BY ANNE MICHAUD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hamilton County commissioners reached a compromise Monday over the amount for a mental health levy on the November ballot: $27 million. That's a 35 percent increase over the local funding now received by the Community Mental Health Board to serve about 18,000 low-income residents each year.
The current tax levy, which expires this year, costs the owner of a $100,000 home $36.60 in property taxes annually. Commissioners are considering two options, increasing the homeowner cost to $53.55 or $46.44.
The first option is a replacement levy; the closest millage that does not fall below $27 million is 1.83 mill. It would raise about $29.4 million a year.
The second option is a renewal levy plus a 0.48-mill increase. It would raise $27.1 million annually.
Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus said a renewal levy is more straightforward wording.
Commissioner John Dowlin favors the replacement levy because it begins a new calculation with the current year, instead of relying on old levy amounts to calculate the total.
Commissioners said they will vote Wednesday on the ballot language.
Patrick Tribbe, executive director of the mental health board, had been seeking $27.2 million, but said he could likely make up the $200,000 gap with a state grant that rewards boards for reducing hospital stays.
The $27 million figure would allow the board to maintain current service levels through the life of the four-year levy to be proposed this fall, Mr. Tribbe said.
In other business Monday, commissioners:
Heard from County Treasurer Rob Goering that the county will earn about $5 million more in interest income than anticipated for 1998, or $19.1 million. He said his early estimate was conservative. Mr. Goering also said that Fernald, the former uranium processing plant, was about to pay him $100,000 owed for taxes.
Were told by James Harper, chief deputy prosecutor, that they cannot require pre-employment drug tests of all people. The tests must be limited to those whose jobs involve driving or other tasks where they would harm themselves if they were taking drugs or drinking alcohol.
Were brought up to date on the bill for making county computers Year 2000 compliant: $1.8 million instead of an earlier estimate of $1.6 million.
Received a briefing from ORSANCO, an interstate organization watching water quality on the Ohio River, that demonstrated a model for quick calculation of bacteria levels.
