Supporters of the two Cuyahoga County social service tax increases on the Nov. 3 ballot have just more than a week to make their case. They’ll have to win over voters in an era of high costs and discontent over rising property valuation.
County officials say Issue 11 — the health and human services levy — will help stabilize their budget for assisting kids, seniors and others in need. Issue 10 would raise money for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
People who have benefitted from the county safety net joined a rally for Issue 11 at the MetroHealth System’s main campus last week. The public hospital receives $35 million through the HHS levy.
Stella Burnside told the audience that after she lost her job, she had to sell her home and began living out of her car. In January 2025, she ended up in MetroHealth’s burn center with frostbite in both of her legs, which were later amputated below the knee. On top of that, she needed surgery to remove a brain tumor, she said.
“Without a single dollar to my name or health insurance, the doctors and nurses at MetroHealth treated me with the same excellence and dignity as anyone else,” Burnside said.
Asked after the rally if the Issue 11 campaign had had enough time to sway voters, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne pointed to the county’s pro-levy history.
“You’d always enjoy more days to get out and have conversations with your constituents,” he said. “But I think, at the end of the day, the history of this county is that this county cares. This county cares about its neighbors.”
Cleveland Clinic gives big to HHS levy campaign
The Issue 11 campaign hasn’t yet filed its campaign finance disclosure with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
But Ronayne has already highlighted one major donor: the Cleveland Clinic. The hospital system gave $500,000 to the campaign, Ronayne said at his State of the County speech last month. That is far more than the $35,000 that the Clinic gave to the last levy campaign in 2024.
The Clinic and levy-funded MetroHealth have had their differences this year. MetroHealth CEO Dr. Christine Alexander-Rager opposed the Clinic’s bid to open a Level 1 trauma center, arguing it would dilute expertise in treating serious injuries.
Weekly Chatter asked the Clinic if the donation was meant as a sign of goodwill toward MetroHealth. A Clinic spokesperson provided a written statement that didn’t touch on MetroHealth specifically but said the donation was “in recognition of the important community services the funding helps make possible.”
“These resources also help sustain many nonprofit and community organizations across Cuyahoga County,” the statement continued. “Advancing the health and well-being of the communities we serve is central to our mission.”
The Issue 10 developmental disabilities levy campaign has raised more than $470,000 since July 1, adding to the half million it already had on hand. Issues 10 and 11 have gone in together on joint campaign literature and ads. It helps that both use the same consultant, Burges & Burges Strategists.
Ronayne runs a race for one
With just a write-in opponent challenging him in November, Ronayne is all but guaranteed a second term.
That hasn’t stopped him from spending tens of thousands of dollars stimulating the local political advertising economy. In the competition for billboard space along Detroit Avenue in Ohio City, Ronayne is running just behind personal injury attorney Tim Misny.
Ronayne has spent $39,000 on digital ads, $20,655 on billboards, $5,000 on radio ads and $3,595 on print ads. Those numbers come from a new disclosure filed last week with the county board of elections covering the period from June to mid-October.
In all, Ronayne’s campaign spent almost $228,000 over that period. That includes $30,000 for polling.
The write-in candidate is Christopher Michael Litwinowicz, a Euclid man who has run for office multiple times.
Fundraising in District 5
Michael Gallagher, the last Republican member of Cuyahoga County Council, has spent almost $62,000 trying to hold on to his seat in Cleveland’s southwest suburbs.
That outstrips the more than $38,000 in campaign spending by Democratic opponent Courtney Scheff. But Scheff does have this up on Gallagher: She has outraised him this year, bringing in almost $68,000 to his nearly $53,000.
This GOP-leaning district encompasses Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, Berea, Strongsville and North Royalton.
Republicans once held three seats on the 11-member county council. Now they hold just one. November’s election will determine whether that number holds steady or drops to zero.
