Thomas J. Murphy Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas J. Murphy Jr.
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| 57th Mayor of Pittsburgh | |
| In office January 3, 1994 – January 3, 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Sophie Masloff |
| Succeeded by | Bob O'Connor |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 20th district |
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| In office January 4, 1983 – December 15, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Stephen Grabowski |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Burns |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 17th district |
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| In office January 2, 1979 – November 30, 1982 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Ravenstahl |
| Succeeded by | Bob Robbins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 15, 1944 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Signature |  |
Thomas J. Murphy Jr. (born August 15, 1944) is an American former politician. He also works as a city management expert from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He served in the state government from 1979 to 1993. From January 1994 to January 2006, he was the mayor of Pittsburgh.
Murphy also worked as a senior expert on city development at the Urban Land Institute. Today, he helps communities understand how to improve their cities. He gives advice on real estate, using land wisely, and growing the economy. He works with Urban Development Advisors LLC.
Contents
Early Life and Community Work
Thomas Murphy Jr. is the son of a steel worker. He graduated from John Carroll University in Cleveland in 1967. He then earned a degree in urban studies from Hunter College in 1973.
From 1970 to 1972, Murphy and his wife, Mona, worked with the Peace Corps. They were in a rural area of Paraguay. There, they helped build new sanitation systems and an elementary school. After the Peace Corps, the Murphys returned to Pittsburgh. Thomas Murphy became a community organizer in the North Side before entering politics.
Starting in Politics
Murphy served as a state representative. He represented the 17th district from 1979 to 1982. He then represented Pittsburgh's North Side 20th district from 1983 to 1993.
In 1989, he tried to become the Democratic candidate for mayor of Pittsburgh. However, he lost to Sophie Masloff.
In 1991, he and two other state lawmakers pushed for changes at a Pittsburgh industrial group. They wanted more women and minority leaders in the group. They also felt the group should focus more on improving city areas, not just suburban ones.
As Mayor of Pittsburgh
Murphy was elected mayor of Pittsburgh in November 1993. He took office in January 1994. He used his background in urban management to lead the city. He started a plan that brought in about $4.5 billion for city improvements.
He worked with Allegheny County Commissioners Bob Cranmer and Mike Dawida. Together, they secured $1 billion to build Heinz Field, PNC Park, and a new David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The Convention Center became the largest certified "green" building in the U.S. in 2003.
This leadership led to a building boom in Pittsburgh. It was called "Renaissance III." This helped Pittsburgh be chosen to host the 2009 G-20 summit. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper praised this teamwork in 1998. They said it would lead Pittsburgh into a new era.
City Transformations
As mayor, Murphy oversaw big changes to over 1,000 acres (4 square kilometers) of old industrial land. These areas were turned into new places for businesses, homes, shops, and public spaces.
He also helped bring department stores like Lazarus and Lord & Taylor to downtown Pittsburgh. However, both stores closed within ten years.
Murphy also led the creation of over 25 miles of new riverfront trails and urban green space. These big projects, along with state rules that limited how the city could grow or collect taxes, caused the city to face serious money problems.
Facing Financial Challenges
The city was eventually declared "financially distressed" by the state. This happened because the state did not allow Pittsburgh to expand its borders or tax large non-profit groups. To help the city's finances, Murphy had to make some tough choices. In 2003, he made the difficult decision to lay off some city employees, including Pittsburgh Police officers.
Some jobs were saved by greatly increasing the city's parking tax. This tax became the largest in the country. While it was unpopular at first, this parking tax has helped downtown Pittsburgh grow. It also encouraged people to use public transport, bike lanes, and other "green" options. This tax helped the city's money situation for many years. Experts now study Murphy's parking tax as a successful way to manage a city's finances.
In 2004, Murphy announced he would not run for re-election.
Murphy was seen as a leader with big ideas. However, his relationships with the Pittsburgh City Council and state government became difficult later in his time as mayor. His tough choices during the city's money crisis in 2003 led to some citizens trying to remove him from office, but they were not successful.
In 1999, Murphy helped choose winners for the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence. This award recognizes great urban projects.
In 2000, Murphy was one of Pennsylvania's electors. He voted for Al Gore for President.
Mayoral Election Results
- 1993 election
- Tom Murphy (Democrat), 66%
- Kathy Matta (Republican), 14%
- 1997 election
- Tom Murphy (Democrat), 77%
- Harry Frost (Republican), 21%
- 2001 election
- Tom Murphy (Democrat), 74%
- James Carmine (Republican), 23%
After Being Mayor
After leaving City Hall, Murphy and his wife continued to live in their old farmhouse in Pittsburgh's North Side. They raised their two daughters, Shannon and Molly, and their son, T.J., there. He has one grandson, Wyatt Murphy.
From 2006 to 2023, Murphy worked as a Senior Resident Fellow for Urban Development at the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He led many expert panels in places like Singapore, Ireland, Germany, China, and over 50 cities in the United States. Now, Murphy is a leader at Urban Development Advisors LLC. He helps communities understand how to encourage real estate growth and smart land use. He also advises on economic development and keeping communities strong for a long time.
See also
