ASHLAND — Voters in Ashland County could see a new tax aimed at helping children and seniors on the November ballot.
The Ashland County Council on Aging and the county’s Department of Job and Family Services got unanimous approval Thursday from the commissioners to put a five-year, 2 mill levy on the ballot come November.
The levy would benefit both agencies evenly, who joined forces on the proposal. It now awaits certification from County Auditor Cindy Funk, who will then turn it over again to the commissioners to pass a resolution.
Funk said the tax means up to $2.8 million in revenue a year for the agencies, or $14.3 million over the life of the levy. Both organizations would receive 50/50 of the total taxes collected each year.
If passed in November, it means county residents with an average home price of $100,000 will owe an additional $70 in property taxes each year.
The agencies initially asked for a 1.5 mill levy, but rounding it up to 2 mills would be “accommodating for both of our agencies and help us in the future to carry on the services that we have,” said Sandy Enderby, executive director of the Ashland County Council on Aging.
“The time in our community to help our seniors and our kids is now. We can’t wait any longer,” she said, addressing the commissioners.
The council on aging, affiliated with the United Way of Ashland County, helps seniors aged 60 and over on transportation needs, food, information and referral, homemaking and chores. The nonprofit currently benefits from a 0.6 mill levy, which was first approved by voters in 2007.
That levy would be eliminated with the successful passage of the 2 mill levy, Enderby said.
The marriage of the council on aging and the Department of Job and Family Services is unprecedented in Ashland County.
“Ashland County is unique, and I like to be the first of doing something great and coming out of our silos is what we’re going to be doing,” Enderby said.
The partnership is something Ashland County Commissioners President Denny Bittle fully supports.
“I’m normally not a person that likes tax increases,” Bittle said. “But if you see the knocking down of silos, like we always talk about, the cooperative effort and how this team works together is way good.”
Bittle said he believes the tax money would be well-spent on “tremendous” programming.
Peter Stefaniuk, director of Ashland Job and Family Services, said the revenue will benefit the two most vulnerable people groups in the county at a time when more grandparents have begun taking care of their grandchildren.
Placing children with kin is always a goal when searching for placement, Stefaniuk said. At one point during the pandemic in 2020, he said the agency had 213 children in their custody.
The agencies do not have a specific road map on how the money will be spent year-to-year.
However, Stefaniuk and Enderby have goals of expanding existing programs such as the council on aging’s meal delivery program and relaunching outreach special services and mentorship programs.
“There are lots of things we are able to do — and that’s just as we collaborate,” he said. “But we’re also talking about how each operates as well. This levy would cover the broad spectrum of both of our agencies and what we do to support this county.”
Enderby hopes the levy can help retain staff and hire new people with competitive wages. Currently, social workers at the council on aging start at $8.80 an hour.
“We’re blessed to have people who have a heart to love our seniors. But I can’t guarantee that will always be there,” she said. “We have to be prepared for that. We have to get the best we can and do the best we can for our seniors and kids.”
