Clay County, Missouri Passes a Children's Fund!
On the August 8, 2017 Clay County, Missouri ballot, voters levied a one quarter cent sales tax to establish a community children's services fund. Clay County is the 9th county in Missouri to establish a children's fund, making the state a leader in locally-generated child and youth services funding. The bipartisan effort that led to the establishment of Clay County's fund is one of several recent examples of the power of children's issues to mobilize and unite voters. You can
read news coverage of the August 8th vote here or click the infograph (at left) to enlarge.
Licking County, Ohio to Vote on Children's Services Levy as Tool to Respond to Opioid Epidemic
On November 7, 2017, voters in Licking County (Newark), Ohio will decide whether to levy additional property taxes to generate an estimated $3.97 million annually for Licking County Children's Services. The current levy generates approximately $3.8 million annually for services to care for abused or neglected children in Licking County, but the rapidly rising number of these children
has led to a budget deficit. As the effects of the opioid crisis escalate in Licking County, the number of children requiring foster care, adoption and treatment services has risen dramatically - up 24 percent since January 1, 2017. Children effected by the opioid crisis may not only need foster care or adoption placement and counseling services, but may also require additional addiction and mental health treatment services that are
highly specialized and expensive. Proponents of the children's levy ballot measure hope that Licking County citizens will vote 'Yes' on levying a tax to care for and support the health and well-being of the county's kids and youth.
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