Thomas J. Murphy, Jr.

For other people of the same name, see Thomas Murphy (disambiguation).

Thomas J. Murphy, Jr.
56th Mayor of Pittsburgh
In office January 3, 1994 – January 3, 2006
Preceded by	Sophie Masloff
Succeeded by	Bob O'Connor
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 20th district
In office January 4, 1983 – December 15, 1993
Preceded by	Stephen Grabowski
Succeeded by	Barbara Burns
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 17th district
In office January 2, 1979 – November 30, 1982
Preceded by	Robert Ravenstahl
Succeeded by	Bob Robbins
Personal details
Born	August 15, 1944 (1944-08-15)
Political party	Democratic
Signature

Thomas J. "Tom" Murphy, Jr. (born August 15, 1944) is a Democratic politician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From January 1994 until January 2006 he served as mayor of Pittsburgh. Murphy is currently the Senior Resident Fellow for Urban Development at the Urban Land Institute.

Early life

The son of a steel worker, Murphy graduated from John Carroll University in Cleveland in 1967 and received a graduate degree from Hunter College in urban studies in 1973. From 1970 to 1972, Murphy and his wife Mona were in the Peace Corps in rural Paraguay, constructing sanitation facilities and an elementary school. After the Peace Corps, Murphy returned to Pittsburgh and became a neighborhood organizer for the North Side before entering local politics.

Early Political Career

Prior to his November 1993 election as mayor, Murphy served as a member of the State House, representing Pittsburgh's North Side 20th Legislative District. In 1989 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic primary nomination for mayor.

As Mayor

Murphy was elected the mayor of Pittsburgh in 1993 and was sworn-in in January 1994.

He is a somewhat controversial figure in Pittsburgh's recent history. As mayor, he initiated a public-partnership strategy that leveraged approximately $4.5 billion in economic development in Pittsburgh. Against overwhelming public opposition, he secured $1 billion (along with Allegheny County Commissioners Bob Cranmer and Mike Dawida) in funding for the development of Heinz Field, PNC Park, and a new convention center that was the largest certified green building in the United States. As mayor, he oversaw the transformation of more than 1,000 acres (4 km²) of blighted, abandoned industrial land into new commercial, residential, retail and public uses. He also lured, using public subsidies, both Lazarus and Lord's & Taylor department stores to the downtown section of the city. Both stores were monumental failures in Pittsburgh, each closing within a few years. In addition, he oversaw the development of more than 25 miles of new riverfront trails and urban green space. Initiatives such as these drove the city to the brink of bankruptcy, resulting in it being declared a "distressed" city by the state. To help recoup some of the city's losses during his tenure, Murphy made the controversial decision in 2003 to lay off a number of city employees, including police officers. Some of these jobs were later saved by dramatically increasing the city's parking tax, making it the largest such tax in the country.

Murphy (center) with Governor Rendell and Lt. Governor Knoll

Murphy's dealings with the Pittsburgh City Firefighters Union also had been questioned. Prior to the 2001 mayoral election, Murphy allegedly signed the firefighters to a new contract worth $10–12 million with a no-layoff clause in exchange for their vote. He would go on to narrowly defeat future mayor Bob O'Connor. In 2004, Murphy announced that he would not run for re-election. In June 2006, Murphy entered into an agreement with Federal government to avoid prosecution.

While being considered a man with big ideas, Murphy's political skills were often questioned as he struggled to work with city council or the state legislature. His impatience in working with the General Assembly likely harmed the city's image in statewide political circles. His declining popularity after the city's budget crisis in 2003 resulted in various citizens pushing for his impeachment, a move that would ultimately prove unsuccessful.

Post-mayoral life

Today, Murphy and his wife live in a self-restored, 150-year-old farmhouse in Pittsburgh where they raised their two daughters Shannon and Molly and son T.J.. Murphy was one of Pennsylvania's presidential electors in 2000, casting his vote in favor of Al Gore.

Electoral history

• 1993 Race for Pittsburgh Mayor
  • Tom Murphy (D), 66%
  • Kathy Matta (R), 14%
• 1997 Race for Pittsburgh Mayor
  • Tom Murphy (D), 77%
  • Harry Frost (R), 21%
• 2001 Race for Pittsburgh Mayor
  • Tom Murphy (D), 74%
  • James Carmine (R), 23%

References

See also: List of Mayors of Pittsburgh

External links

Media related to Thomas J. Murphy, Jr. at Wikimedia Commons

• Rich Lord (2005). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Review of Mayor Murphy's 12 Years in Office. Retrieved December 25, 2005.
• Article about Murphy escaping prosecution for his role in election fraud in the 2001 mayoral race.
• Murphy's biography on the Urban Land Institute website.

Political offices
Preceded by Sophie Masloff	Mayor of Pittsburgh 1994–2006	Succeeded by Bob O'Connor
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Preceded by Stephen Grabowski	Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 20th District 1983–1993	Succeeded by Barbara Burns
Preceded by Robert Ravenstahl	Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 17th District 1979–1982	Succeeded by Bob Robbins