Voters gave Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne what he wanted on Tuesday: almost $111 million more in property tax money for county social services. (They gave Ronayne a second term, too. But that’s not as remarkable. He won 98% against a write-in challenger.)
The victory of Issue 11 will help stabilize the county’s budget for helping seniors, children, people who are homeless and those in need of food. Issue 10 will generate more money for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
More decisions about your money are looming. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority wants to ask voters for a sales tax hike next year. Gateway Economic Development Corp., the landlord for Progressive Field and Rocket Arena, needs cash for repairs.
In an interview with Signal Cleveland, Ronayne said the levy win meant the county could go “all in” on the social forces that affect people’s health — such as medical care, addiction services and food assistance. Details will come in the next budget proposal, he said.
Ronayne also acknowledged that the new money will only go so far. The county cut $20.5 million from its health and human services budget for 2027 last year. County projections show costs continuing to rise.
“First and foremost, this levy was about staving off further cuts,” he said.
Ronayne blamed the state and federal government, which he said had “really undermined” the safety net. (He said “really” four times.) He said he believed he would have a “meeting of the minds” with Gov.-elect Amy Acton, a doctor and fellow Democrat, on supporting social services.
“I’ve already talked to her about health as a priority,” he said. “I believe it’s in her blood, in her nature, in her professional background.”
RTA and stadium spending decisions on the horizon
The county executive, who appoints part of RTA’s board of trustees, sounded less bullish on the transit agency’s push for its first sales tax increase in half a century. Some RTA trustees appeared to be getting cold feet about going to the ballot this coming May.
Ronayne said he supported delivering better transportation options for residents, but that he wanted to see a plan before committing to backing a levy.
“Without a plan, I don’t see an easy path to passage, and so I think we need to take a step back, develop a community transportation plan,” he said.
And then there are the ballpark and arena. Gateway is out of money for repairs, even as the Cavaliers seek $37 million for upgrades to the arena’s scoreboard and audio systems.
The county and City of Cleveland have coughed up money for the ballpark and arena before. Will they again? Ronayne said he and City Hall officials are meeting with the teams, but he didn’t name a specific revenue source.
“We don’t have any definitive source that we’re looking at,” he said. “We also are trying to mete out the cost share between teams, the City of Cleveland and the county.”
You don’t need a bookie to make a safe bet that taxpayers’ share will be more than zero.
