editorial

Yes on county levies

Voters will face three county levies on the ballot November 3. Those who care about continuing human services especially critical in hard economic times should vote yes for these levies.

Issue 5, a 1.5-mills four-year renewal of the Greene County mental health levy, will not increase taxes. Supporters say the levy will allow the county agency to continue its current rate of services to residents with mental health issues, including crisis response, suicide prevention, youth services, drug and alcohol services, counseling, the Women’s Recovery Center and help for the homeless. State funding for mental health has been decreased, and a failure for this levy would mean 40 percent cuts and decreased services. These services provide a critical safety net for those in need.

Issue 6 is a 1-mill five-year levy to fund services for senior citizens in Greene County. The levy is a 0.8 mill replacement of an existing levy combined with a 0.2 increase that supporters say is the least increase necessary to continue the agency’s current level of service. In Yellow Springs, the failure of this levy would directly affect the home health care, homemaker and transportation services provided for local elders. These services allow village seniors to enjoy the quality of life that living in their own homes provides.

Issue 7 is a 1-mill, five-year operating levy that will fund the Greene County Public Library. It’s a renewal levy that will not increase taxes and maintains support for county libraries at 2005 levels. Even though the library has since 2001 suffered a dramatic decrease in state funding, it seeks only a replacement rather than an increase, given the difficult economy, supporters say. And that economic strife makes library services even more valuable than usual, as those services include computer access for job-seekers, early learning programs for children and books and DVDs for everyone.

Say yes to Issues 5, 6, and 7 on November 3.

—Diane Chiddister