Issue 24: Mental health, addiction services tax increase projected to pass

The levy allows the Franklin County Alcohol Drug and Mental Health to prevent a projected $14 million deficit operating budget. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

Preliminary results show that Franklin County voters will approve Issue 24 — a property tax renewal and increase to fund mental health and drug and alcohol addiction programs — with 70.5 percent support with all precincts reported and only absentee ballots not received by boards of elections prior to Election Day to be counted. Ohio accepts absentee ballots 10 days after the election as long as they are postmarked by the Monday before the election. 

The vote increases the tax rate from $220 per $100,000 assessed property value to $285 per $100,000 assessed property value and will fund the Franklin County Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Board. The Franklin County Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Board supports 33 facilities throughout Franklin County. The board served more than 135,000 people in 2019, a 72 percent increase compared to 2014. The increased tax is expected to generate $81.6 million in total revenue. 

The levy allows the Franklin County Alcohol Drug and Mental Health to prevent a projected $14 million deficit operating budget. Approval of Issue 24 will increase overall state funding for mental health, drug and alcohol addiction programs. 

“We are grateful for the support ADAMH has received from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and the Human Services Levy Review Committee during this process,” board CEO Erika Clark Jones said in a July press release.

The Franklin Board of County Commissioners placed Issue 24 on the ballot after approval in July, according to Ballotpedia. 

Update: This article was updated Wednesday at 10:28 a.m. with voting data from all reporting election precincts.