Is Cleveland’s plan to pay for abortion travel a new policy or a step too far?

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Using public money to help Cleveland obtain out-of-state abortions could bring opposition from some taxpayers. But experts say the proposal — proposed by Mayor Justin Bibb and the City Council in response to the state’s stricter bans — is in line with the mission of city government, particularly in Ohio cities with strong home-rule powers.

It is a natural extension of the traditional role of cities in adapting to the day-to-day realities of serving as policy makers and organs of government. And, in some ways, it represents the culmination of a broader recent political trend that has left cities holding the bag in all policy areas, considering federal action and state laws that don’t align with the needs or preferences of city voters.