Ralph Perk
Ralph Perk | |
|---|---|
 Perk in 1973 | |
| 52nd Mayor of Cleveland | |
| In office November 9, 1971 – November 14, 1977 | |
| Preceded by | Carl B. Stokes |
| Succeeded by | Dennis J. Kucinich |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ralph Joseph Perk January 19, 1914 |
| Died | April 21, 1999 (aged 85) Westlake, Ohio, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Children | 7 |
| Occupation | Politician, lawyer |
Ralph J. Perk (January 19, 1914 – April 21, 1999) was an American politician who served as the 52nd mayor of Cleveland from 1972 to 1977. A member of the Republican Party, he was Cleveland's first Republican mayor in approximately 30 years. Before becoming mayor, Perk represented the city's 13th Ward on the Cleveland City Council from 1953 to 1961 and served as auditor of Cuyahoga County from 1962 to 1971.
Perk became mayor during a period of population loss, industrial decline and financial strain in Cleveland. His administration promoted regional government, helped establish the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, transferred the city's sewage-treatment system to a regional district, expanded Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, introduced a citywide emergency ambulance service and participated in the construction of the Cleveland Justice Center. His government also relied heavily on federal grants for public employment, crime prevention, housing and redevelopment.
Perk was reelected twice but was eliminated in Cleveland's 1977 nonpartisan mayoral primary, finishing behind Democrats Dennis Kucinich and Edward F. Feighan. His final years in office were dominated by disputes over the city's finances, public-employee layoffs, a proposed downtown transit system and the future of Cleveland's municipally owned electric utility, commonly known as Muny Light.