Local Democrats are officially supporting an increased children's services levy.
The Hamilton County Democratic Party executive committee voted to endorse the children's services levy on the ballot this November. Seventy-two members voted in favor of endorsing in a Zoom meeting on Aug. 12.
One member abstained. There were no votes against endorsing.
The executive committee is composed of Hamilton County elected officials, party leadership, ward chairs and other members appointed by the chair. This vote means the levy endorsement will be on the party's slate cards handed out to voters.
Peter Matthews, a pastor at New Vision United Methodist Church and a member of the Hamilton County Tax Levy Review Committee, spoke in favor of endorsing the levy.
"I'm mindful that this children's levy and these children that we're considering are not statistics. Many of you know they're in our pews, they're in our civic centers, they're in our community centers, they're in our classrooms, in our neighborhoods," he said.
Matthews said the committee should be honest about the cost element of increasing the levy.
"It is an increase, $10 a month, and yet the alternative, I believe personally, is children sleeping in the county office buildings and paying far, far more in jails or emergency rooms," he said.
Cincinnati City Council member Anna Albi motioned to endorse the levy. Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich seconded.
The current children's services levy expires this year. It costs property owners $81.15 per $100,000 of property value and generates about $81 million per year.
County officials have said that's not enough to fund services for children at risk of abuse and neglect, like child protection investigations, foster care, adoption and family reunification. Officials said costs of out-of-home placements for children have gone up, as have the number of children in foster care, and the children's needs are more acute. County commissioners cut children's services by $36 million in the last county budget.Â
Hamilton County commissioners approved a levy of 5.61 mills for the November ballot. The levy would last four years and cost property owners $121 per $100,000 of property value. It would raise about $116 million per year.
The Cincinnati Regional Chamber has endorsed the levy.
"Growing, thriving regions will always take care of their most vulnerable residents, especially children, to ensure they can access the care they need. We are pleased that there is a balanced outcome that serves children, residents and businesses alike," Brendon Cull, chamber president and chief executive officer, said in a statement on Aug. 3.
The Cincinnati Public Schools' Board of Education voted Aug. 3 to put a 7-mill property tax levy on the November ballot.
