Lucas County Children’s Services is asking voters to approve Issue 30, a $1.8 million levy.

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Lucas County Children’s Services is asking voters to approve Issue 30: a five-year, $1.8 million levy that would generate approximately $13.5 million. LCCS Public Information Officer Kevin Milliken said the agency is asking for new money to pay for new federal regulations and cover rising costs.

“Issue 30 is a necessity,” Milliken said. “Our costs of housing the children in our care have increased dramatically. They amounted to about $9 million per year over a three-year period. But because of some new federal regulations, it rose to $21.5 million this year.”

If passed, the fee would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $52.50 per year. This is in addition to the two previously enacted LCCS fees that property owners currently pay.

Issue 30 is based on 2024 property values ​​rather than the 2025 property values ​​released by the Lucas County Assessor earlier this year; The tax will be based on the 2024 value of the property for as long as the levy is in effect.

Dr. Hope Bland, the agency’s director of diversity, equity, inclusion and strategy, said these new rules help strengthen prevention.

“The goal of prevention is to keep jobs, it’s really to keep families out of our system,” Bland said.

Milliken said prevention can help reduce costs in the long run.

“It’s really an investment because if we don’t take these steps now, they could become a drain on society as part of social services for life,” he said.

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