John Stein (mayor)

John Stein, Democrat, was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska from 1987 to 1996.

Early life and career

Of Pennsylvania Dutch background, John Stein was born in 1944.

Watch on Wasilla

As Wasilla grew, the need for a police department for the city became evident. Stein, his wife Karen, Chas St. George, Irl Stambaugh (later to be Chief of Police), Sarah Palin, Palin's father-in-law Jim Palin and his wife Faye started a planning group, Watch on Wasilla, to found a police department. Members Stein, Stambaugh and Palin traded notes on their plans at a step-aerobics class they took together..

Mayor of Wasilla, 1987-1996

Mayoral race of 1996

In 1996, Sarah Palin ran against Stein for the post of mayor as the Republican Party candidate. Irl Stambaugh, who had become Chief of Police for Wasilla, supported Stein in the campaign. Palin campaigned against Stein's policies related to funding public works. Stein's experience was a factual basis for his campaign. His opponent took a different, less objective route in portraying Stein's policy and character during the election. Stein was ironically, considering his previous associations with Palin, categorized as part of an "old boy network". His opponent was categorized as "Wasilla's first Christian mayor" by a local TV station. Stein felt compelled to reply, listing the previous eight Christian mayors, and clarifying that he was in fact Lutheran, despite his Jewish name. "I'm proud of such a reputation but I, my family and forbearers are of the Christian persuasion". The validity of Stein's marriage was publicly challenged by local activists Steve Stoll and Mark Chryson, says Stein; his attempts to prove himself by producing a marriage certificate were berated. "They said, 'Well, you could have forged that'". In 2008, Stein reflected back upon Palin's political allies in the 1996 race, calling them her "liquor cabinet", and noting the prevalence of Wasilla's religious conservatives among them.

Political positions

During the mayoral race of 1996, Stein ran on the platform of increasing services to Wasilla that had defined his past achievements in the city. Pro-choice, he later characterized the issues of abortion and religion as being outside the scope of local government, saying that he had been surprised at their appearance as issues in the 1996 election. Zoning instituted by Stein kept Wasilla a quiet city of 5,000 during his tenure; along with the surrounding Mat-Su Valley towns of Palmer, Big Lake, Willow, Houston, and Talkeetna, Wasilla has grown much in size since then.

Personal life

John Stein's wife, Karen Marie, died of breast cancer in 2005. Stein currently resides in Sitka, Alaska, working as an administrator for a local non-profit.