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Commissioner Driehaus moves and board backs 38% children’s services levy recommendation; Vice President Reese abstains
Summary
Hamilton County commissioners voted to recommend a 38% increase to the children’s services levy for the November ballot. Commissioner Driehaus moved the measure, the chair seconded, and Vice President Reese abstained; an alternate motion for a 10% increase was made but not seconded.
Hamilton County commissioners voted to recommend placing a 38% increase to the county’s expiring five-year children’s services levy (item 4) on the November ballot. Commissioner Driehaus moved the measure and the chair seconded; recorded roll-call comments showed two yes votes and one abstention by Vice President Reese.
Driehaus framed the 38% option as a compromise between the Tax Levy Review Commission’s larger recommendation and the need to limit homeowner burden, saying, “It is a 38% increase. It's about $39 for a homeowner that has a $100,000 home every year.” She cited rising costs for placements and specialized care as drivers that make a higher levy necessary to stabilize services.
The board’s administrator, Jeff Aludo, and assistant administrator Lisa Webb presented the background and seven options earlier in the meeting, and commissioners discussed the trade-offs between funding mandated services and limiting tax impacts on homeowners. Vice President Reese proposed an alternate approach that combined a 10% levy increase with a portion of stadium sales-tax revenue, but his motion to place that option (item 6) on the ballot was not seconded and therefore did not proceed to a vote.
The action taken at today’s special meeting is the board’s recommendation; the final decision whether to approve the levy will be made by Hamilton County voters in November.
