Bibb County, Georgia

The Ohio Mayors Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of city leaders, is urging the state to create a Public Safety Enhancement Fund equal to 10% of local police and fire payroll costs. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb promoted the plan this week as part of a broader set of priorities the group wants Ohio's next governor and General Assembly to address, arguing that state support would help cities recruit, train and retain first responders amid rising personnel costs.

Based on Cleveland's 2026 budget figures, which list combined police and fire salary totals of about $237.6 million, a 10% allocation would translate to roughly $23.8 million for the city. That estimate is illustrative only: the proposal has not been enacted, and officials have not defined exactly what would count as "payroll," so the final formula could yield a smaller amount. Benefits such as health coverage and pensions are budgeted separately and are not included in the calculation. This marks the Alliance's second attempt at tying state aid to local public-safety payroll after a similar 2025 budget proposal was not adopted.