MADISON, Wis. — Mayors of five of Ohio's six largest cities sat down to lunch here Saturday and, for the first time any of them can remember, talked about common interests.

        Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken and his counterparts in Akron, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo talked about annexation, development, education, taxes and other areas where they feel they're getting a raw deal from the state.

        “I think we're all just alarmed at the attitudes coming out of (state government in) Columbus,” Mr. Luken said. “There are too many politicians running for office by beating up the cities.”

        With new mayors in Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo, Democrats control City Hall in all of Ohio's major cities for the first time. That, coupled with Republican domination of both houses of the General Assembly and all five statewide executive positions, has pitted the cities against state government on issues ranging from annexation to taxes.

        The Ohio mayors hope their lunch at the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting will begin a relationship that will eventually lead to more united lobbying in Columbus. It could also provide a statewide platform for one of the big-city mayors to launch a gubernatorial campaign in 2006, Mr. Luken said.

        Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin said the big-city summit is long overdue.

        “Some of us have been preoccupied with budget problems, and problems we've inherited from our predecessors,” she said. “And I don't have to tell you what Charlie Luken's been dealing with over the past year.”

        Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, nominated Saturday to be president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2004, said mayors can force state and federal governments to address local issues — if they organize.

        Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman pointed out that with 70 percent of Ohio's economic product being produced by its cities, it should be in the state's best interests to help strengthen them.

        Cincinnati's interests may differ from those of the city of Colum bus, which is still growing through annexation, and Cleveland, whose mayor has responsibility for appointing the school board.

        “I don't think we'll agree on everything,” Mr. Luken said. “But on education, economic development and tourism, we all have a common agenda.”

        The cities are already represented by the Ohio Municipal League, which represents municipalities of all sizes. Because of that, the mayors said, the group is effective on issues of annexation and home rule, but not on many of the other problems facing urban areas.

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