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Robert "Bob" W. Cranmer (born 1956, Brentwood, Pennsylvania) is a Pennsylvania businessman and politician, best known as a former Republican County Commissioner of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, from 1996 to 2000.

Contents

Career

Cranmer graduated from Brentwood High School in 1974 and received a bachelor of science degree in secondary education/history from Duquesne University in 1978. After service as a United States Army officer where one of his assignments was as a company commander with the 101st Airborne Division[1], he returned home and was elected to Brentwood Council in 1991. Seeing that the Brentwood-Whitehall Shopping Center was in an advanced state of deterioration (and had fallen into bankruptcy),[2] he initiated a plan to create an economic development corporation to address the commercial needs of the borough. Working with Allegheny County, Kappa Properties, and Giant Eagle this corporation undertook a development plan to demolished and rebuild this primary business district, eventually creating a $32 million development which became known as "Brentwood Towne Square".[3][4] In 1994, he was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Allegheny County and went on to be elected County Commissioner the following year.

As a Commissioner he made several significant changes to county government, reducing county taxes by 20 percent[5], reducing county personnel by 18%[6][7], merging twenty-eight county departments into six[8], creating the position of County Manager[9], an integrated county 911 system[10], and forming a joint city/county economic development organization[11][12][13]. The economic development organization is most notable for the coordination and construction of The Waterfront business/commercial/residential development with Continental Real Estate-Development, on the former site of the United States Steel Homestead Works.[13] Being a member of the first Republican majority in Allegheny County government since the Great Depression, Cranmer subsequently split with his Republican running mate Larry Dunn over major differences concerning the managing of the county government,[14][15] and formed a governing alliance with Democrat commissioner Mike Dawida. He was heralded as a "traitor" to Republicans by commissioner Dunn, who subsequently, (unlike Cranmer), switched parties and became a registered Democrat to run for county controller in 2003.[16]

He led an effort to establish home rule in Allegheny County, which created the position of County Executive and County Council after coming to the conclusion that a new structure of government was needed. He also initiated the creation of the Allegheny County Airport Authority to manage the Pittsburgh International Airport in a more effective, professional manner.[17][18] In 2000, Cranmer was inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution after he traced his lineage back to Noahdiah Cranmer who fought in the Revolutionary War, and served as president of the Pittsburgh chapter for two years.[19] Cranmer's tenure in office had an impact upon the size, structure, and cost of county government. The Post-Gazette summed up his time in office with the following when he announced that he would not seek reelection: "By thinning the field and working toward the day when Republicans have a single alternative to the policies of ill-conceived tax cuts, reactionary thinking and government-as-usual, Commissioner Cranmer has made the ultimate political sacrifice. If that is the mark of a citizen-lawmaker - to be honest, to spurn patronage, to reform the public sector and then get out - this commissioner has been one such leader. Allegheny County could use a few more Bob Cranmers."[5] He was followed in office by Jim Roddey, the first Allegheny County Executive.

Plan B

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates sports teams shared Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 to 2000. After discussions over the Pittsburgh Pirates building a full-time baseball park, a proposal was made to renovate Three Rivers Stadium into a full-time football facility.[20] Though this met with negative reaction from Steelers ownership, the proposal was used as a "fallback position" that would be used if discussions for a new stadium failed.[21] Steelers ownership stated that failing to build a new stadium would hurt the franchise's chances of signing players who might opt to sign with other teams, such as the other four teams in the Steelers division who had all recently built new football-only stadiums.[22]

Originally, a sales tax increase was proposed to fund three projects: Heinz Field, PNC Park, and an expansion of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. After the rejection of this proposal in a referendum, Cranmer, Mike Dawida and Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy developed Plan B.[23].[24] Similarly controversial, the alternative proposal was labeled Scam B by opponents.[25] The Steelers' pledge toward the new stadium was criticized for being too little, even after it was raised from $50 million to $76.5 million.[20][26] Other local government members criticized the $281 million of public money allocated for Plan B.[20][27] The plan also met with criticism and opposition from Fred Baker, a member of the Regional Assets District Board. When Baker made clear his opposition to the plan, Cranmer asked for his resignation.[28] After resigning, Baker ran for a seat on the new County Council in order to continue opposing Cranmer's plans.[29][30]

