Cuyahoga County Council District 5 Update: Scheff and Gallagher on the Gateway Sales Tax
And Campaign Finance Report Updates
Hey, Angry Ohioans.
We have a couple of updates on the Cuyahoga County Council District 5 race between Courtney Scheff and current County Councilman Michael Gallagher.
Cuyahoga County Council District 5: Courtney Scheff vs. Michael Gallagher
This continues our analysis of races we are watching across Northeast Ohio. We are going to look at congressional races, Ohio House races, county council races, Ohio Senate races, and possibly a few judicial races as well.
After our first piece came out, Gallagher reached out to me directly to talk about the race and some of the issues I raised. He said we hit on several things that he believes are important, and he appreciated that somebody was paying attention to a County Council race that normally would not receive much coverage.
That meant a lot to us because that is exactly why The Angry Ohioans exists. These local offices control real money and make decisions that affect people across the county, yet most voters hear almost nothing about the candidates until a mailer shows up at their house.
Scheff also made a public statement explaining where she stands.
So let’s get into it.
What Is the Proposed 0.15% Sales Tax?
Cuyahoga County is facing another problem involving taxpayer funding for Progressive Field and Rocket Arena.
The Gateway Economic Development Corporation manages the two facilities. Under agreements dating back to the 1990s, the public is responsible for at least part of the major repairs and capital improvements. Gateway currently receives money from the county’s so-called sin tax on alcohol and cigarettes, which voters have renewed and extended over the years.
The problem is that the sin tax brings in roughly $13 million a year, and that money is divided among Progressive Field, Rocket Arena, and the Browns’ stadium. Repair costs have increased substantially, and Gateway has said Progressive Field and Rocket Arena could require approximately $150 million in repairs through 2029. The city and county already provided another $40 million in late 2024, and most of that money has either been spent or committed. Signal Cleveland and Ideastream Public Media have reported extensively on the problem.
One idea being discussed is an additional 0.15 percentage-point county sales tax. Cuyahoga County’s current combined sales tax rate is 8%, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation. The increase would bring that rate to 8.15%.
That means an additional 15 cents in tax on every $100 in taxable purchases, or another $1.50 for every $1,000 spent. That may not sound enormous on one purchase, but it would apply across taxable purchases throughout Cuyahoga County.
Based on the county’s projection that its existing 0.25-percentage-point sales tax would raise about $4 billion over 40 years, a 0.15-point increase could generate roughly $60 million per year. Actual collections would rise or fall with taxable consumer spending, and this remains an estimate rather than a formal revenue projection tied to enacted legislation.
This is not currently an approved tax. It is one of the ideas being discussed as local officials look for a long-term way to pay the Gateway repair bills. The especially contentious part is that County Council could potentially approve the increase without first putting it before voters. Gallagher told me that it would take six votes on the 11-member council.
Courtney Scheff’s Opinion: No Sales Tax Increase Without Voter Input
Scheff publicly stated that she does not support taking money away from basic county services to pay for sports facilities. She also said she does not support increasing the county sales tax without voter input, especially when other possible funding options have not been fully explored.
Her argument is that the county may have legal obligations created by decisions and lease agreements made in the 1990s, but those obligations do not justify quietly passing another sales tax increase.
Scheff laid out several alternatives. Those include asking voters to expand the existing sin tax, creating a special financing district around the Gateway facilities, working with the City of Cleveland on admissions-tax options, and asking the teams to lobby the state to tax sports betting for the purpose of funding sports facilities.
Her preferred solution is the sports-betting tax.
Scheff also called for a series of public hearings involving the teams, county residents, local stakeholders, and government officials. Her position is that the public should be able to hear why the county is responsible, what the projected repair costs are, and what the advantages and disadvantages would be for each funding option before County Council makes a decision.
So Scheff’s position is clear: Do not cut basic services to fund the facilities, and do not impose the additional sales tax without giving voters a say.
Michael Gallagher: “Hell No”
When I asked Gallagher directly whether he would vote for the 0.15-point sales tax increase, his answer was simple:
“Hell no.”
Gallagher said he does not believe there are currently six votes on County Council to pass it. He also said the teams had been encouraged to approach council members about the proposed increase, but that the idea quickly ran into political resistance.
His public position has been consistent. Gallagher previously called the proposed increase “absolute insanity” and said voters in his district have had enough of taxes.
However, Gallagher is not arguing that the county can simply walk away from the Gateway problem. He believes the ownership arrangements and lease obligations leave the county and the City of Cleveland responsible for maintaining the facilities. In other words, saying no to another tax does not make the repair bills disappear.
