Columbiana officials seek new child services levy

By D.A. Wilkinson

The board of elections was unfamiliar with part of the plan.

LISBON — Columbiana County commissioners have placed a 1.5-mill levy on the November ballot to benefit neglected children.

The tax, if approved, would bring in about $2.2 million a year.

Eileen Dray-Bardon, director of the county’s Department of Job Family Services, said the county is already collecting a 0.75-mill levy that brings close to $900,000 a year.

The problem, she told the commissioners Wednesday, is: “Our expenses are greatly exceeding our finances.”

A similar measure was defeated in the March primary by 62 percent of the voters.

But Dray-Bardon said the problem is getting worse.

The funding pays for residential programs, foster homes and services to children. Congress has frozen payments to counties for services at 1996 payment rates.

“That’s driving our local obligation up. This is a trend that is getting worse,” she said.

People would be shocked at how some adults have abused their children, she added.

While the national economy has soured, Dray-Bardon said she believes county residents will take care of the abused and neglected children.

One quirk in the proposal is that Dray-Bardon said that the old levy would not be collected if the new one is passed.

Government entities have a variety of ways to seek levies, which can only be collected for the amount approved by voters and are either limited for a set period — generally five years — or are continuous.

Dray-Bardon said that if the new levy passes, she will be able to stop the collection of the old one.

The proposed issue, if approved, would be first collected in 2009 based on 2008’s tax rates.

Dray-Bardon said county Auditor Nancy Milliken told her that collections could be stopped on the old levy.

The existing levy was approved in 2000 and was renewed in 2004.

Milliken could not be reached.

Lois Gall, deputy director of the county board of election, said she was unaware of governmental agencies stopping collections in midcollection.

Gall said she would have to research the issue.

wilkinson@vindy.com