Press Releases

Columbus, OH — A bipartisan group of mayors is urging Congress to get back to the negotiating table and pass a coronavirus relief package that includes additional support for local governments. In a direct appeal to Congress, the Ohio Mayors Alliance released a video campaign from Republican and Democratic mayors in large and mid-sized communities across Ohio.

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate rejected a “skinny” version of a federal relief package, while Congressional negotiations between the U.S. House, Senate, and White House have been stalled since August. The Ohio Mayors Alliance and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have been urging Congress to find common ground on a coronavirus relief package that includes direct emergency fiscal assistance to cities.

In the 11 video clips below, mayors outline how the coronavirus has impacted their local economies and the challenges their communities face as local law enforcement and public safety personnel respond to this crisis. Those included are: Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, Lancaster Mayor David Scheffler, Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, Lima Mayor David Berger, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, and Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland.

We need resources. Almost six months into the coronavirus crisis, the City of Toledo still hasn’t received a single penny in flexible revenue replacement aid, said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, who was joined by Police Chief George Kral and Fire Chief Brian Byrd.

We need your help to make sure our communities come out stronger on the other side of this pandemic. We’re going to do that by working together; by making sure that the dollars you’ve provided get to our local governments so we can meet the needs here, right at home.

We need action now for federal stimulus. Without this help, Dayton’s budget will see dramatic cuts.

Our revenues are down across the board, and our safety forces are suffering as a result.

We’re looking for Congress to help us support our city and rebuilding the city from this pandemic, and we need flexible resources in order to do that.

Budget crises are effecting your personal life but also your government. This is a once in one hundred years event.

We are desperate at a local level to be able to use the funds that have been provided so that we can avoid involuntary layoffs, the shrinking of city services, and frankly the collapse of a number of initiatives in our community.

The city has already taken a $41 million hit to our budget. This is on top of the necessary increase in spending for public health, public safety, and technology to fight the pandemic.

COVID-19 is not a partisan issue. It’s a nonpartisan issue… It’s a people issue… Put the people first and get cities like Youngstown revenue replacement.

This … is about the oath that we all take to make sure we protect our residents and do the best we can to serve.

One such mechanism to provide this needed flexibility would be Representative Warren Davidson’s bill, H.R. 7094, as Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland urges Congress to pass.