Levy Information - November 3, 2026 Election
On November 3, 2026, Delaware County voters will be asked to consider a 1.8 mill levy to fund the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities (DCBDD). Our 2.0 mill levy expired on December 31, 2025 and final collections of that levy end on December 31, 2026.
This levy will continue funding essential services that support over 2,300 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families throughout Delaware County. Our mission is to inspire, empower, and support people to achieve their full potential, and levy funds are critical in achieving that objective.
People supported by DCBDD have a wide variety of developmental disabilities, such as autism, blindness, cerebral palsy, deafness, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, muscular dystrophy, Prader-Willi syndrome, seizure disorder, spina bifida, traumatic brain injury – any condition that occurs during the developmental period and results in lifelong disabilities.
Why County Boards of Developmental Disabilities Exist and How Our Funding Works
- Parents of children with developmental disabilities led the grassroots movement that resulted in the county board system in Ohio. They wanted more for their children who had been excluded from public schools. They wanted to avoid their children being institutionalized, which was the common practice at the time.
- In 1960, after decades of advocacy by parents and families, the Horn Report recommended that a county-based system be established in Ohio to serve people with developmental disabilities.
- In 1967, Ohio’s 88 county boards were officially established by the Ohio General Assembly through Amended Senate Bill 169.
- Unique to Ohio, county boards were established specifically to fund services through local and county-specific property tax levies.
- In the early 2000s, Ohio designated county boards as local Medicaid administrative authorities. Local levy dollars are statutorily required to fund the Medicaid match for direct services, which is DCBDD’s largest budget driver.
- Levy revenue provides the mandatory local share that has to be paid before the federal Medicaid dollars can be accessed. Every levy dollar paid toward Medicaid match is effectively leveraging additional federal money for waiver services for people with developmental disabilities.
Who Levy Funds Support
Local levy funding helps provide essential services for over 2,300 people in Delaware County such as:
- Early Intervention (birth through 2):
- Coaching and developmental supports for infants and toddlers with developmental delays, helping children build skills and preparing families for long-term success
- Service and Support Administration (case management):
- Partners with individuals, their families, and service providers to plan, coordinate, and monitor services that support health, safety, independence, and community participation
- Family Support Services
- Provides person-centered and family-centered supports that help individuals with developmental disabilities participate in their communities and maintain family stability
Local levy dollars are statutorily required to fund the Medicaid match, which is DCBDD’s largest budget driver, and fund the following services:
- Personal care and daily living supports, like assistance with bathing, getting dressed, cooking meals, and toileting
- Employment and job retention supports, such as skills training and on-site coaching
- Home accessibility and safety modifications, including ramps, transfer lifts, and hand controls for vehicles
- Transportation and community participation supports to remove barriers that many people face in being a part of all that Delaware County has to offer
With the right supports, people with developmental disabilities:
- Live personally fulfilling lives
- Work in local businesses
- Volunteer in the community
- Participate in recreation and civic life
These supports promote independence while strengthening families and the broader community.
Why This Levy Is Needed Now
Our 2.0 mill levy, originally passed in 2011, expired on December 31, 2025, and collections for that levy will end on December 31, 2026. The new 1.8 mill levy would begin on January 1, 2027. Stable local funding helps ensure services remain available both now and in the future.
What is Being Requested?
Levy Type: 1.8 mills
Length: 5 years
Estimated Cost:
$63.00 per year per $100,000 of home value
Approximately $5.25 per month per $100,000 of the Auditor’s appraised value
DCBDD’s levy is approximately 2.5% of the average homeowner’s total property tax bill.
What Happens if the Levy Doesn't Pass
- Elimination of Early Intervention program for children birth to 3
- Elimination of Family Support Services program
- All new Medicaid waiver enrollment will be suspended
- Development and implementation of employee reduction/layoff plan
- Elimination of Advocacy Grant program and Accessibility Grant program
- Elimination of rent subsidy program for adults supported by DCBDD
- Elimination of psychological evaluation services
- Reduced contribution to the Delaware County Guardianship Services Board
- Elimination of contribution to the Delaware County Family & Children First Council
Stewardship and Accountability
Local levy dollars allow DCBDD to leverage significant state and federal Medicaid funding, maximizing the impact of local investment. DCBDD operates under extensive state and federal oversight and is committed to responsible fiscal management.
Accountability measures include:
- Annual independent financial audits
- State compliance reviews
- Five year financial forecasting
- Continuous performance and service monitoring
Over the past few years, DCBDD has implemented the following cost-savings measures, resulting in a savings of over $5.3 million.
- Transitioned to Summit Housing as DCBDD’s specialized housing partner
- Modernized our locally-funded services program into the Family Support Services program
- Relocated from 7991 Columbus Pike to 149 North Sandusky Street, a building owned by Delaware County
- Contracted with Delaware County IT Services
- Decreased Early Intervention Core Team contracts
- Transition from being self-insured to commercial insurance
- Not backfilling vacant non-mandated positions
DCBDD has worked to stretch every levy dollar we have as far as possible, providing incredible value to Delaware County taxpayers. However, our Medicaid waiver costs have increased in recent years, the number of people who are seeking services has increased, and our 2.0 levy has been collecting at 2011 property tax assessment values – DCBDD can not continue to provide the same level of service or even meet our mandated financial obligations without a new levy.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Ohio law requires tax reduction factors (often called House Bill 920 reductions) to adjust the effective millage on existing levies so they generate approximately the same revenue they were originally approved to collect from existing property. Even though property values have increased, DCBDD has been receiving roughly the same revenue from our now expired 2.0 mill levy as we did when it first passed in 2011, with the exception of new construction, because that property was not part of the original levy calculation.
Yes. Levy funds may only be used to support eligible services for Delaware County residents.
No. The new Shared Services building is a Delaware County project and DCBDD levy funds are not involved in the construction or maintenance of the building.
This levy would replace the expired 2.0 mill levy that stops collecting on 12/31/26.
Election Information
Election Day: November 3, 2026
For voting locations, early voting, or absentee ballot information, please visit the Delaware County Board of Elections website.
Levy Estimator
To see what a proposed levy will cost you, go to the Delaware County Auditor’s website and click on “Property Search”, then key in your name, address or parcel number. Click on the “Levy” tab on the banner at the top of the page and all proposed levies that will apply to your property for the upcoming election will be displayed there.
Learn More
Community members who would like additional information about DCBDD services or levy funding may contact:
Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
📞 740.201.5866
🌐 [email protected]