CLEVELAND, Ohio — While the dollar amount of Cuyahoga County’s annual subsidies for MetroHealth has stayed relatively consistent for a decade, it hasn’t kept pace with inflation when adjusted to 2026 dollars, interim chief financial officer Jeff Rooney said Wednesday.

Rooney made the observation during a trustee financial committee meeting prior to the full board approving a proposed $2.2 billion 2026 operating budget, which still requires final approval by Cuyahoga County Council.

He pointed to a graph showing how the county’s annual health and human services levy funding remained steady at $32.4 million from 2016 to 2023. But when adjusted to 2026 dollars, the amount dropped from $41.8 million to $32.9 million.

“While the dollar amount (of the county’s contribution) has held mostly fl

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