The number of people served by the Hamilton County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities increased from 3,583 in 1999 to 5,185 last year, a 45 percent jump.

As a result of this growth, the agency is asking voters to approve a 3.62-mill levy Tuesday.

All but a small fraction of that levy is a replacement of the existing levy. The tax would be based on current property values instead of five-year-old property values. There is no organized opposition.

The levy would generate $338 million over five years, an increase of $75.4 million. That's $41 million less than the agency requested in its levy proposal to county commissioners.

"We really needed more money than was approved," said Jenny Dexter, agency spokeswoman. "Most of the services we provide are mandated by state law."

Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich supports the levy, even though he voted against placing it on the ballot. The only reason he voted against it, he said, was because it was paired with a Drake Center levy.

Heimlich believes Drake wastes money. But he likes the way the Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities operates.

"They're using the money to meet the needs of the client," he said.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com