Parma is an incorporated city southwest of Cleveland. It is bounded by Cleveland and Brooklyn on the north, Brooklyn Heights. and Seven Hills on the east, North Royalton and Broadview Heights on the south, and Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, and Parma Heights, on the west. Parma was originally part of Parma Township, created in 1826. The first settlers were the Benaiah Fay family from New York State, who settled along the Cleveland-Columbus Road in 1816. The name was taken from Parma, New York, where it was probably derived from the early-19th century fascination with classical Italy. During the 19th century, Parma remained largely agricultural. In 1912, a portion of the township seceded to form the village of Parma Heights. In 1924, Parma was incorporated as a village, and in 1926 it adopted the mayor-council form of government. In 1931 a proposition to annex it to the city of Cleveland was defeated, and Parma became a city. Parma's tremendous growth came after World War II as young families began moving from Cleveland into the Suburbs. Between 1950 and 1980, its population soared from less than 20,000 to more than 110,000.
Nevertheless, Parma's national image has been marred by three incidents:
1. Such major newspapers as The New York Times covered allegations from the 1970s onwards that Parma's government worked to resist racial integration. Former Parma City Council President Kenneth Kuczma famously said, I do not want Negroes in the city of Parma, and even federal courts ruled on the matter.
2. In 2003, Parma made national news after a 345-kV transmission line failed in the city due to a tree, which played a significant role in the early stages of the 2003 North America blackout.
3. More recently Parma has been plagued by negative press in the local media as a result of perhaps widespread political corruption associated with a group of politicians known as "the Good Old Boys" or the "Parma Machine." In order to distract from their own suspect activities, these politicians apparently concocted a "Witch Hunt" that wrongfully scapegoated innocent police officers. Ultimately, investigator Dick DiCicco wrote in his official reporter that there “was no evidence presented to” substantiate “the allegation that officers were taking turns calling in sick in order that other officers could earn overtime to maintain minimums,” “there was no actual duplicate billing” concerning officers Kuchler and Robertson as indicated in The Plain Dealer articles, and based “on the review of the above activity no specific pattern of reciprocity was detected” on the part of Officer Mekruit. On page B2 of The Plain Dealer, Joe Wagner quoted Prosecutor Michael Nolan as reportedly declaring that Mayor DePiero and Council President Germana removed the “police tax request from May 3 ballot . . . ‘as an excuse for, apparently, their own inaction.’”
Further revelations about the "Witch Hunt" (also referred to as the "Blue Scare"), as found in such newspaper articles as "Report clears Parma police in payroll-padding probe," and including the highly questionable retroactive appointment of a special prosecutor who had been prosecuting (in violation of the Ohio Revised Code) select police union representatives who had raised concerns about possible political corruption, has led to calls for the resignations of many members of the current mayoral administration and city council. On March 11, 2005, The Plain Dealer quoted Councilwoman Stys who summed up the investigation as a “sham.” Statements uttered by the mayor in the local newspaper in 2003 that "heads will roll" along with the press report of an email sent to the mayor by one of his top advisers who referred to Parma as a "fiefdom" and himself as a “samurai” has further fanned the fires of distrust amongst residents for anyone responsible for the costly misadventure that to many has seemingly ruined Parma's image. The long-term consequences of the crisis, which lasted for nearly four years (2003-2006) is yet to be seen.
As of the census of 2000, there were 85,655 people, 35,126 households, and 23,323 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,656.9/km² (4,291.3/mi²). There were 36,414 housing units at an average density of 704.4/km² (1,824.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.67% White, 1.06% Black, 0.14% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 35,126 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,920, and the median income for a family was $52,436. Males had a median income of $39,801 versus $27,701 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,293. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
During the population boom between 1950 and 1980, Parma's commercial sector grew to match its residential sector. Since the 1950s, Parma has fostered the growth of many small businesses and been an operating hub for such well-known companies as General Motors, Modern Tool & Die, the Union Carbide Research Center, and Cox Cable Television.
Located close to the city's town hall is Parmatown Mall. It has recently been overshadowed in size by the neighboring South Park Mall, which is located south of Parma, in Strongsville. Nevertheless, the area around Parmatown Mall has seen a good deal of development in the recent past.
The wide variety of pet stores such as PetSmart, Parma Pets, and RMS Aquaculture indicate the many shopping options available to Parma residents within their city.
The City contains 3 public high schools: Parma Senior High School, Valley Forge High School, and Normandy High School. Each school shares a common stadium for football games, also known as Byers Field. The rivalry that exists between these schools is well documented. Normandy High School is located in the South Eastern part of the city, and its population is made up of students from south Parma, and Seven Hills. Valley Forge is located in the South Western portion of the city, and includes students from South Western Parma, as well as Parma Heights. Parma High School is located in the center of the city, and includes students from central and northern Parma.
The city also is home to a positively recognized private Catholic high school named Padua Franciscan High School. Founded in 1961 as a school for boys, Padua Franciscan became co-educational in 1983 and is now the largest private, co-educational secondary school in northeast Ohio. Padua has recently embarked on aggressive expansionism. After initiating the "Greening of Padua" program to improve the overall look of the campus, Padua then acquired Camp Cordé - a 15-acre property to be used for Padua's boys and girls soccer programs. Padua's principal rivalry is with Holy Name High School, located in nearby Parma Heights.
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