One member of the Allegheny Regional Asset District board called the use of tax dollars "corporate welfare".[31] The plan, totaling $809 million, was approved by the Allegheny Regional Asset District board on July 9, 1998, with $233 million allotted for Heinz Field.[31][32] Shortly after Plan B was approved, the Steelers and the Pirates signed leases to stay in the city until at least 2031.[25] The total cost of Heinz Field was $281 million, with the Pittsburgh Steelers paying for all costs over the original budgeted amount.[33]

In 1999 Cranmer would not agree to a similar deal with the Pittsburgh Penguin's Hockey Team which guaranteed that a funding plan would be in place by 2002 to build a new hockey arena. He maintained that there would be no money to support such a financial plan without a tax increase and was against committing the future government to such a financial responsibility.[34][35]

2003 arrest

On Sep. 14 2003, police were called to Cranmer's home in Brentwood at 11:30 pm by Cranmer's 14 year old son Charles, where Cranmer was arrested after a dispute with his 19 year old son Robert Cranmer Jr.[36] In an affidavit one arresting officer alleged that his son was "in a state of semiconsciousness to the degree that he could not reply to my questioning", and Cranmer admitted at the time to having punched his son in the face. His son was examined by paramedics and taken to Jefferson Memorial Hospital, and Cranmer was charged with simple assault, arraigned in Night Court by Senior District Justice Leonard Boehm and released on his own recognizance the following morning from the Allegheny County Jail.[36]

Cranmer's wife Lesa and son Charles gave statements to police alleging that Cranmer had assaulted his son, following a dispute over the use of Cranmer's bathroom by his son Robert. Cranmer asserted that his actions were in self-defense, and that his son suffered from bipolar disorder which caused him to become violent.[37]

In November 2003 Cranmer's court hearing on the assault charges were postponed for thirty days by the District Justice hearing the case, after the court was told that Cranmer and his family were undergoing counselling.[38] The charges were later dropped.[39]

Lawsuits

In 1998 former investigator in the county public defender's office Geary M. Conley sued Cranmer, his colleague Larry Dunn and Allegheny County, alleging that Cranmer and Dunn fired him in 1996 for political reasons.[40]

In 2009, it was reported that Cranmer was expected to testify in a lawsuit against the county by former county recreation manager Mike Diehl.[41] The lawsuit claimed that Cranmer fired Diehl for political reasons.[42] In February 2009 Cranmer testified at great length that Diehl was dismissed specifically for his mismanagement, in that county employees were living in county-owned homes at reduced rent rates or without paying any rent at all. (As officially reported by the office of the Allegheny County Controller.) Cranmer ordered that Diehl (a 25 year county employee) and the three employees who were living in the houses be dismissed as a result. Despite Cranmer's testimony that his action was in no way related to Diehl’s political affiliation the jury awarded Diehl $144,000 in compensatory damages for emotional distress, embarrassment, harm to his reputation and humiliation.[43]

Photographer

After leaving office Cranmer set out to record in pictures what he called "the amazingly unique scenery and architecture of Allegheny County." He compiled these photos into a book which he titled "The World through a Pittsburgh lens" in 2009.[44][45]

Preceded by
Tom Foerster
Pete Flaherty
Larry Dunn
County Commissioners		 Mike Dawida
Bob Cranmer
Larry Dunn
County Commissioners
1996–2000		 Succeeded by
Jim Roddey
Chief Executive of Allegheny County

