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Smart Voter
Hamilton County, OH November 3, 2009 Election
Issue 4
Proposed Tax Levy (Additional)
County of Hamilton
Majority Approval Required

Pass: 125,612 / 51.99% Yes votes ...... 116,015 / 48.01% No votes

See Also: Index of all Issues
Information shown below: Summary |

An additional tax for the benefit of Hamilton County, Ohio, for the purpose of SUPPLEMENTING THE GENERAL FUND TO PROVIDE FAMILY HEALTH AND HOSPITALIZATION SERVICES AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THOSE PROVIDED BY AGREEMENT WITH TALBERT HOUSE at a rate not exceeding thirty-four hundredths (0.34) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to three and four-tenths cents ($0.034) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2009, first due in calendar year 2010.
FOR THE TAX LEVY
AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

Summary Prepared by League of Women Voters:
Explanation: This is a new levy of 0.34 mills on residential and commercial property in Hamilton County to fund services and treatment programs that were previously covered by the Health and Hospitalization + Drake levy (2004-2009) and several new programs. This levy will bring in approximately $7.5 million per year and $37.3 million over the 5 year term. The owner of $100,000 property will pay $10.06 per year, a reduction from $20.73 per year under the former levy which is expiring. The levy was requested by the Hamilton County Commissioners and reviewed by the Tax Levy Review Committee.

What the levy will do: This levy will fund alternatives to incarceration that will educate, rehabilitate and re-train offenders who have alcohol and drug addiction and mental illness associated with criminal behaviors under the county policy to reduce recidivism and preserve limited jail space for the most serious offenders. Community-based anti-drug education programs are also included. Specifically the levy will fund the following services and programs that are conducted by Talbert House, a drug treatment and rehabilitation agency:

  • Residential and out patient drug rehabilitation located at 1617 Reading Road;
  • ADAPT for Men (Alcohol and Drug Addiction Partnership in Treatment), a residential and outpatient program for offenders referred through the Hamilton County Drug Court;
  • Turning Point, a rehabilitation program for multiple DUI offenders;
  • Transitional Housing. In addition, the levy will fund officers from the Sheriff's Department for facility security, support for the Coalition for a Drug -Free Community, supervised re-entry into the community operated in conjunction with the Probation and Pre-Trial Services Departments, rehabilitative assistance for court - referred and self-referred participants in prostitution ("Off the Streets" program) and treatment staff for Substance Abuse Mental Illness (SAMI) Court , a new specialized court for felony-level offenders with mental illness.

Background: This Family Services and Treatment levy is a new levy title to voters but in fact continues funding for programs that have been tied to the Health and Hospitalization + Drake levy of 2004-2009. It also includes some services that have been ongoing in the community but are new to levy funding. The levy to fund the operation of the former Drake Hospital began in 1966. In 1994, 16% of levy expenditures were on Drug Court and Sheriff's programs which had previously been covered in the Hamilton County General Fund. In 2006, the County Commissioners, under a "Reorganization Agreement of Drake Center, Inc.", transferred Drake Hospital and its internal programs to a private entity with the understanding that the levy would expire after December 2009. In order to continue funding the Drug Court and Sheriff's programs this new levy was proposed.

Tax Levy Review Committee (TLRC ) Recommendations: The TLRC recommended two options to the Commissioners. Option 1: All programs formerly covered in the Drake levy continue to be funded at 97% of their former level with no inflationary increase. Option 2: Funding for all former programs and one additional proposal, "Off the Streets ."

The TLRC recommendation was for a total of $37,238,000 over 5 years. The Hamilton County Commissioners agreed with this total, but included all former programs and new program proposals

   Official Information

County Auditor

  • What will this levy cost me? - Information from the Auditor is available for this proposed tax levy. Go to the website, then to "Property Search." Input your address and then click on "Levy Info" on the left side of the page.
Nonpartisan Information

League of Women Voters

News and Analysis

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Videos General Links

Family Services and Treatment
A website in support of Issue 4
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Created: December 29, 2009 12:11 PST
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