Several renewal levies on ballots in Lorain County

Lorain County voters will have a number of renewal levies on the ballot for consideration of May 8.

All renewal levies on the ballot do not increase taxes and are a re-authorizing previously approved tax dollars.

• The Lorain County Board of Mental Health will ask voters to approve a five-year 0.6-mill renewal levy.

Executive Director Dr. Kathleen Kern said the board’s mission is provide a safety net to enable Lorain County residents to get access to mental health services regardless of their ability to pay.

“For those of you who have not yet had an opportunity to participate in mental health services, many of us will,” Kern said. “One in five experience mental health issues in a lifetime. So in all likelihood if you haven’t been affected, you probably know someone who’s been impacted by mental health.”

The board funds eight clinical agencies who see clients and in 2017 the board provided services to 12,000 people and an additional 14,000 called their 24/7 crisis hotline.

“The truth of the matter is 85 percent of our funding comes from local community support,” Kern said. “And without community support, if we don’t pass our levy we really aren’t going to be able to sustain the system that meets the mental health needs of our community.”

According to the Lorain County Auditor’s Office, the levy would continue to cost $16.32 per year per $100,000 of property valuation and would create an estimated $3,612,676 in revenue per year.

• County voters are also being asked to consider a five-year 1.69-mill renewal levy for the Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities, otherwise known as Murray Ridge Center.

The levy supports county services for more than 2,000 county children and adults with developmental disabilities. According to Board Superintendent Dr. Amber Fisher, the levy funds approximately 30 percent of the Murray Ridge’s services, including early intervention for young children, and Murray Ridge School and adult day and vocational service programs.

“Developmental disability generally means that one is going to need support throughout one’s life,” Fisher said. “And Murray Ridge has a 50-year history of providing lifelong services that are essential to Lorain County residents with developmental disabilities and their families.”

According to the Lorain County Auditor’s Office, the levy will continue to cost $49.63 per year per $100,000 property valuation if passed, and it would create an estimated $10,996,338 in revenue per year.

• The city of Avon has two five-year renewal levies on the ballot — 1.9 mills for street maintenance and a 0.45 mill levy for parks and recreation.

The street maintenance levy would cost $53.42 annually per $100,000 of property valuation and is expected to create $1,428,477 per year. The parks and recreation levy would cost $12.65 per year per $100,000 property valuation and create $338,323.00 annually, according to figures from the Auditor’s Office.

• Columbia Schools has two five-year renewal levies on the ballot — a 7.53mill levy for emergency requirements and a 5.50-mill current expense levy.

Both levies would cost taxpayers $415.04 per year per $100,000 of property valuation and create $2,732,972 in revenue annually.

• Eaton Township’s fiveyear $2.50 mill renewal levy for fire and EMS services would cost taxpayers $73.60 annually per $100,000 property valuation and create an estimated $357,812 per year, according to the Lorain County Auditor’s Office.