Some information about the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities Levy, which will be on the ballot on Nov. 8.

On Nov. 8, Licking County voters will have the opportunity to do three things:

• Renew an existing 1-mill levy supporting the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities (LCBDD), that has been in place since 1987
• Change the term of that levy from five years to continuing
• Approve an additional 0.5-mills

What does that mean?

• The owner of a $100,000 home currently pays $30.03 a year for this levy. If approved, voters will pay $47.53 a year per $100,000 in valuation. That’s 13 cents per day, or an additional $17.50 per year.
• LCBDD is hopeful that with this additional millage, it will not have to return to the ballot for another eight to 10 years.
• Long-term financial stability will allow LCBDD to continue to offer early childhood and early intervention programs, employment support and adult services as the need for services in Licking County continues to grow.

What will this levy support?

• Early intervention services, which support children from birth to age 3 with developmental delays or diagnoses that could likely cause delays.
• Early childhood services — available to children ages 3 to 6 ­— including evaluation and intervention programs for children on the autism spectrum.
• Employment specialists that work with young adults to prepare them for employment after high school.
• A team of staff members dedicated to connecting adults with disabilities to resources and supporting them as they pursue their goals.
• LCBDD is not able to obtain state and federal funding — used to pay for transportation, housing and day programs — without local dollars to match.

By the numbers

• LCBDD supports more than 1,500 individuals and their families each year.
• The amount of money LCBDD spends per person is the seventh lowest in the state of Ohio. That provides the base LCBDD needs to keep the people it supports healthy and safe. Individuals get the services they need in the most efficient, yet effective, way.
• Administrative costs make up less than 9 percent of LCBDD’s  annual operating budget
• Since 2002, LCBDD has absorbed $1.9 million in revenue reductions by leveraging existing funds and creating community partnerships.
• Over the past 10 years, LCBDD has seen the number of people it supports increase 38 percent while its operating budget has only increased 2.35 percent.
• By partnering with 178 independent providers and nearly 40 agencies, LCBDD has been able to provide ongoing support while spending taxpayer dollars effectively.
• Before the 2014 election, the last time LCBDD asked voters for additional mills was 1987.

LCBDD Levy History

About 76 percent of LCBDD’s operating budget comes from two levies, which currently generate 2.6 total mills.

• The first is a 1.6-mill continuing levy, which was most recently passed in 2014.
• The second levy is the one voters will see on the ballot on Nov. 8. The  1-mill, five-year levy  was originally passed in May 1987 and will expire at the end of 2016, continuing to fund services through 2017.

How will this affect my taxes?