Perk, Ralph J., 1914-

Cuyahoga County, Ohio auditor, 1963-71, and mayor of Cleveland, 1972-77. Perk, the first Republican mayor since 1941, faced big budget deficits which he covered with existing bond funds and general revenue sharing funds, as well as large federal grants from the Nixon administration. Nevertheless, city sewer and public transit systems had to be regionalized to raise operating capital. A Czech-American, Perk was seen as a national leader on ethnic issues. He retired from politics in 1977 after an unsuccessful campaign against John Glenn for the U.S. Senate in 1974 and a defeat in the 1977 nonpartisan mayoral primary.

From the description of Papers, 1949-1977. (Rhinelander District Library). WorldCat record id: 23013837