References

  1. ^ "Members". Military.com. http://profile.military.com/member/view.do?memberId=20985173.  
  2. ^ "Plan for Brentwood may boost shopping". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1998-06-08. http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_south/19980608bbrent3.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  3. ^ "Brentwood, county officials show plans for a new shopping center". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-05-15. http://www.postgazette.com/neigh_south/20021231s51square1231p4.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  4. ^ "Brentwood Whitehall Center tenants to move into new complex". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2002-12-31. http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_south/20021231s51square1231p4.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  5. ^ a b "Editorial: Cranmer's exit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-01-07. http://www.post-gazette.com/forum/19990107edcran1.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  6. ^ "County balances budget without tax increase". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1998-12-11. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19981211county5.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  7. ^ "Cranmer, Dawida say county solvent; Dunn takes credit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1998-05-12. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19980512bcounty3.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  8. ^ "County redo makes do with less". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-01-07. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19980526breorg5.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  9. ^ "Dawida, Cranmer reclaim power to hire, fire". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-01-07. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19981112hire4.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  10. ^ "911 becoming countywide, but confusion remains". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-01-07. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990320dispatch3.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  11. ^ "Dunn assails Cranmer's economic revampimg". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1997-01-16. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sIMNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=j28DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3232,133207&dq=bob-cranmer+allegheny. Retrieved 1999-07-05.  
  12. ^ "Joint Pittsburgh - Allegheny County development agency serious possibility". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-01-07. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04150/323826-85.stm. Retrieved 1999-07-05.  
  13. ^ a b "Allegheny County Commissioner Bob Cranmer - Introductory Remarks". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-06-15. http://www.postgazette.com/newslinks/19990606cranmer.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  14. ^ "County Coup targets Dunn". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1997-08-14. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D1sNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o28DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5496,9918000&dq=bob-cranmer+allegheny. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  15. ^ "Cranmer, Dunn strengths vary". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-01-07. http://www.post-gazette.com/columnists/19990107brian.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  16. ^ "Former county commissioner enters county controller's race". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2003-02-15. http://www.post-gazette.com/election/20030215dunn404elect2p2.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  17. ^ "Cranmer rips election of Dawida supporters atop airport authority". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-07-30. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990730airport3.asp. Retrieved 1999-11-01.  
  18. ^ "Editorial: Cranmer's county". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1998-09-01. http://www.post-gazette.com/forum/19980901edcran1.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  19. ^ "SAR Members". Sons of the American Revolution. 2009-03-20. http://www.sar.org/hq/memberdatabase.html. Retrieved 2000-07-01.  
  20. ^ a b c Cook, Ron (1998-06-22). "Plan B flawed; option is worse". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/sports_headlines/19980622bcook3.asp. Retrieved 2008-04-05.  
  21. ^ Barnes, Tom (1998-06-18). "Steelers sell bonds to help raise money for new stadium". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19980618bplanb5.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-05.  
  22. ^ Bouchette, Ed (2001-08-24). "Heinz Field: Standing up to the competition". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20010824hsteele0824p2.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-05.  
  23. ^ "Plan B". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/planb/. Retrieved 2008-04-05.  
  24. ^ "Cranmer lays down a sacrifice". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-04-07. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19990407&id=BYgNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4G8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5649,3500981. Retrieved 2008-04-05.  
  25. ^ a b Dvorchak, Robert (1998-06-21). "A TD for Plan B". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19980621bplanb5.asp. Retrieved 2008-04-05.  
  26. ^ Belko, Mark (1998-06-05). "Cranmer still optimistic on Plan B deal". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19980605bcran5.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-05.  
  27. ^ "Team sale would trigger review of public stadium funding". NFL (ESPN.com). 2008-07-16. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3491526. Retrieved 2008-08-05.  
  28. ^ "Editorial: Cranmer's leadership". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1998-06-04. http://www.post-gazette.com/forum/19980604bedrad1.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  29. ^ "Plan B foe runs for council". 1999-03-04. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ioYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3479,1356882. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  30. ^ "Seventh Inning Cranmer’s letter almost breaks the deal". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1998-06-21. http://www.post-gazette.com/newslinks/19990407pncseventh.asp. Retrieved 1999-07-01.  
  31. ^ a b Barnes, Tom; Dvorchak, Robert (1998-07-10). "Plan B approved: Play ball!". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19980710bplanb3.asp. Retrieved 2008-04-05.  
  32. ^ Barnes, Tom (1998-02-11). "Arena won't be part of Plan B". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19980811bplanb5.asp. Retrieved 2008-04-05.  
  33. ^ Dulac, Gerry (2001-0-01). "Revenue from premium seating is the coin of the realm in the NFL". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20010824hluxury0824P1.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-06.  
  34. ^ "Cranmer won't OK deal with Pens". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-08-06. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990806guins2.asp. Retrieved 1999-12-01.  
  35. ^ "Murphy to meet with Cranmer on Penguins deal". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-08-07. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990807ccranmer3.asp. Retrieved 1999-12-01.  
  36. ^ a b "Police accuse Cranmer of attacking son". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2003-09-16. http://www.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030916cranmer0916p5.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  37. ^ "Police stand by report". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. 2009-09-17. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_155390.html. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  38. ^ "Cranmer's assault hearing postponed". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2003-11-26. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sJMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3436,4549821. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  39. ^ "Brentwood Cares -- but about what?". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 2005-04-07. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_328312.html. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  40. ^ "County sued by fired investigator". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1998-01-27. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gIMNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R28DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4694,4022173. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  41. ^ "County sacks 4 in rent dodge workers lived free in park homes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1999-07-02. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990702park2.asp. Retrieved 2000-08-05.  
  42. ^ "Fired county supervisor blames politics". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 2009-02-10. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_610927.html. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  43. ^ "Former recreation manager wins $144,000 in lawsuit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2009-02-09. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09050/950170-53.stm. Retrieved 2009-03-01.  
  44. ^ "Pittsburgh's character shines through camera lens". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 2009-03-09. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/east/s_614229.html. Retrieved 2009-04-06.  
  45. ^ "Worldly inspiration found at home". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2009-03-19. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09078/956637-55.stm. Retrieved 2009-04-06.  

