Most local property tax levies supporting health and social services passed, many with large margins, according to unofficial election results. The general Health and Human Services levy in Cuyahoga County passed with 73 percent of the vote, along with all of the mental health, developmental disabilities, senior services, county home and public health levies. The one municipal levy on Tuesday’s ballot, the senior services levy in Violet Township (Fairfield County), also passed by a similar margin.
As challenges persist and the political environment in Washington remains unfavorable for health and social services, we are likely to see more communities turning to local resources to try to meet residents’ needs.
Results for children’s services levies were mixed. Washington County voters approved an additional levy supporting children’s services, but other additional levies did not fare as well. Jackson County and Hocking County’s additional children’s services levies both failed by slim margins of 158 and 116 votes, each representing 4 percent of ballots cast. This was the second attempt for Jackson County. A similar levy failed in the November general election. The proposal to add a Job and Family Services levy in Hancock County to support both children’s and senior services also failed, with 59 percent of votes against the levy.
Mixed results on election day for Health and Human Services levies on ballots around the state Click To TweetAs challenges persist and the political environment in Washington remains unfavorable for health and social services, we are likely to see more communities turning to local resources to try to meet residents’ needs.
| County | Human Service Area | Result | Percent Approving the Levy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clermont | Developmental Disabilities | PASS | 71.85% |
| Cuyahoga | Human Services | PASS | 72.94% |
| Delaware | Senior Services | PASS | 72.21% |
| Hancock | Job & Family Services | FAIL | 40.82% |
| Harrison | Developmental Disabilities | PASS | 76.24% |
| Henry | Senior Services | PASS | 51.97% |
| Hocking | Children Services | FAIL | 48.27% |
| Jackson | Children Services | FAIL | 48.34% |
| Lake | Mental Health & Addiction | PASS | 67.25% |
| Lorain | Mental Health | PASS | 75.63% |
| Lorain | Developmental Disabilities | PASS | 74.36% |
| Madison | Developmental Disabilities | PASS | 74.10% |
| Mahoning | Public Health | PASS | 59.96% |
| Portage | Public Health | PASS | 61.38% |
| Richland | County Home | PASS | 73.62% |
| Washington | Children Services | PASS | 55.70% |
| Wayne | County Home | PASS | 68.12% |