Will County seeks tax for mental health programs
Voters to decide in November on new board, levy
In a party-line vote, the Will County Board approved Thursday putting a referendum proposal on the November ballot to ask voters to create a community mental health board and levy a tax of 0.05% of a property’s equalized assessed value to fund services for mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse disorders.
Three townships have discussed creating a mental health board, and some county board members said they felt this should be a countywide initiative. Board Speaker Mimi Cowan, a Democrat from Naperville, said a constituent had approached her asking why Will County does not have a mental health board.
More mental health services are necessary, said board member Rachel Ventura, the chair of the county board’s public health and safety committee. With an increase in opioid overdoses, mass shootings, gun violence and teen suicide, now is a good time to create the mental health board and invest more money in mental health services, said Ventura, a Democrat from Joliet.
“This is something our society needs,” she said.
To establish a community mental health board, which is also known as a 708 Board, the county needs voter approval.
By state statue, the maximum levy cannot exceed 0.15% of the equalized assessed value to provide community mental health facilities and services and services for people with a developmental disability or a substance abuse disorder.
After discussion, the Will County Board in a bipartisan vote agreed that their referendum proposal would seek a maximum of 0.05% of the equalized assessed value.
However, when it came down to whether to put the referendum on the ballot, the vote went along party lines. The referendum was supported by the Democrats on the board and opposed by the Republican members.
County Coroner Laurie Summers said she supported the creation of the mental health board, citing the surge in overdose deaths which includes many residents in their 30s and 40s.
“We have to find a better way to be able to treat these people,” Summers said. “I can tell you that every single case … it was an underlying
mental health issue. If we don’t deal with the mental health, we are not going to fix the addiction.”
Susan Olenek, executive director for the Will County Health Department, said they have offered mental health and behavior health services since the 1950s and receive a levy from the county to perform all of its services.
“No doubt there’s a need for more services, but you already have a health department that provides these services, you have a community health center that provides these services,” Olenek said.
Olenek said those services include psychology for children, adolescents and adults, outpatient therapy, crisis response and substance abuse programs. The health department takes private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and patients with no insurance, Olenek said.
She said it makes more
sense to fund a program already in place and was concerned about how much revenue the health department would receive if another county entity competes for services.
Ventura said the mental health board would not provide duplicate services, but address gaps in services.
A levy of 0.05% per equalized assessed value would create a tax of $50 on a home that is worth about $300,000, county officials said. The levy that is ultimately approved could be lower than 0.05%.
Ventura said this would allow mental health services to get a designated funding source and stabilize programs that are now beholden on state and federal grants.
The county board also wants to invest some of its funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, which is designed to move the country out of the COVID-19
pandemic in mental health services. However, Ventura said that is a one-time infusion of funds.
“At the end of the day, that funding goes away,” she said.
Board member Jackie Traynere, a Democrat from Bolingbrook, agreed.
“Mental health is not something you fix like paving a road,” Traynere said. “It takes a long time.”
Proponents for the referendum said it gives taxpayers a direct ability to decide how their taxes are spent.
“There are over 700,000 residents in Will County, which is a much bigger body than we are,” Herb Brooks, a Democrat from Joliet, said. “I think the power is in the people. Send it to a referendum … and they vote yes or no.”
Several Republicans on the county board said they did not want to ask voters for more taxes.
“I’ve committed to my constituents that I will oppose any new taxes,” said Frankie Pretzel, a Republican from New Lenox. “I scratch my head in disbelief that all of you are willing to go to your constituents at this time with a new tax or a proposal for a new tax.”
Pretzel said the county board wants more mental health initiatives, but it needs to work within its means rather than asking taxpayers for more money.
Board member Raquel Mitchell, a Republican from Bolingbrook, said board members who oppose putting the referendum on the ballot still care about mental health, drug addiction and an increase in suicides. Mitchell said mental health topics are important.
“We would like to give funds to those things already in place and not levy a whole new tax for it,” Mitchell said. “It’s bad enough if we raise the tax. Now we are adding a tax. This is like a slap in the face to taxpayers.”
The county board’s public health and safety committee recently heard from supporters of establishing a mental health board. The League of Women Voters of Illinois said they believe that local tax money for mental health services will be increasingly important.
According to the Association of Community Mental Health Authorities of Illinois, there are mental health boards in counties throughout the state, but there are none in Chicago’s collar counties, such as Lake, Kane, DuPage, Cook, Will or Grundy. Some of the townships and cities within the collar counties do have mental health boards.
If Will County voters approve the creation of the mental health board in November, the members would come from the community and be appointed by the county executive with the approval of the county board. They will not be paid for their service.
“Mental health is not something you fix like paving a road. It takes a long time.”
— Jackie Traynere, Will County Board member