Toledo

General Overview
Toledo is a major metropolitan area located in Lucas County in northwest Ohio with Lake Erie as its eastern border and the state of Michigan to the north. The city is conveniently located next to three of the country's most traveled interstates: I-80, I-90, and I-75, making it a center of the trucking industry.

Toledo Express Airport serves the area and is the 15th busiest cargo airport in the nation. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority provides cargo facilities for ships using the Port of Toledo at the mouth of the Maumee River. The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority provides mass transit bus service to the city and surrounding areas. Spanning the Maumee River is the $250 million Veterans' Glass City Skyway - the most expensive project in the history of the Ohio Department of Development. Toledo's cost of living is 21.76% lower than the U.S. average.

History
The area was first settled in 1794 by European Americans, who founded Fort Industry. During the War of 1812, many settlers fled the area. In 1820 settlers from Cincinnati joined forces with a river settlement to the north and named the new community Toledo.

On January 15, 1936, the first building to be completely covered in glass was constructed in Toledo. Toledo is known as the Glass City because of its long history of innovation in all aspects of the glass industry: windows, bottles, windshields, construction materials, and glass art, of which the Toledo Museum of Art has a large collection. In addition, Jeep vehicles have been manufactured in Toledo since 1941.

Government Services
The city of Toledo is governed by a mayor and city council.

Toledo's police department serves the entire metropolitan area and has mounted patrol, special enforcement, vice/narcotics and harbor patrol units.

The Toledo Fire Department has 17 fire stations located throughout the city staffed by over 525 firefighters. In addition to responding to fires, all Toledo firefighters are trained Emergency Medical Technicians with 135 also being certified paramedics.

Tax Rates
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000:
Housing units with mortgages in 2005: $1,389 (1.4%)
Housing units with no mortgage in 2005: $1,247 (1.5%)

Employment
Toledo was once known as "The Auto Parts Capital of the World" with Electric AutoLite, Sheller-Globe Corporation, Champion Spark Plug, Questor, and Dana Corporation all founded in the city. A wide variety of employment opportunities are available in construction, professional scientific and technical services, metal and metal products, health care, hospitality, education and finance.

The following companies are among Toledo's largest employers:
DaimlerChrysler AG
Dana Corporation
General Motors Corp
HCR Manor Care
Libbey Inc.
Medical College of Ohio
Mercy Health Partners
Owens Corning
Owens-Illinois, Inc
ProMedica Health Systems
Toledo City Board of Education
United Parcel Service Inc
University of Toledo

Recreation
Toledo has a variety of parks and recreational areas throughout the metro area. The city offers a comprehensive schedule of organized sport programs (basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, tennis, bocce, shuffleboard, horseshoes, soccer, etc.) youth and adults throughout the calendar year. Bike paths and walking paths abound, as do golf courses and tennis courts. The Ottawa Park Ice Rink at 2200 W. Bancroft at Parkside is an outdoor ice rink facility with an indoor warming facility. The Division of Recreation operates eleven municipal swimming pools for a 10-week summer season as well as public boat launch facilities at Walbridge Park and Cullen Park.

Community Organizations
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, American Legion, Kiwanis, Rotary, Moose Intl, BPO Elks, Boy Scouts of America- Erie Shores Council, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, American Red Cross, Boy Scouts: Erie Shores Council; Girl Scouts: Maumee Valley Council, Area Office on Aging Northwestern Ohio