Mayor Kapszukiewicz Unveils Third Term Strategic Plan, Sets 300,000 Resident Goal for 2045

Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz delivered his annual State of the City address tonight at 1400 N. Summit Street, a working industrial building on the riverfront slated for demolition and redevelopment. The address, themed around the people choosing Toledo, centered on a singular North Star goal: growing Toledo's population to 300,000 residents by 2045 — the year the city will host the U.S. Open at Inverness Club.

The address opened with remarks from Kid Mayor Jamie Howard, a 10-year-old student at Ella P. Stewart Academy, who noted she will be 29 years old when the U.S. Open comes to Toledo in 2045. Councilwoman Erin Kramer also offered remarks before introducing the Mayor, connecting the themes of growth, safety, and opportunity to her own work recruiting students to build their futures in northwest Ohio.

"The U.S. Open didn't choose Dallas or Atlanta or Denver or Washington, D.C.," Mayor Kapszukiewicz said. "It chose Toledo. What will Toledo look like when they arrive? That is the question we are answering tonight."

Where We Are Now: Toledo's Successes

The Mayor pointed to Toledo's rare combination of midsize affordability and world-class amenities — including the Toledo Zoo, the Toledo Museum of Art, Metroparks Toledo, and Inverness Club — as proof that the city competes at the highest level. He also highlighted the American Numismatic Association's decision to relocate its national headquarters to Toledo from Manhattan as a signal of growing national recognition.

On economic development, Toledo has received the Site Selection Magazine award for business investment in 9 of the last 12 years. Recent wins include:

• Overland Industrial Park (former Willys Overland Jeep Plant): +2,620 jobs
• Cleveland Cliffs (former Gulf Oil Refinery): +212 jobs
• Stellantis Vehicle Customization Facility (former Textileather & Medcorp sites): +300 jobs
• Amazon (former Southwyck Mall): +410 jobs
• Toledo Trade Center (former Northtowne Mall): +185 jobs
• Westgate North redevelopment: $75 million investment
• Owens Corning downtown headquarters: $250 million investment
• Jeep plant new vehicle investment: $400 million

On public safety, homicides and overall crime have declined every year since 2021. On infrastructure, residential road repairs have increased significantly since the passage of the quarter-percent roads levy in 2020, and 70 city parks — 55% of all parks — have been improved since 2018. The City also received the Audrey Nelson Community Development Award for the Wayman Palmer YMCA in 2025.

Fiscally, Toledo has received back-to-back bond rating upgrades, earning the city its highest rating since 1967 — and has grown its rainy day fund from $4.2 million in 2015 to $60 million in 2025.

"All of this is why Toledo keeps earning rankings as a top housing market, an affordable family vacation destination, and one of the best places in the country to retire," the Mayor said.

Where We Are Now: Toledo's Challenges

Despite strong fiscal management, the Mayor was direct about the City's budget pressures. Toledo faces a $49.4 million structural deficit — driven primarily by two forces: a 30% population loss over the last 50 years and decades of declining federal and state support.

Since 2022, Toledo has been awarded $160.6 million in federal funding, but $28.5 million has already been rescinded and an additional $20 million is currently at risk. State government funding to Toledo has been cut by $288 million over 18 years, a financial loss the Mayor compared to closing the Jeep plant every single year.

"This year, we cut $6 million from our budget proposal. Council cut another $3 million. And we still face a deficit nearly five times that size," the Mayor said. "We cannot cut our way out of this deficit without eliminating hundreds of police and fire jobs."

The Mayor outlined that new revenue sources must be part of the conversation, and noted that Toledo is the only city among Ohio's 253 municipalities that does not supplement its income tax with a voted property tax, hotel/motel tax, or entertainment fee. Ultimately, he emphasized the need for the city to grow.

Introducing the Strategic Plan

The Mayor unveiled the City's new strategic plan, outlining how the City will tackle the work of growing Toledo to 300,000 residents. The plan is built around five priorities:

1. Build Safe, Vibrant, and Connected Neighborhoods
2. Promote Economic Growth and Inclusive Opportunity
3. Deliver Exceptional City Services and Modernize Infrastructure
4. Secure Toledo's Financial Future
5. Cultivate a Thriving Workforce

The plan is designed to guide City operations, investments, and partnerships through the end of the Mayor's third and final term.

The 1400 N. Summit Site: The Plan in Action

The 1400 N. Summit site will be cleared and prepared for future development through the newly formed Toledo Community Improvement Corporation's (TCIC) Shovel Ready Sites Fund — a tool that can be deployed for economic development or housing. The site sits along the Vistula portion of the Glass City Riverwalk and its redevelopment is an initiative within the strategic plan.

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