External links

Editorials authored



Bob Cranmer (b. 1956) is a Pennsylvania politician who was previously a County Commissioner of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania from 1995 to 1999, as well as a former Chairman of the Republican Party of Allegheny County. He was one of the final three commissioners of the county as a referendum was passed in 1998 to switch the county to a County Executive / City Council form of government. He is a Republican.

He was born in Pittsburgh and attended Duquesne University. He subsequently served in the United States Army and United States Army Reserve. (The latter was during the Persian Gulf War.)

Elected a county commissioner in 1995 as part of the first "Republican" majority in the county since the Great Depression. In 1997, during his term as a commissioner, he shocked fellow Republicans by voting out Republican Larry Dunn from his position as Chairman of the Commissioners. He sided with Democrat Mike Dawida to oust Dunn from his position due to a serious budget crisis caused by a 20% tax cut in 1996. In exchange, both men agreed to split the chairmanship equally, with each getting one of their remaining two years in office as chairman. (Cranmer would take the first year, Dawida the second.) He was accused of being a traitor to his party by outgoing chairman Dunn. Dunn would later go on to run for the office of county controller as a Democrat.

While stabilizing the county finances, Cranmer and Dawida became a formidable team which redesigned the structure of the county government, (reducing the workforce by over one thousand), formed the county airport authority, and ushered in the new form of govenment which replaced the county commissioners.

They also worked with the mayor of Pittsburgh, (Tom Murphy) in the formulation of a financing plan, (termed "Plan B" by the news media), which involved the construction of a new baseball park for the Pirates, a new football stadium for the Steelers, and a new convention center for the city. Significant commercial development also marked their partnership, highlighted by the "Waterfront" complex in Homestead-Munhall. A county-wide 911 emergency-calling system was implemented by the Cranmer-Dawida team, the landmark "Richardson" county jail was refurbished as a family courts facility, and the former Pittsburgh International Airport terminal was replaced with an air-side business park and a new air-cargo facility.

Bob Cranmer returned to the private sector when his four year term was completed. He ran for mayor in the municipality of Brentwood, Pa. in 2005 (as a Republican) and was soundly defeated.

External links

  • Larry Dunn out in hostile takeover of Allegheny County commission. Pittsburgh Business Times. August 15, 1997.
  • Bio on Pugilese Associates webpage
















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