Strongsville has entered 2026 fiscally healthy, with a vibrant business community and new amenities on the way, Mayor Tom Perciak said.
Perciak, delivering his annual state-of-the-city speech before a packed house March 10, said Strongsville welcomed more than 40 new retail businesses last year and maintained an industrial base that includes world headquarters and global companies that "keep Strongsville on the world map."
Some highlights from the speech:
- A new centrally located fire station is under construction on Royalton Road just west of Pearl Road to help reduce response times and provide back-up when multiple calls for service come in at the same time.
- A dog park will be constructed adjacent to Volunteer Park on Lunn Road, with separate off-leash play areas for large and small dogs, a nature hiking trail and amenities like shelters, benches and dog-friendly water fountains.
- The city has retained its Aaa bond rating -- one of only 14 in Ohio and 250 in the United States to do so -- which has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest payments. Having the rating "is like having an 850 credit score," Perciak said.
- Some 22,000 employees work in Strongsville, with 19,300 commuting here from other cities. About 8,600 workers are employed in the four business parks.
- The city continues to spend more than half its operating budget on safety, with 53 percent going to the police and fire departments this year. Another 10 percent goes to parks and recreation.
- A bigger-than-ever celebration is planned for the Fourth of July to mark the nation's 250th birthday.
- Strongsville has make more than $188 million in infrastructure improvements since 2004, with $100 million paid by outside funding.
Perciak also talked about property values and how homeowners would be affected by both an upcoming bond issue on the ballot for new and renovated schools and by a proposed ballot issue to eliminate property taxes.
The mayor noted that Strongsville's property taxes are currently lower than many surrounding communities -- $1.643 per $100,000 of home valuation here, compared to more than $1.7 in Brook Park, Middleburg Heights and Parma; more than $1.8 in Brecksville and over $1.9 in Berea, North Royalton, Parma Heights and Broadview Heights.
If the school district's bond issue is approved, it would increase taxes by $120 a year per $100,000 home value, he said.
And if the proposal to eliminate property taxes statewide should pass, it would be disastrous to both the schools and the city, even though Strongsville receives only 10 percent of property taxes collected.