| Mayor of Rochester | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the City of Rochester | |
 Flag of the City of Rochester | |
 | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Term length | Four years; renewable |
| Inaugural holder | Jonathan Child |
| Formation | 1834 |
| Salary | $143,000 (2017) |
| Website | City of Rochester |
The following is the complete list of the mayors of the city of Rochester, New York.
Rochester's city charter defines the mayor as the chief executive of the city, empowered to enforce all local laws and make appointments to all appointed local offices.[1]
When Rochester was incorporated in 1834, the mayor was initially appointed by the city council and had few responsibilities beyond presiding over council meetings. In 1840, the New York state legislature passed a law making the mayors of all incorporated cities elective. Various amendments to the city charter during the 19th century gave the mayor additional powers of appointment.[2] In 1898, the state legislature adopted a uniform charter for all cities, establishing a mayor-council government where the mayor controlled all executive functions and appointments.[3] In 1925, Rochester modified its charter in a referendum to switch to a council-manager government, where the mayor was ceremonial and executive functions were handled by a city manager appointed by the council.[4] A second referendum in 1984 changed the city charter back to a mayor-council government.[5]
- ^ "Article III, Powers and duties of Mayor". Charter of the City of Rochester. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ McKelvey, Blake (January 1964). "Rochester Mayors Before the Civil War" (PDF). Rochester History. 26 (1): 1–8.
- ^ McKelvey, Blake (January 1969). "His Honor, the Mayor of Rochester: 1900-1928" (PDF). Rochester History. 31 (1): 1.
- ^ McKelvey, Blake (January 1969). "His Honor, the Mayor of Rochester: 1900-1928" (PDF). Rochester History. 31 (1): 23–24.
- ^ "STRONG-MAYOR SYSTEM RETURNING IN ROCHESTER". The New York Times. November 11, 1984. p. 47. Retrieved August 8, 2022.