Facts about the Family Services & Treatment Levy
Issue 4
The Family Services and Treatment Levy funds programs essential to supporting treatment and reducing crime. These programs are instrumental in moving people from incarceration back into the community; moving women involved in prostitution off the streets; and supporting neighborhood efforts to help ordinary people solve problems related to drugs and violence. The levy provides judges with alternatives at sentencing so that people who need help can be given treatment instead of being sent to jail.
- Most of the programs in the levy are currently funded as part of the Health and Hospitalization Levy commonly referred to as the Drake Levy. The Drake Levy will expire but it is essential that these programs continue with funding provided by the Family Services and Treatment levy.
- This levy will not raise taxes. In fact, this levy will be 50% less than the previous levy that funded these services.
- The .34 mill levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $10.09.
Why Should People Vote for the Levy
Funding treatment programs has numerous benefits:
- reduces the burden on the jail by diverting non violent offenders from jail
- provides judges with alternatives at sentencing so that people who need help can be given treatment instead of being sent to jail
- treatment is effective and reduces recidivism
- less time is spent in a treatment program than jail which reduces the financial cost
- provides for neighborhood based prevention services that reduce teenage drug and alcohol use
What Happens if the Levy Fails
- Treatment services will not be provided to those with critical needs
- Already dealing with a perilous budget situation, Hamilton County will have to spend more money housing these nonviolent offenders, diverting needed funds from other basic services.
- The Hamilton County jail system will become even more overburdened with non violent offenders who can benefit from drug and alcohol and mental health treatment.
