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Royce A. Sutton
'' Royce (born August 4, 1963) is a Vanderburgh County Councilman in Evansville, Indiana. He was appointed to the Council in July 1992, and he was elected in 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006. He is currently serving a four-year term that began January 1, 2007. He is a member of the Democrat Party.

Biography He was born to William Sutton and Jean Brown in Evansville. Royce graduated from F.J. Reitz High School in 1981 and attended Indiana State University where he received his Bachelor's of Science and Masters of Public Administration degrees. Also, he has received the certified Community Development Lender certification from the American Banker's Association at the University of Oklahoma. Professionally, he has worked at Fifth Third Bank, a $110 billion regional financial institution, since 1994. He is Vice President, Community Development Manager where he oversees Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and fair lending compliance functions and he manages the bank's effort to reach affordable markets with products and community investment opportunities. In addition to several awards for his contributions to the banking industry, he has led Fifth Third Bank to "Outstanding" compliance ratings, created innovative loan products for emerging markets and has been a presenter at national and state conferences on affordable housing, community development and CRA compliance issues.

He is married to Lori, with whom he has four children: Taryn, Quinn, Austin and William.

Political Career

In 1991, Sutton entered politics and ran for an Evansville City Council seat against the incumbent and a well-known former elected official in the primary. He lost by 15 votes to the incumbent. Soon after, this political newcomer was appointed Ward Leader. The following year he was selected by a caucus vote to fill a vacancy on the county's fiscal body, the County Council. When he sought to retain his Council seat in 1992, he won 62% of the primary votes and 65% of the general election votes in his race. Since then he has won no less than 62% of the votes in every council election, including in 2002 when his district was changed to include a large, new share of Republican-based neighborhoods.

His record on the County Council has been consistently praised for sound fiscal management, focused leadership on economic development and visionary development ideas that have enhanced the community. [1][2] With a keen eye for creating public efficiencies, Sutton created the Vanderburgh County Express Property Tax Payment Center so that residents could more quickly receive service when paying their taxes. This program served over 10,000 people in the Fall of 2008. [3]

Sutton, along with a Republican member of the Council, created and obtained funding for the County's first affordable dental clinic for uninsured and low-income residents--without raising taxes. [4] The clinic has served over 2,200 patients since it opened in 2006. [5] Seeing the need to address the issue of costly prescription drugs, in 2007 Sutton convened a committee of local officials that led to the county providing a prescription drug discount program that has saved county residents over $100,000. [6]

Also, he helped create the Initiative Based Assistance Program that has provided over $5 million to working, low-income families with support for daycare, transportation and safety net cost. Over 4,000 children and 2,100 working families have been assisted with this program. He wrote the original proposal for the city's $21 million affordable housing rehabilitation and development program called "Front Door Pride".

He has served on the Mayor's Riverboat Selection Committee and the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. Sutton held the first community-wide forum to discuss the city's $25.4 million downtown baseball stadium proposal where over 200 local residents attended. [7] Sutton assisted the county in obtaining $1.83 million Department of Correction grant for the Community Correction complex. Sutton has authored a resolution to change state laws provide addition affordable housing opportunities.

Community

He is a charter Board member of the Joshua Academy Charter Elementary School, member of the YMCA Board of Directors, Financial Education Committee Co-Chair for the Bank on Evansville community-wide asset development project, and a charter member of the Evansville United Negro College Fund chapter is an Ordained Deacon at the Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church where he serves as Chairman of the Deacon Board. He has led a several ministries and a successful capital campaign.

Due to his success in building community coalitions and his understanding of finance is often what political office he may seek next.

References

[1.] "Vanderburgh County Council District 3" (http://www.courierpress.com/news/2006/oct/03/vanderburgh-county-council/). Evansville Courier and Press, (October 2006). Retrieved November 11, 2008.

[2.] "Toyota Reveals Its Hiring Plan"  (http://www.myinky.com/toyota/toy061396.html). (June 13, 1996). Retrieved November 11, 2008.

[3.] "Pay Your Property Taxes the Express Way" (http://www.nbc14.com/Global/story.asp?S=9236512). Evansville Courier and Press, (October 24, 2008). Retrieved November 11, 2008.

[4.] "Dental Clinic Makes Services Affordable" (http://www.courierpress.com/news/2006/jun/23/dental-clinic-makes-services-affordable/). Evansville Courier and Press, (June 23, 2006). Retrieved November 11, 2008.

[5.] "Demand More Than Clinic Can Handle"  (http://www.courierpress.com/news/2007/feb/21/demand-more-than-dental-clinic-can-handle/). Evansville Courier and Press, (February 21, 2007). Retrieved November 11, 2008.

[6.] Vanderburgh Co. Residents Entitled to Rx Drug Discount" (http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=6415470&nav=3w6r).  WFIE Channel 14 News.  (August 13, 2007).  Retrieved November 11, 2008.

[7.] Baseball Stadium Meeting is March 4th" (http://www.courierpress.com/news/2003/feb/25/baseball-stadium-meeting-is-march-4/?printer=1/).  (February 25, 2003).  Retrieved November 11, 2008.