TOLEDO, Ohio — A group of local business leaders is petitioning for a change to the Toledo city charter on the November ballot to allow mayors a third term in office, matching city council's three-term limit.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz is currently in his second and final term in office.
Supporters of the petition include Sharon Speyer, the former regional president of Huntington National Bank; Bob Savage Sr., co-founder of Maumee-based financial services firm Savage & Associates; and Scott Hayes, Midwest director of government relations and strategic communications for New Jersey-based oil company PBF Energy, according to a press release from public relations firm Strategy by Fischer.
Hayes told WTOL 11 that this item should stand alone on the November ballot if approved. In 2022, the term limit increase was included with multiple other city charter changes but voters rejected it.
The group feels that other Ohio cities have "benefited from the stability" of a mayor holding more than two terms, according the press release sent by group spokesperson B.J. Fischer.
The press release said "many" of the business leaders supporting the effort were listed. The list is below:
- Sharon Speyer
- Bob Savage, Sr
- Pat Trompeter
- Bruce Rumpf
- Andy Langenderfer
- Patrick Kenney
- Nick Eyde
- Joel Beren
- Marty Gallagher
- Scott Haye
- Paul Goldner
- Ambrea Mikolajczyk
- Will Lucas
- Gary Marck
- Chris James
- Lou Tosi
Hayes said the group "is a fan of the current mayor" and wants him to be elected to a third term.
"As someone who does business in Toledo, we want a business-friendly mayor. We want a mayor that is responsible," Hayes told WTOL 11. "If you have somebody that's doing a good job and has started initiatives that we think are productive and good for the city, I think it's appropriate to let them finish the job and I think two terms it's hard to do that."
Kapszukiewicz's administration promoted a charter change in the 2022 ballot item — Issue 21 — that would have allowed the city to use capital funds for projects on unimproved streets, making it possible to do more street work without any additional taxes. Voters rejected Issue 21 by 53%.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been edited to correctly identify Sharon Speyer as the former regional president of Huntington National Bank.