Gallagher has proposed using money from an existing 0.25% county sales tax that was extended for 40 years to pay for a new jail and work involving the Justice Center. His legislation would add stadium maintenance as an allowable use for money left after those justice-related obligations are met.
Gallagher estimates that approximately $25 million a year could be available for the sports facilities. That amount is Gallagher’s estimate and could change substantially depending on what the county eventually does with the jail, courthouse, and Justice Center.
Gallagher also supports continuing to push the state for an increase in the existing sin tax. His basic argument is that the county already extended a sales tax for 40 years and should use money available within that structure before coming back to residents with another tax increase.
Scheff and Gallagher arrive at different alternatives, but they agree on the most immediate question: Neither candidate supports County Council imposing the proposed 0.15-point sales tax increase without voter approval.
Campaign Finance Update: Courtney Scheff
Attached above is Scheff’s complete 2026 post-primary campaign-finance report.
Scheff began the reporting period with $8,426.67. Her campaign received $18,145.00 in monetary contributions, bringing its total available funds to $26,571.67.
The campaign spent $1,369.77, leaving Scheff with $25,201.90 in cash on hand. It also received $831.52 in in-kind contributions, consisting of food, drinks, and postage Scheff personally provided for the campaign. The report lists no outstanding campaign loans or debts.
Of the money Scheff raised during the period, $8,080.00 came through an April 23 fundraiser. Her largest single contribution was $5,000.00 from the Committee to Elect Chris Ronayne. She also received $1,000.00 from the CSD Freedom Fund PAC, $500.00 from the North Shore Federation of Labor PAC, $500.00 from the Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus, and $250.00 from UFCW Local 880 PCE, along with contributions from individual donors and other Democratic campaign committees.
That $5,000 contribution from County Executive Chris Ronayne’s campaign committee, along with the $100 contribution from Friends of Dale Miller, the current County Council president, raises legitimate questions.
In our original article, I raised the question of whether Scheff would provide an independent check on the county executive or become another reliable vote for his administration. A contribution does not answer that question by itself, but it is relevant information for voters when one of the central issues in this race is independence from the county administration.
Campaign Finance Update: Michael Gallagher
We now have Gallagher’s complete 2026 post-primary campaign-finance report, and it clears up the missing information from our original review.
Gallagher began the reporting period with $14,310.15. His campaign received $37,890.00 in monetary contributions, giving it $52,200.15 in total available funds.
The campaign spent $3,975.64, leaving Gallagher with $48,224.51 in cash on hand. It also reported receiving $6,030.00 in in-kind contributions.
Gallagher’s largest reported contribution was $5,000 from Michael and Mary Maloof. Six other donor entries gave $2,500 each: Lou Nekola, Kevin and Sharon Kilbane, Joe Ferreira, Louis and Valerie Joseph, Arthur and Olena Pusch, and Tre Bleu Holdings LLC.
Those seven donor entries provided $20,000, more than half of everything Gallagher raised during the reporting period. When the six contributions of $1,000 are included, approximately $26,000 of Gallagher’s $37,890 came from 13 donor entries. This is a campaign with a strong financial advantage, but a substantial amount of that advantage came from a relatively small number of large donors.
Gallagher also received $1,000 from Laborers Local 860 PCE and $100 from Heat and Frost Insulators Local 3.
Political committees also appear in the report. Boosters for Perciak, the campaign committee associated with longtime Strongsville Mayor Tom Perciak, contributed $1,000. Friends of Gordon Short contributed $200.
One contribution deserves additional scrutiny. The report lists $2,500 from Louis and Valerie Joseph. Public information identifies Lou Joseph as the president and CEO of the Brewer-Garrett Company. Brewer-Garrett has done business with Cuyahoga County, including an approved county contract in 2023 to upgrade building-automation systems at county facilities. The company also previously received larger county contracts for energy-conservation work in county buildings. Brewer-Garrett identifies Lou Joseph as its president and CEO, and county records document the company’s contracting history.
That does not prove an illegal contribution, a quid pro quo, or an actual conflict of interest. Gallagher is one member of an 11-member council, and the 2023 contract was approved through the county’s Board of Control. However, when the head of a company that receives county work contributes $2,500 to a sitting county councilman, voters have every right to know about it and ask whether Gallagher has voted on legislation involving that company.
The report also includes $2,500 from Tre Bleu Holdings LLC. I could not establish from the filing or available public information who controls that company or whether it has any business before the county. The contribution may be completely routine, but a business entity giving one of the campaign’s largest contributions deserves more explanation than just the name of the LLC.
There is also a $100 contribution from Democrat Patrick and Laura Kelly.
Comparing the Two Campaigns
Gallagher raised $37,890.00 during the reporting period, compared with Scheff’s $18,145.00. That means Gallagher raised $19,745.00 more during the period.
