As he released his 2004 budget update Tuesday, Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said reading the newspapers from nearby cities makes him feel more optimistic about Cincinnati's financial health:

CLEVELAND - Mayor Jane Campbell announced more than 700 job cuts Monday - including 15 percent of the police and fire departments.

COLUMBUS - A senior center would be closed, and 1,000 people receiving services from the city's health clinics would be turned away, according to Mayor Michael B. Coleman's budget released this month. In addition to 88 layoffs, Coleman has asked city employees to take three unpaid days off.

PITTSBURGH - Mayor Tom Murphy announced in August that he would cut 731 jobs and close swimming pools, senior centers and recreation centers. Murphy said he would "cut every function that we are not legally obliged to do" until the state legislature could bail the city out, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

TOLEDO - Mayor Jack Ford will erase a $10 million shortfall by furloughing city workers for 10 days, raiding $4.2 million from the city's rainy day fund and cutting about 60 jobs, the Toledo Blade reported this month.

Greg Korte