Ohio voters in communities across the state overwhelmingly approved renewals, replacements and increases of property tax levies that support health and social services. Few health and social service levy contests were even close, and in many cases 75 percent of voters cast their ballots in favor of the levies. Community Solutions compiled results by examining the final, unofficial 2019 November general election results obtained from each county’s Board of Elections.
Every single one of the levies for children’s services, senior services, public health and mental health and recovery passed. Only two levies failed and they were both additional levies supporting services for people with developmental disabilities, one in Lawrence County and the other in Marion County. However, as the table below shows, several other additional levies and levy increases passed. Notable is the approval of a general health and human service levy in Medina County, which will support children’s services, senior services and the mental health and recovery board. Previous attempts by advocates in Medina County to pass a general human service levy failed.
Local property tax levies are an important source of funding for a variety of health and social service programs in Ohio
The closest vote came in Hocking County, where only 100 votes separated the “yes” from the “no” for the additional 1.5 mill levy for developmental disabilities. According to the final unofficial results, the levy was approved.
Local property tax levies are an important source of funding for a variety of health and social service programs in Ohio. They fund everything from A (abuse and neglect investigations) to Z (Zika virus surveillance). Before the election, Community Solutions identified 42 of Ohio’s 88 counties that had at least one levy for health or social services on the ballot Tuesday. Our list was compiled by looking at sample ballots downloaded from each county’s Board of Elections. Included in our list are levies that support public health, children’s services, senior services, developmental disabilities, mental health and recovery, public hospitals, or health and human services generally.
Final Unofficial Election Results Compiled by The Center for Community Solutions
November 6, 2019
Property tax rates are listed as millage rates, or mills, which represents the amount a taxpayer pays per every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. The approval of these levies means more resources for pressing community needs.
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