Ohio & Mahoning Valley - The job of mayor comes with lots of responsibilities. They're the face of their city, not just to the residents and local government, but also to the state and all around the country. Sometimes, advocating for their city requires traveling, which is paid for by taxpayers.

Some mayors travel more than others and some don't travel at all. But they all agree establishing connections helps them advocate funds for their city. 

Every city is different. Different priorities, different needs and different ideas about how to meet those needs. That's why mayors often like to stay in touch to "compare notes." But there's a big difference in how far they're willing to go and how much they're willing to spend to do so.

Lisbon and Canton's mayors don't spend any money on travel.

"Basically I'm the steward for the city financially and I believe we can maintain relationships without wasting taxpayer's money," said William Sherer II, Canton mayor.

Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown said the face to face connection you get when traveling is crucial for the city's success.

"When I send a letter to that department for an organization, where they are seeking state and federal funding. If I already have an established relationship, they know Tito Brown, they know Youngstown Ohio, and they know our needs, they know what our people are like, and they get a sense of the direction that Youngstown is going," said Brown.

21 news looked at five years of travel expenses for Youngstown, Warren, Lisbon, Akron and Canton.

In 2023, Youngstown spent $18,160.92 on travel expenses. That same year, Warren spent $6,452,11.

For context, Akron spent $78,083.66 in 2023.

Warren mayor Doug Franklin agrees with the idea behind travel, but also uses Zoom when possible.

"If I can't travel, I'll always tap into some of the technology that makes some of these seminars and conferences available to me by zoom, but to miss out on that travel would leave a large hole just in the information gap," said Franklin.

Even so, Franklin said he's been able to advocate for funds involving environmental issues, like grants for dam removal. But Brown said he's been been able to work with the governor's office on body cameras and other technologies around guns and safety. He was also able to secure EV charging stations and the BUILD grant for the SMART2 Project.

"If I'm not out there advocating for my city, if I'm not out there telling the story of Youngstown, who is?" said Brown. "I don’t want to compare the two different cities. I just want to talk about what we are doing. And I think the recipe for me is to stay active and engaged."

Brown and Franklin are part of the Ohio mayors alliance, which makes up the bulk of the travel.

"This has been a historic time in terms of federal aid to municipalities through things like the American Rescue Plan Act. We have, I feel, good about saying we've really helped leverage the mayors collective voice in a way has brought home some real resources and opportunities," said Keary McCarthy, executive director of the Ohio Mayors Alliance.

McCarthy said although some of these mayors choose to zoom, they're still no substitute for meeting in person.