Easton." Rinehart's leadership lead to the annexation of the Polaris area and the successful development of Southern Delaware County.

However, the Dispatch also said that Rinehart made "glaring mistakes." One example cited by the Dispatch was Rinehart taking "a wrecking ball to what was then the 120-year-old facade of the old Ohio Penitentiary on Spring Street, only to learn later that the city didn’t have permission for demolition.

After leaving office, Rinehart returned to practicing law at Rinehart, Rishel & Cuckler, Ltd, where his clients included powerful business interests. For example, a July 4, 2011 Cleveland.com article reported that Rinehart lobbied for the Ohio Independent Automobile Dealers Association.[4]

He died from pancreatic cancer on February 18, 2015.[5]

References
  1. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/02/18/Buck_Rinehart_Obituary.html
  2. "Shameful Tactic - Tennessee's Law to Humiliate Drunken Drivers Might Prove Ineffective". The Columbus Dispatch. The Dispatch Printing Company. January 10, 2006. p. Editorial, 6A. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  3. Johnson, Alan (April 22, 2013). "Former Mayor Rinehart Battling Cancer With His Trademark Energy". The Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Ohio: The Dispatch Printing Company. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  4. Naymik, Mark (July 4, 2011). "New Lobbyists In Ohio Have Strong Republican Ties". Cleveland.com. Plain Dealer Publishing Company. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  5. AP (18 February 2015). "Former Columbus mayor dies at 68". Chillicothe Gazette.
Political offices
Preceded by
Tom Moody		 Mayor of Columbus, Ohio
1984-1992		 Succeeded by
Greg Lashutka
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