Guide to the William Peduto Papers, 1985-2013 1985-2013, MSS 1043

Arrangement

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
William Peduto Papers
Creator
Peduto, William, 1964-
Collection Number
MSS 1043
Extent
36.00 linear feet (35 boxes)
Date
1985-2013
Abstract
William "Bill" Peduto (born October 30, 1964) was elected the 60th Mayor of Pittsburgh in 2013. The William Peduto Papers consist of correspondence, memos, meeting minutes, press releases, reports and clippings from Peduto's career as a Pittsburgh City Councilman for District 8 from 2002 to the end of 2013. Also included are records from his time as chief of staff to his predecessor, Councilman Dan Cohen, from 1995 to 2002. The materials document the activities of Peduto and other council members through constituent correspondence, legislative proposals, budget regulation and economic and cultural development projects. Predominant throughout the collection are correspondence, proposals and reports pertaining to neighborhood needs, development projects and community initiatives in Pittsburgh's East End, including Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, Oakland, Point Breeze, Shadyside and Squirrel Hill.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
The guide to this collection was written by Nick Hartley.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

History

William "Bill" Peduto (born October 30, 1964) was elected the 60th Mayor of Pittsburgh in November of 2013. Prior to his inauguration, Peduto served as a member of the Pittsburgh City Council from 2002 to the end of 2013. He previously served as chief of staff to his predecessor in city council, Dan Cohen, from 1995 to 2002.

Peduto graduated from Chartiers Valley High School in Collier Township in 1983. He studied for one year at Carnegie Mellon University before transferring to Penn State University, where he studied political science without completing the degree requirements (he completed his coursework and obtained his degree in 2007). In the early 1990s, he operated a political consulting firm and served in various roles for several Democratic candidates and officials. He served as an intern to U.S. Representative George Gekas in Washington, D.C., and, in 1993, he served as a political director for then-acting Pennsylvania Governor Mark Singel.

In 1995, Peduto joined Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Cohen's office, where he eventually served as chief of staff. In 2001, he was elected to the City Council District 8 seat, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Oakland, Point Breeze, Shadyside and Squirrel Hill. He assumed office in January of 2002 and was subsequently re-elected to two additional terms in 2005 and 2009.

Over the course of a decade on city council, Peduto chaired the Committee on General Services, Technology and the Arts as well as the Finance and Law Committee. He wrote reform legislation to improve the ethics code, created the city's first campaign finance limits, established lobbyist disclosure and lobbyist registration and ended no-bid contracts. In addition, Peduto was the only council member to advocate for Act 47 state protection to address the city's long-term capital, debt and pension needs.

Peduto also served as co-chair of the Green Government Task Force, commissioner of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, and as a board member to numerous arts and community organizations. Peduto's advocacy for the arts and green energy attracted favorable attention, and he was named one of "100 New Democrats to Watch" by the Democratic Leadership Council in 2003 and one of National Journal's "PA Up and Comers" in 2004 and 2006.

Peduto campaigned for mayor three times. In 2005, he ran in the Democratic primary election and lost to Bob O'Connor. He ran again in 2007 following O'Connor's death, but dropped out before the primary. His third mayoral campaign was successful, winning 84% of the vote in the 2013 general election. He was inaugurated as Mayor of Pittsburgh on January 6, 2014.

Scope and Content Notes

The William Peduto Papers are housed in 35 archival boxes and have been arranged into three series: Records from the Office of Councilman William Peduto, Records from the Office of Councilman Dan Cohen, and Oversized Material. The papers are arranged alphabetically by topic or folder title, following their original organization in the offices in which they were collected or created.

The William Peduto Papers consist of correspondence, memos, meeting minutes, press releases, reports and clippings from Peduto's career as City Councilman for District 8 from 2002 to 2014 and from his time as chief of staff to his predecessor, Councilman Dan Cohen, from 1996 to 2002. The materials reflect the various activities and functions of City Council offices through constituent correspondence, legislative proposals, budget regulation and economic and cultural development projects. Predominate throughout the collection are correspondence, proposals and reports pertaining to neighborhood needs, development projects and community initiatives in Pittsburgh's East End, including Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, Oakland, Point Breeze, Shadyside and Squirrel Hill.

Arrangement

The William Peduto Papers have been divided into the following series and subseries:

  1. Series I. Records from the Office of Councilman William Peduto
  2. Subseries 1. Topical Files
  3. Subseries 2. Correspondence
  4. Subseries 3. Clippings
  5. Subseries 4. Reports
  6. Subseries 5. Personal
  7. Series II. Records from the Office of Councilman Dan Cohen
  8. Series III. Oversized Material

Conditions Governing Access

None.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of WIlliam Peduto in 2013 and 2014. Archives accessions #2013.0198 and 2014.0006

Preferred Citation

William Peduto Papers, 1985-2013, MSS 1043, Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Nick Hartley in September 2014.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Pittsburgh Parking Authority.
    • Urban Redevelopment Authority.

    Personal Names

    • Peduto, William, 1964-
    • Cohen, Daniel

    Geographic Names

    • East Liberty (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Garfield (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Bloomfield (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Shadyside (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

    Other Subjects

    • Mayors--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
    • Municipal Government -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
    • Economic development projects--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
    • Municipal officials and employees--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.

Container List