John Cranley
Encyclopedia
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the city council of Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
and a partner of City Lights Development. John is a Harvard law school graduate and co-founder of the Ohio Innocence Project at the University of Cincinnati College of Law
University of Cincinnati College of Law
The University of Cincinnati College of Law is the fourth oldest continually running law school in the United States and a founding member of the Association of American Law Schools. It was started in 1833 as the Cincinnati Law School...
.
Cincinnati City Council
Cranley served on city council from 2000 to 2009. As chairman of the Finance Committee since 2001, John has led the city to a balanced and bipartisan budget every year while reducing property taxes and increasing Cincinnati's police force. In 2003 Cranley led the push to create Tax Increment Finance districts in Cincinnati which have spurred economic development in the city since their initiation. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2003/04/07/story3.html?page=1 John also serves on the following committees: Arts, Culture, Tourism & Marketing; Economic Development; Law and Public Safety; and the Transportation & Infrastructure sub-committee.During his time on the city council, the body has:
-increase the size of the Cincinnati police force.http://citybeat.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/at-least-it%E2%80%99s-official-crime-is-priority/
-pass an $8.70 living wage for city employeeshttp://cincyweb.cincinnati-oh.gov/cmgr/pages/-13316-/
-expansion of the city's hate crime ordinance http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/01/24/loc_hatecrimes24.html
-hold landlords of vacant properties accountable through the Vacated Building Maintenance License program http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/03/13/daily48.html
-implementing property tax rollback http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/10/21/loc_taxes21.html
-establish Cincinnati's Office of Environmental Quality http://city-egov.cincinnati-oh.gov/Webtop/ws/council/public/documents/Record;jsessionid=3A6C0AC8D7099B6CD8FFB29CB6E4F389?rpp=10&upp=0&m=31342&order=CALENDAR_DATE
-impose stricter penalties for littering http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/09/19/loc_councilman_proposes.html
-expand the city's Human Rights Ordinance to protect individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation and transgender status http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/03/13/daily40.html
John is currently working to provide affordable health care for the residents of Cincinnati through his CincyCare proposal. http://citybeat.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A142227
Cranley resigned from City Council in January 2009. Greg Harris
Greg Harris (Ohio)
Greg Harris was an American politician of the Democratic party and was a member of Cincinnati City Council. He lost the November 2009 election to keep his seat on Council.- 2004 Congressional race :...
was appointed to the open seat.
City Lights Development
As a partner at City Lights Development, John is working to restore the historic Incline District of East Price Hill. http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=13ba4ede-06be-4dcd-abf9-085abba6bfb9 City Lights is developing a $50 million project which consists of condominiums, health care facilities, restaurants, and a banquet hall. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/NEWS01/302220091/1056/COL02 City Lights has already purchased Queens Tower Apartments and converted them to upscale condominiums and purchased and renovated homes in the district to spur other residential renovation. http://queenstower.net/Ohio Innocence Project
In addition to his work on city council, Cranley co-founded the Ohio Innocence Project at the University of Cincinnati College of LawUniversity of Cincinnati College of Law
The University of Cincinnati College of Law is the fourth oldest continually running law school in the United States and a founding member of the Association of American Law Schools. It was started in 1833 as the Cincinnati Law School...
, where he served as administrative director from 2002-2006. The Ohio Innocence Project has thus far exonerated two innocent men. http://www.law.uc.edu/current/rij060214/index.html Cranley's argument before Ohio's 5th Appellate District Court led to the reversal of Christopher Lee Bennett's conviction of aggravated vehicular homicide. Bennett had already served four years of a nine year sentence before Cranley and the University of Cincinnati's Innocence Project were able to use DNA to help overturn his conviction. http://www.uc.edu/news/NR.asp?id=3549
Education
John earned his juris doctorate from Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
and a masters degree in Theological Studies from the Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
. John taught two undergraduate legal and philosophy courses at Harvard College while attending graduate school. During John's second and third years at Harvard Law School, he worked as a student attorney for people who could not afford legal counsel. In his third year of law school, he was elected First Class Marshal and delivered the Harvard Law School graduation speech on behalf of his class.
John arrived at Harvard from John Carroll University
John Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
where he graduated magna cum laude in Philosophy and Political Science and served twice as student body president. As a Junior, he was awarded the prestigious Truman Scholarship
Truman Scholarship
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is a highly competitive federal scholarship granted to U.S. college juniors for demonstrated leadership potential and a commitment to public service. The scholarship is in the amount of $30,000 toward a graduate education...
-- a national award granted to 65 college juniors each year who share a commitment to public service, leadership and academics.
Background
Cranley was born in Green Township, OhioGreen Township, Hamilton County, Ohio
Green Township is one of the twelve townships of Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 55,660 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the west central part of the county, it borders the following townships and city:...
, and grew up in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Price Hill. He attended St. Williams School and graduated from St. Xavier High School in 1992. John's long term commitment to public service emerged while at St. Xavier. John served as a tutor in Winton Place Schools, as a big buddy at the Espy Boys Club in Lower Price Hill, as a volunteer at St. John's Social Services Center in Over-the-Rhine, and as a participant on a summer mission trip with Jesuit priests to the Dominican Republic. Upon graduating from St. Xavier High School, he was awarded the Jesuit Secondary Education Association Award for demonstrating the ideals of leadership and service.
Congressional Campaigns
In 2000 and 2006, Cranley made very strong showings in Ohio's 1st congressional districtOhio's 1st congressional district
Ohio's 1st congressional district is currently represented by Republican Steve Chabot. This district includes parts of Cincinnati, and borders both Kentucky and Indiana.-Cities:Cincinnati Cheviot Deer Park Forest Park Harrison Mount Healthy...
by capturing 45% of the vote in 2000 and 48% of the vote in 2006.