Wade Kapszukiewicz ( ; born October 30, 1972) is an American politician serving as the 64th mayor of Toledo, Ohio. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as treasurer of Lucas County, Ohio. Early life and education Kapszukiewicz was born in San Diego, California, where his father was stationed in the U.S. Navy. After his father's service ended, the family moved back to Toledo. Kapszukiewicz earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science from Marquette University in 1994 and was named the valedictorian of the College of Communication, Journalism, and Performing Arts. He received a master's degree in public policy from the University of Michigan in 1996. Career Early Elected Office Kapszukiewicz served as Lucas County Treasurer from 2005 until 2018. While treasurer, he worked to change state law in 2010 to allow for the creation of county land banks, founded the Lucas County Land Bank, and served as its chairman from 2010 to 2019. He served one term on the Lucas County Board of Education and was later a Toledo city councilman for nearly seven years. He was first elected to City Council in 1999 and then re-elected in 2001 and 2003. When he began his service on Toledo City Council, at age 26, Kapszukiewicz had the distinction of being the youngest person to serve on the legislative body in 25 years. Mayor of Toledo In his first term as mayor, Kapszukiewicz achieved all of his administration’s top goals. He successfully: created a regional water system, ensuring long-term affordable water rates while sharing decision-making authority with suburban partners. increased the size of the police force. restored discipline to the city’s budget, turning a $3 million dollar deficit into a more than $40 million surplus, even in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. improved educational opportunities for Toledo’s youngest residents through the Hope Toledo partnership at no additional cost to taxpayers. improved delivery of city services, such as increasing the number of roads repaired annually by nearly 15-fold. presided over a period of strong economic growth in Toledo, resulting in Site Selection Magazine naming Toledo first in the nation for economic development among mid-sized cities in 2020. launched a monthly "Wednesdays with Wade" public meetings series and corresponding “Wednesdays with Wade” newsletter to encourage greater transparency in city government, reaching more than 60,000 residents weekly. During his second term, Kapszukiewicz's work has focused on investing resources and