William A. Johnson Jr. (born August 22, 1942)[1] is an American politician who served as the 64th Mayor of the City of Rochester, New York.
In the Democratic primary, he defeated County Legislator Kevin Murray and former City Councilmember Ruth Scott.
[3] Johnson faced several challenges as mayor, including a declining population, shrinking tax base, rising demand for social services, and a high violent crime rate.
[4] Rochester's fiscal health and credit rating remained strong under his tenure, despite the loss of tax revenue.
[8] The ferry's terminal building in Charlotte, which still stands today, was named after Johnson in 2018,[9] which was seen as an "insult" to his legacy by arch-conservative journalist Bob Lonsberry.
[6] In 2003, Johnson ran unsuccessfully for Monroe County Executive on a platform of fiscal responsibility and regional cooperation and innovation.
Johnson garnered more votes than any previous candidate in New York State on the Working Family Party's ticket.