TOLEDO, Ohio — About 100 Toledo city employees will be laid off beginning Jan. 4, 2027, as the city prepares to address a significant budget shortfall.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz confirmed the planned layoffs Thursday, saying the reductions will affect departments throughout city government.
The announcement follows the Nov. 3 defeat of Issue 16, a proposed temporary 0.25 percentage-point income tax increase that would have generated approximately $25 million annually for public safety and neighborhood services.
Voters rejected the measure by a margin of 53% to 47%.
City officials had previously discussed eliminating police and fire positions if the measure failed. Lower-than-expected income tax collections have added to the city’s financial challenges.
The exact number of employees affected in each department has not been announced. The city began notifying affected workers Thursday and Friday.
Other previously discussed budget reductions include canceling police and fire recruitment classes, closing city swimming pools and cutting youth programs and neighborhood services. It remains unclear which additional cuts will be included in the proposed budget.
The mayor’s administration is expected to submit its 2027 budget proposal to Toledo City Council on Monday, Nov. 16. Council will have until March 31 to approve a final budget.
