John M. Coyne

John M. Coyne
Mayor of Brooklyn, Ohio
In office
1948–1999
Treasurer of Brooklyn, Ohio
In office
1944–1946
Personal details
Born(1916-11-11)November 11, 1916
Brooklyn, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 21, 2014(2014-07-21) (aged 97)
Brooklyn, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic Party
SpouseRuth Coyne (deceased)

John M. Coyne Sr. (November 11, 1916 – July 21, 2014) was the mayor of Brooklyn, Ohio from 1948 to 1999. Coyne held the record for the longest consecutive term of any mayor in United States at the time he left office. Coyne continued to reside in the city. He was reportedly responsible for the country's first seat belt (in 1966)[1] and mobile phone laws for motorists,[2] bringing notoriety to Brooklyn. In Brooklyn, police stopped 150 cars the first six months of the ordinance, letting drivers off with warnings. After that, minimal fines were imposed, with Coyne quoted as saying, "...because the worst thing you can do is give the impression that you're socking them for taxation."[2]

Coyne died in Brooklyn, Ohio from natural causes, aged 97.[3]

  1. ^ "Cleveland suburb on the right track with a ban on cell phone use in car - Atlanta Business Chronicle". Atlanta.bizjournals.com. 1999-10-18. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  2. ^ a b agency Associated Press (1999-03-30). "Phoning While Driving Is Curbed in Ohio Town". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  3. ^ "John M. Coyne, Sr., Brooklyn mayor for 52 years: Obituary". Cleveland.com. Retrieved July 22, 2014.