Are you moving or visiting the city of Cleveland, Ohio, and want to know if it’s a conservative city? Well, you’ve come to the right place, as we have gathered information about the city when it comes to politics.
Cleveland, Ohio is a conservative city because of the predominantly Republican state government, the efforts to lower tax rates for its residents, the new flexible gun laws, and the religious area. Ohio’s Republican history encourages conservative ideals in the state.
Cleveland, Ohio is a great state and has some very conservative views. We’ve done the research and know all about Cleveland’s politics. If you want to know more about Cleveland’s political habits and trends, keep reading.
Tax Laws in Cleveland
Ohio is currently in the process of revising its tax rates and laws
. Some of the recent changes indicated an adjustment in the graduated system. However, the state government leaders have been discussing and entertaining the idea of doing away with income tax. While there is nothing actively planned to minimize income tax until it’s completely finished, there has been small talk about the idea.
Outside of income tax, Cleveland, Ohio has a combined tax rate of 8%. This is broken down into 5.75% state tax, 2.25% tax for Cuyahoga County, and 0% for the city of Cleveland.
The efforts put towards minimizing tax rate is a very conservative perspective. An example of this is seen in the current Ohio government because it has members of the Republican party that are looking to eliminate income tax in the city.
State and Local Government in Cleveland
Local Government
Justin M. Bibb is the current mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Since January 2022, Mayor Bibb has worked tirelessly to improve the city of Cleveland. Being the first millennial mayor of the city, Mayor Bibb has a vision and the drive to push Cleveland to new heights. Justin Bibb grew up on the west side of Columbus before making his way up to Cleveland.
Mayor Bibb has served in politics and served the city for over 15 years prior to becoming mayor. After working under Barack Obama during his time as Senator, Justin Bibb had a fire sparked inside him and has been serving the city ever since.
Since being elected, Mayor Bibb has made it clear that his efforts will focus on public safety, neighborhood revitalization, and the modernization of city hall. Mayor Bibb feels these changes will help to transform Cleveland into a national model for city management.
State Government
Governor Mike DeWine has been the governor of Ohio since 2019. Since being in office, DeWine has made it his duty to create an Ohio that accepts and works for everyone. With family as one of his core values, DeWine has kept family at the forefront of his mind as he has made efforts to improve the public school systems and create an economy that thrives, as well as an environment of compassion and acceptance.
After learning hard work during his entire childhood, Governor DeWine is willing to do whatever he can to create that Ohio that its residents deserve.
In addition to the offices of mayor and governor in Cleveland, Ohio has been given a Senate and House of Representatives to help run the state. The Ohio House of Representatives is allotted 99 individuals. Ohio’s House of Representatives is broken down into 64 members of the Republican party, and 35 members of the Democratic party.
The current Speaker of the House is Bob Cupp of the Republican Party with Majority Leader Bill Seitz (R), and Minority Leader Allison Russo (D). The Ohio State Senate has one individual. The current member of the Ohio Senate is Rob Portmann of the Republican party. Portmann has been in the Senate since 2011 and does not plan to run in the upcoming election of 2022.
Gun Laws in Cleveland
Ohio has been deemed a permitless/shall-issue state. This label means that individuals do not need a permit in order to carry a firearm, but officials are able to authorize permits on a “shall issue” basis as long as requirements are met. This is a common standard policy procedure; however, Ohio has taken further efforts to ensure its firearm policies are up-to-date and straightforward
In June of 2022, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released a statement that changed and clarified Ohio’s firearm policies. The new policy stated that openly and concealed carrying of weapons is now open for any individual without a permit. Further clarifications were made including individuals 21 years of age or older stating that they do not need a permit to carry a firearm.
Despite not requiring licensure in order to carry, the new policy states that individuals must be 18 years of age or older. Additionally, this new policy does not open carrying to any spaces. There are still strict areas that prohibit the carrying of any firearms openly or concealed without a permit. Examples of this are school zones, government buildings, places of worship, universities, and airports.
However, while there are still strict requirements for carrying a weapon, there are still options for individuals to obtain a permit. Permits are given on the county level by the sheriff’s department. The permit allows individuals more flexibility as to where they can carry their firearms as well as reciprocity allowances.
In Ohio, individuals can obtain a Concealed Handgun License (CHL). This requires individuals to produce a competency certificate. This is obtained by completing a firearms safety and training course to ensure the individual has the proper knowledge and handling skills prior to obtaining a permit.
Religion in Cleveland, Ohio
Religion across the country looks very different depending on which state you are in. It’s no secret that the southern states are filled with religious, God-fearing individuals and that the further north you get, religion becomes less and less of a priority. Ohio is northern, yes, but it still has that religious influence coming from its southern borders near Kentucky. Religion has a way of unifying communities and creating more purpose and meaning in life.
Finding a religious community creates an opportunity to surround yourself with individuals that have similar values and standards to you. With Ohio not playing a huge role in the north, but also not part of the south, it has a religious population of just over 44%.
However, Cleveland, despite being one of Ohio’s furthest northern cities, has a higher religious percentage than that of the state. Cleveland, Ohio has a religious population of over 52%. Even though the population is small, most religious individuals find themselves turning towards more conservative politics because of the more traditional and family-focused nature.
Catholic Church
Within the population of those that are religious, especially in the northern states, catholicism is extremely popular. Stemming from the early immigrants that came from England, Catholicism was brought to our country and spread rapidly across the states.
Catholicism has strong teachings that center on Christ and his teachings as well as his sacrifice for mankind. They also believe that we are held accountable for our actions after this life and it is our responsibility to make sure things are well between us and God before we pass. The Catholic church has over 20 churches in the Cleveland area and provides worship services every Sunday to help individuals come closer to God and his eternal teachings. Catholicism makes up over 29% of the religious population in Cleveland.
Baptist Church
The Baptist church is the second most popular religion in Cleveland, Ohio, making up for over 4% of the remaining religious population. The Baptist church finds most of its popularity in the southern states. Because it is the second most popular in Ohio demonstrates the southern influence that comes up from the south.
The Baptist religion’s doctrine centers around salvation and how we can achieve eternal life. It also focuses on God and his love for them. The Baptist chapels are found all across Ohio, and each meeting house has church services every Sunday and provides songs, prayers, scriptures, and sermons for their members to engage in.
Why Does This Matter?
You may be wondering why the political trends of a city, specifically Cleveland, Ohio, matter to you. Well, if you are planning on moving to or visiting the city of Cleveland, Ohio, it’s essential to know the politics of the city because it may help you make your decision on if you want to go to the city. Some people dislike living in cities that are the complete opposite of their political views, due to the people, laws, and those in office being very different from what they believe.
So, if you want to visit or live in the city of Cleveland, consider the fact that most people will be conservative, meaning that the mayor and laws will most likely lean towards being more conservative rather than liberal.
The political habits and trends of a city can make or break your happiness in living or visiting that specific city. Now that you know that Cleveland is mostly conservative, you know whether or not you will agree with most of the residents of the city when it comes to politics.
