# Al Libous

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{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name        = Al Libous
| image       =
| caption     = 
| office      = Mayor of [Binghamton, New York](/source/Binghamton%2C_New_York)
| term_start  = 1969
| term_end    = 1981
| predecessor = [Joseph Esworthy](/source/Joseph_Esworthy)
| successor   = [Juanita Crabb](/source/Juanita_Crabb)
| birth_name  = 
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1928|9|24}}
| birth_place = 
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2016|6|30|1928|9|24}}
| death_place = 
| party       = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))
| other_party = 
| partner     = 
| spouse      = Debra Libous
| children    = 
| profession  = 
| alma_mater  =  
}}

'''Alfred J. "Al" Libous''' (September 24, 1928 – June 30, 2016) was an American politician who served as the [Mayor](/source/Mayor) of [Binghamton, New York](/source/Binghamton%2C_New_York) for three consecutive terms from 1969 until 1981.<ref name=psb>{{cite news|first=Jeff |last=Platsky |title=Former Binghamton Mayor Al Libous dies |url=http://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/2016/06/30/former-binghamton-mayor-al-libous-dies/86572176/ |work=[Press & Sun-Bulletin](/source/Press_%26_Sun-Bulletin) |date=2016-06-30 |access-date=2016-07-18}}</ref>

==Biography==
Libous began his political as a Binghamton City Council, representing the city's [North Side](/source/North_Side%2C_Binghamton).<ref name=psb/> He was first elected Mayor of Binghamton in November 1968.<ref name=psb/> He ultimately served three consecutive, four-year terms as Mayor from 1969 until 1981.<ref name=psb/>

Libous greatest challenge as mayor was the decline of the both city's [downtown](/source/downtown) [business district](/source/business_district), as well as the continued loss of population to the suburbs.<ref name=psb/> In particular, the opening of the [Oakdale Mall](/source/Oakdale_Mall) in [Johnson City](/source/Johnson_City%2C_New_York) lured retail stores and consumers away from [Downtown Binghamton](/source/Downtown_Binghamton) during the 1970s and 1980s.<ref name=psb/> In response, Libous tried to persuade a [Canadian](/source/Canada) developer to construct downtown, but the deal fell through after negotiations and several false starts.<ref name=psb/> The failure of the development led to a further decline of downtown businesses.<ref name=psb/> (The present-day MetroCenter now stands on the same site as the proposed development).<ref name=psb/> 
 
Mayor Libous and the city government were also unable to stop Binghamton's demographic decline during the 1970s and 1980s, despite their efforts to revitalize the downtown and lure new business developments.<ref name=psb/> The population of Binghamton had already declined 20% from 81,000 in 1949 to 64,000 residents by the time Libous took office as mayor in 1969.<ref name=psb/> The flight to the suburbs, such as [Chenango](/source/Chenango%2C_New_York) and [Vestal](/source/Vestal%2C_New_York), continued throughout the 1970s, posing huge logistical challenges to the city and the Libous administration.<ref name=psb/> Binghamton's population dropped to 56,000 by the time Libous left office in the early 1980s.<ref name=psb/>

Libous is believed to have been one of the first politicians from the [Southern Tier](/source/Southern_Tier) to host his own [radio show](/source/radio_show). For years, he co-hosted a talk show with his friend and political rival, Walt Fedorich, a Democratic city councilman who represented Binghamton's [First Ward](/source/First_Ward%2C_Binghamton).<ref name=psb/>

In 1974, Libous ran for the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/U.S._House_of_Representatives) from [New York's 27th congressional district](/source/New_York's_27th_congressional_district), which included Binghamton at the time. However, Libous was defeated in the [general election](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections%2C_1974) by [Matt McHugh](/source/Matthew_F._McHugh), a Democrat, in the [1974 general election](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections%2C_1974)<ref name=psb/> McHugh placed first with 83,562 votes, defeating Libous, who garnered 68,273 votes.<ref name=psb/> Libous also made an unsuccessful bid for [County Executive](/source/County_Executive) of [Broome County, New York](/source/Broome_County%2C_New_York), but lost the Republican [primary election](/source/Partisan_primary) to Carl Young.<ref name=psb/>

Libous did not seek re-election in 1981 and retired as Mayor after three terms in office.<ref name=psb/> He was succeeded by Democrat [Juanita Crabb](/source/Juanita_Crabb), who won the mayoral election on November 3, 1981, to become the city's first female mayor.<ref name=upi>{{cite news|title=Binghamton got its first woman mayor  |url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/11/04/Binghamton-got-its-first-woman-mayor-when-Democrat-Juanita/7798373698000/  |work=[United Press International](/source/United_Press_International) |date=1981-11-04 |access-date=2016-07-18}}</ref>

Throughout the rest of his life, Libous was referred to as "Uncle Al" in local political circles, in reference to his nephew, State Sen. [Thomas W. Libous](/source/Thomas_W._Libous), who represented the area in the [New York State Senate](/source/New_York_State_Senate) from 1989 until 2015.<ref name=psb/>

Al Libous died on June 30, 2016, at the age of 88.<ref name=psb/> His nephew, former state Senator [Thomas W. Libous](/source/Thomas_W._Libous) also died on May 3, 2016.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite news|first=Jesse|last=McKinley |title=Thomas Libous, Powerful New York Senator Felled by Scandal, Dies at 63 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/04/nyregion/thomas-libous-powerful-new-york-senator-felled-by-scandal-dies-at-63.html?_r=0 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |date=2016-05-04 |access-date=2016-07-18}}</ref>

==See also==
* [List of mayors of Binghamton, New York](/source/List_of_mayors_of_Binghamton%2C_New_York)

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Libous, Al}}
Category:1928 births
Category:2016 deaths
Category:American mayors of Asian descent
Category:Mayors of Binghamton, New York
Category:New York (state) city council members
Category:New York (state) Republicans
Category:Place of birth missing

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Al Libous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Libous) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Libous?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.