ASHLAND — Ashland County voters will determine in November the fate of a five-year, 1-mill renewal levy for local mental health services and alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs.
Ashland County commissioners approved a resolution Thursday morning to place the proposed tax on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The levy generates about $1.1 million per year, which equates to 10 cents for each $100 of the current tax valuation of the taxable property within Ashland County.
In 2020, the levy is expected to generate $1.169 million, according to Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County Executive Director Steve Stone.
The locally generated funding adds to state and federal dollars, but allows greater flexibility in how it is spent.
The dollars support a variety of programing for children, adults and seniors, including the school liaison program. This program was launched in the late 1990s as an early intervention program for local teenagers.
The board committed to “growing and sustaining” the school liaison program in 2001 when the levy was initially passed.
“This is such an incredibly important source of revenue for us. It’d be impossible to fund some of our programs with state and federal dollars,” Stone said.
If passed, the levy will be placed upon the tax list beginning Jan. 1, 2021, and be first due in calendar year 2022.
