Thomas McMahon was the mayor of the city of the American town of Reading from January 5, 2004 to January 2, 2012, having refused to be re-elected for a third term. He is known for his political views, political initiatives and wide popularity among the common people.
Biography
Tom McMahon was born in the small town of Rochester, New York, around 1940. The exact date of his birth is not covered anywhere. After graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in the early sixties, Tom traveled and worked as a teacher in Bangladesh for several years, going there as a volunteer with the Peace Corps.
In 1965, McMahon moved to a town with the curious name of Reading, Pennsylvania, known for its long history, including the military, where Spanish is spoken along with English. Here Tom founded his own engineering firm Entech Engineering, which gave a solid impetus to the development of the city.
Personal life
For a long time, Tom was the most ordinary entrepreneur, struggling to develop his city, providing it with the most advanced technology. During this time, he created a family and his wife gave her always busy husband three daughters: Christina, Rebecca and Anna-Marie.
For Tom, nothing has ever been more important in life than family and work, and in that order. And so, when he decided to run for mayor of Reading, his reputation as an exemplary family man and good business executive left no chance for other candidates.
Political career
For the first time, Tom decided to try himself as an official at the beginning of the two thousandth. He prepared and put forward his candidacy for the post of Mayor of the city in 2004. The elections were held on January 5, and McMahon won unconditionally.
In 2006, Tom expressed vehement opposition to the municipality's attempt to establish English as Reading's official language. McMahon said that many native speakers have spoken Spanish in the city since ancient times, and residents are proud of it.
Also in 2006, Tom joined the Mayors Against Illegal Weapons coalition led by the mayors of New York and Boston. This bipartisan social organization advocates tighter control of the country's weapons, with the mission of removing illegal firearms from the streets of cities, making them safer. He soon became a member of the League of Cities and Municipalities of Pennsylvania, an organization that tackles the state's common urban problems, solving them jointly.
McMahon effectively managed the finances provided by government programs for urban development. He supported homeowners and owners of public buildings seeking to equip their homes with new sewerage, chimney, fire safety systems, and at the same time actively supported the elderly who could not install new equipment in their homes on their own.
Also, by 2007, the mayor widely used Internet technologies, believing that Wi-Fi for residents should be available and free even in the church. Plus, Tom said in his own blog that installing CCTV cameras in public places can help fight crime. In 2008, he was re-elected for a second term.
In addition, Tom McMahon has led several initiatives, including the Anti-Theft Program, rail issues and others; planned the construction of a large creative center in Reading; got into a small financial scandal about "sewer" money - some of his orders regarding the city's budget seemed questionable to the US Department of Justice.
In 2012, the people of Reading wanted to see Tom as their leader again, but his advanced age and the desire to spend a quiet old age with his family did not allow McMahon to continue his vigorous activity. He told the voters that he did not leave at all, remaining in the mayor's office, and would take part in the public life of the city. But he also wants to see the beloved Reading evolve with younger, more energetic executives.
