Northeast Ohio Cost of Government Database
Below are links to a database detailing what the hundreds of governmental units throughout the 16 counties of Northeast Ohio collect in taxes and spend on services. The database and research were funded by the Samuel H. and Maria Miller Foundation, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce, The George Gund Foundation and the Fund for Our Economic Future.
The Center for Governmental Research (CGR) in Rochester, N.Y., which was asked to assess the cost of government in the Northeast Ohio region, developed the database. CGR also incorporated information in the database that makes it possible to compare local costs with government expenditures in five other regions of the United States.
Joe Roman, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, said, "This cost comparison should serve as a wakeup call for the citizens and governments of Cuyahoga County and be a catalyst for an immediate self-examination of how these costs are impacting our economic competitiveness. Even as our population has shrunk, government spending has escalated. Recognizing that many areas of our community have higher service needs, local government spending patterns could be stifling the regional economy. Our community must work quickly to understand the implications of the study's data, including the spending by the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County for services and amenities that are regional in scope. With a deeper understanding of the data, we then can act thoughtfully to address the high cost of local government."
Additional data tables on Northeast Ohio Government Spending produced by CGR are available online.
Read the press release.
Executive Summaries
Census of Governments Data
NCES School Information Data