By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Drake Center declared a first-round victory Friday in its effort to land a double-digit levy increase.

A Hamilton County commissioners' advisory committee recommended the long-term acute-care hospital be allowed to ask voters for $94 million over the next five years. That would be $5 million less than Drake requested but still a 32 percent increase over its current levy, which expires at year's end.

"I think we were recognized for our community value," hospital Chief Executive Officer Roberta Bradford said Friday. "Drake has been validated, at least by the Tax Levy Review Committee."

The levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home roughly $30 a year - up from about $24 a year - if approved by the commissioners this summer and by voters in November.

The committee's support was not unanimous, however. In fact, only three of the seven members voted for the $94 million levy recommendation at a meeting Thursday. Two voted against it, one abstained because of a conflict of interest, and the chairman didn't vote by tradition.

Drake has taken jabs from committee Chairman Chris Finney, member Kevin Martin - a surgeon - and others who object that its skilled nursing facility costs far more to operate than similar private operations. Martin proposed giving Drake no levy at all, saying it would send a wake-up call that the agency needs to get serious about cutting expenses.

"Will they go bankrupt; will they go out of business? Absolutely not," he said. "Will it kill people? No."

Even those who supported the levy had concerns. Committee member David Cook criticized Drake's refusal to divulge its growth plans, saying tax-supported agencies must be more open. But ultimately, Cook said, Drake is a safety net for Hamilton County residents - one he doesn't want to risk by making arbitrary budget cuts.

"Show me the numbers and I'll vote for the most-effective system," he said. "But I'm not going to vote for 'probably.' "

Wendell Hawkins joined Martin in voting against the $94 million, five-year recommendation, instead trying to sell his fellow committee members on a two- or three-year levy to give the county time to figure out how to get more control over Drake's operations, he said.

Thursday's marathon six-hour committee meeting also produced a recommendation for a $356 million, five-year levy for the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities board. The amount, approved 5-1, was $25 million less than requested but still a 35 percent increase. More than 5,000 mentally retarded residents get housing, schooling and jobs through MRDD - 40 percent more than received help five years ago.

The MRDD levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $100 a year, up from $75 now.

The levy committee will meet Monday to finalize its recommendations to county commissioners, who have the final say on whether levies go on the ballot and at what amount.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com