Toledo creates Mayor’s Office on Disability

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz wants the city to be the most disability-friendly city in the nation, and he took another step towards that goal on Wednesday.

Kapszukiewicz created the Mayor’s Office on Disability, the first of its kind in Ohio. Toledo joins Chicago, San Francisco, Baltimore, Houston, Austin, Philadelphia, and Tampa as cities with such offices.

“This goes beyond Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Mayor Kapszukiewicz said. “This sets up Toledo to send the message to all residents and visitors with a disability that we are a disability-friendly community. This is a city where you belong, you can thrive, you can live independently, and everything we have is open and available to you.”

Kapszukiewicz was joined by Angie Goodnight, chairperson of the Toledo-Lucas County Commission on Disabilities, and Katie Hunt Thomas, disability rights attorney and director of advocacy at The Ability Center, during a press conference. He said the new office will have influence in every area of city operations.

“The Ability Center of Greater Toledo has been honored to be part of this effort and to work collaboratively with the City of Toledo and our other partner disability agencies to ensure that Toledo is the most disability-friendly community in the country,” Hunt Thomas said.

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