together we can create a more vibrant, resilient, and welcoming Worthington!

My name is Maria Ramirez, and I am running in the fall of 2025 for a seat on the Worthington City Council. I am the daughter of Colombian parents who immigrated to the US because of a deep love of learning and a desire to further their education in the United States' celebrated universities. Because I was born in Columbus, Ohio, I am a first generation American, but because my family returned to Colombia after my father earned his master’s degree at OSU when I was nine months old and I spent my early childhood there, my experience is also that of an immigrant. 

At age seven my family left Colombia and everything I knew behind and boarded a plane again, with only our suitcases, to start a new life in the United States. My parents continued with their studies, with my father earning a Doctorate and becoming a researcher and professor at The Ohio State University and my mother earning a Master’s Degree at OSU. Simultaneously, they helped my younger sister and I navigate the challenges of  a new culture and learning a new language. I learned about hard work, courage, and determination as my family created a new life in the United States.

With a shared respect for higher education and the opportunities that it can bring, I followed in my parent's footsteps and became an Ohio State University graduate, earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. I also earned a Master of Architecture degree and a Master of Arts in Urban Planning degree from UCLA. I developed a passion for the intersection between placemaking and strengthening communities. I have worked in the non-profit sector, working with communities on streetscape, economic development projects and public art projects, the for-profit sector in school facilities planning and architecture and have taught architectural design at Ohio State. I currently work as the Public Art Coordinator for Greater Columbus Arts Council, where my work has focused on the development and implementation of a new public art plan for the City of Columbus and Franklin County. 

Because I moved around quite a bit growing up (I attended nine different schools from kindergarten to my high school graduation) I am glad to be deeply rooted in Worthington. I am now a 23-year Worthington resident and my husband, Ryan, and I have had the privilege of raising our family here. I am the proud mother of two Linworth Experiential Program and Thomas Worthington High School graduates. At Linworth, I served as a parent volunteer that provided students with additional support by meeting weekly with students and reviewing their progress on course work and assisting students to improve their communication with their teachers.

Since 2020 I have served on the Worthington Community Relations Commission (CRC). Because I am passionate about protecting the dignity and rights of all people, I was excited to join the CRC because of its advocacy for the Worthington Non-discrimination ordinance. This ordinance expanded the categories of persons protected from discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. During my time on the CRC, we have worked to expand the Non-discrimination ordinance to include protection against Source of Income Discrimination in housing, which prevents landlords from discriminating against tenants whose source of income includes disability benefits, housing benefits, or other forms of income. 

In 2023-24, I served as Co-Chair for the Vision Implementation team for the Vision: Worthington is a Diverse and Equitable Community. I am proud of the work our team completed to propose tangible steps to begin to implement the vision for Worthington defined by our community, and our top recommendation was the expansion of housing types in Worthington. 

Currently, I am serving on the Comprehensive Plan Community Committee. I am excited to join a group of community volunteers that will assist in defining a vision of land use for Worthington, and which will help work on engaging the broader Worthington Community in the process.  I believe that when you care about a community, you give it your time and attention, and I feel lucky to be in a place with so many people willing to give their time and expertise for the good of our community.

Outside of my professional life, I am an avid gardener (with a special interest in native plant gardening), hiker, and advocate for a strong democracy and I have volunteered on voter registration, education, and advocacy since 2017. I deeply care about protecting our democracy, and our voting rights.

I will use my knowledge and experience to build on Worthington’s strengths and help make real the visions expressed by our community through the Worthington Visioning process.  I will provide leadership that is inclusive, responsive, and accountable to the Worthington community. 

Worthington has been able to provide our community with a high level of city services. The cost of those services is funded primarily through income tax revenue (68% of city services in the 2025 budget were projected to be paid by income tax revenue and the next highest was property tax which covered only 11% of the cost of services). Who pays income tax to Worthington? Worthington businesses and people who work in Worthington. Without having a strong income tax base, we risk losing our high level of city services.  As a community,we need to make sure that we prioritize creating economic opportunities, recruiting and retaining businesses, and supporting businesses so that they can grow and stay in Worthington.

Recently, Worthington Steel announced its planned move out of Worthington, causing a loss of 400 jobs in Worthington. With the loss of Worthington Steel, Worthington will lose an important source of tax revenue. In 2018, Worthington lost another major employer when Anthem left Worthington, taking 400 jobs with them. In 2025, the old Anthem building continues to sit empty today. We need to act now to meet the needs of our businesses, recruit new businesses, and make sure Worthington is welcoming to the economic development our community needs to be a vital and thriving community.

Worthington is facing the challenges caused by changes in office use that accelerated during COVID, and an outdated office infrastructure built mostly in the 1970’s that does not meet the needs of the current market. Without addressing these challenges, Worthington, despite its strengths, like its attractive location and easy driving access, will continue to struggle to compete to support and retain businesses, and therefore risk further losing income tax revenue. As a community, we need to prioritize the revitalization of our business corridors, and we need to reconsider our zoning to encourage mixed use redevelopment that supports a vibrant street life. I support smart, thoughtful, and responsible growth. 

As a City Councilmember, I want to partner with businesses that respect the character of our community by redeveloping our economic corridors with elements that carry this character forward, while also supporting these businesses with the things they need to be successful in order to create a strong economic foundation for Worthington’s future. Strengthening the design of our streetscapes, supporting quality placemaking, and supporting businesses that can come, stay and grow in Worthington can keep our city strong and vibrant.

Zoning is more than just a land use policy; it is an expression of a community’s values. Worthington’s zoning is mostly rooted in the 1970’s, and frankly, it is outdated and no longer meets our community’s needs. Worthington has extremely limited housing types available, with the majority of the city zoned for single family housing. There are limited options for renters, few options for young people who are just starting out, we have few options for people looking to downsize, and few options available at a variety of price points

Reconsidering our zoning could permit the introduction of “missing middle housing.”  Missing middle housing refers to middle density options, like duplexes, fourplexes, and courtyard housing, to name some examples. Regionally, we are experiencing a housing crisis, and suburban communities like ours, can be a part of the solution by welcoming a diversity of housing options into our communities. More housing would support our local businesses, create a more vibrant environment, and meet the changing needs of our community.

We need a range of housing options to support business development.  Employers know that they will be more successful with a workforce that is able to have a good quality of life.  This includes having housing options in proximity to their workplace.  It also includes having housing options that are affordable to people who are at a variety of price points.