Voters to Decide on Children's Service Renewal in November

The Clermont County Board of Commissioners has approved placing a renewal levy on the November ballot that would help fund the agency tasked with protecting the county’s children. 

Voters on November 3 will decide whether or not to support a renewal for five years.

This levy would generate around $3.6 million, while the expected annual costs for child care and placement is more than double that.

Dorothy Meier, director of Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, said the renewal will get them through to November 2027, but due to the uncertainty of child placement costs, they are unsure if they will be able to make it through the entire levy cycle.

“Renewal is only a band-aid,” Meier said. “We don’t know where we’re going to be [financially] next year and a renewal may not be enough.”  

Julie Toliver voiced her concern about the struggle to pass the levy at a recent commission meeting, saying the community needs to do better. 

“I’m really disappointed in our community for failing our children,” Toliver said. “My granddaughter is a victim of all of this mess, and so am I.”

CPS investigates reports of possible child abuse or neglect and finds care for children when necessary. This care can be in the form of foster care or kinship care, where CPS will look for safe relatives or family friends who can take care of the child. 

CPS services are government mandated and must be provided regardless of funding. 

“I’m required by law to do what I need to keep them safe,” Meier said.”It’s not a choice.” 

To separate a family permanently is the last resort, according to the agency. 

“If CPS were to not receive this levy renewal, then nonmandated programs meant to strengthen families and keep them together would have to be cut or limited,” Meier said.

The levy is not a popular issue among some Clermont County voters and has been rejected in the past, Meier said. 

“The far majority of issue ballots that were pulled were against the property tax renewal,” Meier said. 

The political atmosphere is far different than it has been in past years when the running levies on the ballot, according to Meier, and although voter concerns are being taken into account, without property tax funds, the drain on the community from taking from the general fund will be substantial.

“There will be tough calls on where that money comes from. Will it come from the prosecutor’s budget, water resources?” Meier said. “If you take away something that we provide, it creates a burden on the community.”

Final sample ballots, with levies as they will appear on the ballot on Election Day, are available 46 days before the election at their county auditor’s website. In Clermont County, that website can be found here.