Gallagher finished with $48,224.51 in cash on hand, compared with Scheff’s $25,201.90. Gallagher therefore holds a cash advantage of $23,022.61 and has nearly twice as much money available heading into the general election.
The reports also show that neither campaign is spending heavily yet. Scheff spent only $1,369.77, while Gallagher spent $3,975.64. Both candidates are still building their reserves for the general election.
My Take
I am really sick of government mismanagement followed by another tax increase.
I understand that Cuyahoga County may have legal obligations under agreements made decades ago. Frankly, I do not care. Conditions have changed. If the county cannot meet those obligations with existing money, without gutting basic services that government is actually supposed to provide, then maybe it is time to challenge those agreements.
I would rather see the county fight this in court, risk defaulting on an outdated agreement, and force everyone back to the negotiating table than continue raising taxes on the people of Cuyahoga County. At some point, somebody in government has to be willing to say no. Maintaining sports facilities for ultra-billionaires who own teams for fun should not come before public safety, health services, transportation, and the basic responsibilities of county government.
Chris Quinn, the editor of Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, has also raised an important point about who uses these facilities. The fans do not come exclusively from Cuyahoga County. People drive in from Lake, Summit, Medina, Lorain, and other surrounding counties to attend games. Yet Cuyahoga County residents are expected to carry the tax burden.
How the hell does that make sense?
These stadiums are also increasingly playgrounds for people with disposable income. Going to a professional sporting event is expensive. Tickets are expensive. Parking is expensive. Food and drinks are expensive. Yes, teams run promotions and offer cheaper seats, but attending games regularly is still not affordable for a lot of working people.
So who pays the tax? Everybody.
Who regularly gets to enjoy what the tax is funding? A much smaller and generally wealthier group of people.
I am also not convinced that putting the tax before voters solves the problem. It sounds democratic, but we have to be honest about who actually votes in Cuyahoga County elections. Turnout in many Cleveland neighborhoods can sit in the well under 50%, while communities like Bay Village, Solon, Beachwood, Rocky River, Westlake, and Pepper Pike can produce turnout over 80% during presidential years.
The people most likely to vote on a stadium tax are also more likely to be able to afford tickets, parking, concessions, and the tax itself. Meanwhile, poorer residents who will still pay the tax every time they make a taxable purchase may never hear that the issue is on the ballot.
That is not an excuse for people failing to vote. It is an indictment of the pathetic voter engagement we see from the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party and other political institutions that claim to represent these communities. Putting the tax on the ballot does not automatically make the outcome fair when participation is so uneven.
In that environment, “let the voters decide” can become a political scapegoat. County officials avoid taking responsibility, wealthier and more politically engaged communities make the decision, and the cost is passed across the entire county, including to the people least able to afford it.
Just stop. The sales tax is already 8%. That is enough.
The original sin tax may have been poorly designed. It failed to grow with inflation, and it no longer produces enough money to cover the obligations created by these agreements. Fine. That does not mean the automatic answer should be another countywide tax.
Between the options currently being discussed, I prefer Gallagher’s proposal because it does not immediately increase the sales tax. He wants to use money from the existing 0.25% sales tax extension before asking residents for more.
But we already know the 0.25% extension was approved by County Council without going to voters.
Which was a campaign promise from the Ronayne campaign that he totally lied about and almost immediately walked back upon winning his election.
There is also a moral problem with both candidates’ alternatives. Scheff prefers taxing sports betting, while Gallagher supports increasing the existing sin tax on alcohol and cigarettes. In either case, the government would be relying on revenue disproportionately connected to addiction and destructive behavior.
One national study found that the heaviest 10% of drinkers consume 55.3% of all alcohol. That does not mean every heavy drinker is addicted, but it shows how dependent alcohol sales are on a relatively small number of people drinking enormous amounts. The same problem exists with cigarettes and gambling.
If these taxes funded addiction treatment, healthcare, or smoking cessation, that would at least connect the revenue to the damage being caused. Using money from people smoking, drinking excessively, or losing money gambling to repair sports facilities for billionaire team owners is a completely different moral calculation, and I do not support it.
So. Find the money that already exists. Negotiate harder with the teams. Bring the surrounding counties into the discussion. Challenge the old agreements if necessary. Make the billionaire owners pay more. If none of that works, then tell Gateway and the teams that Cuyahoga County cannot afford it.
What I want to hear from Scheff, Gallagher, and every member of County Council is whether any of them are willing to draw that line. Not another financing district. Not another carefully designed tax. Not another ballot issue that allows elected officials to wash their hands of the decision.
Just say no. We cannot afford it. If the teams or Gateway disagree, then fight it out.