Why Ohio’s Cities Matter
April 15, 2025
Strong Cities for a Stronger Ohio
Ohio’s economic success depends on strong local, regional, and statewide cooperation. Cities are job centers and engines of opportunity, they are hubs for entertainment and innovation, and they are responsible for funding critical frontline services. Read our case for cities below or view a pdf version here.
View PDF →Local Innovation. Statewide Collaboration.
The Ohio Mayors Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of mayors representing Ohio’s 31 largest cities and their 3.2 million residents.
Formed in 2016, the Ohio Mayors Alliance advocates for cities at the Ohio Statehouse, promotes best practice sharing between local leaders, helps connect cities with resources, and emphasizes the importance of bipartisan collaboration.
Cities are Job Centers and Engines of Opportunity
As the economic centers of our metropolitan regions, Ohio cities drive regional growth and strengthen the state economy.
Ohio has 7 of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, which account for 71% of Ohio’s population, 76% of the state’s jobs, and nearly 90% of the state’s GDP. Ohio cities serve as major job centers and are home to many of the 24 Fortune 500 companies located in the Buckeye State.
Cities are Hubs for Entertainment and Innovation
Attracting visitors from all over the world, Ohio’s cities are home to major sports teams, world-famous museums, and thriving entertainment districts. Our cities are also home to 45 different community colleges and universities, world-renowned medical institutions, and state-designated Innovation Hubs.
Cities Fund Critical Frontline Services
Our cities are responsible for funding the essential services that make our communities safe, healthy, and efficient.
Among the various expenditures, public safety is the largest budgetary expense for all Ohio Mayors Alliance cities and most cities across the state.
Cities rely more on local revenue generation and the municipal income tax as the Local Government Fund has been cut in half.
Cities Are Getting Less from the Local Government Fund
Over the past twenty years, the county undivided Local Government Fund (LGF)
distribution, which is divided among all Ohio counties, cities, villages, and townships, has decreased by approximately 30 percent in real numbers. When adjusted for inflation, however, the decrease in total state funding for local governments is 52.4 percent.
Legislative & Policy Priorities for 2025-26
At the Ohio Mayors Alliance, we come together to identify our common concerns, share innovative ideas, and work together to build a stronger Ohio. We hope to collaborate with state leaders in Ohio’s 136th General Assembly on issues of common interest that will help us build a stronger Ohio together and ensure that Ohio’s cities continue to thrive. The Ohio Mayors Alliance has identified the following priorities for 2025-26:
Create a state fund to support public safety and local first responders
Create a new, dedicated state fund to support local public safety and first responders with a focus on improving standards and hiring, retaining, and training talented public safety professionals.
Establish a bipartisan state commission on home rule
Establish a formalized state commission to review legislative issues related to home rule and local control and improve collaboration between state and local governments on issues that impact all Ohioans.
Enact state incentive programs for pro-growth housing policies
Work with state leaders to fund and implement a local and regional pro-growth housing policy that creates more housing for all Ohioans, with resources that make housing more affordable.
Allow local regulatory protections on marijuana and tobacco products
Pursue legislation and agency action to allow for local regulatory and taxing authority over issues that impact local health and economic concerns within municipalities.
Support local communities and promote economic opportunities
Pursue policies that preserve municipal fiscal stability, promote local and regional economic development, and ensure safe and effective infrastructure in Ohio’s cities. These include supporting passenger rail expansion, investing in innovation hubs, brownfield funding, and comprehensive local infrastructure support.
