CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cuyahoga County Council is planning to draw down some of its cash reserves to fully fund MetroHealth System’s subsidy at $35 million a year — even though hospital leadership previously said it could survive with less.
The addition accounts for $4.5 million of the $5.5 million council is adding back into the 2026–27 county budget, knocking it out of balance, at least related to Health and Human Services (HHS) Levy spending. The added expense will drive the levy’s reserve fund well below the self-imposed minimum council requires.
Council President Dale Miller has suggested the plan stretches the budget “farther than is prudent,” but said members prioritized MetroHealth above nearly every other request, “so we did that.”…