Dear Families and Friends of Morrow DD,
The County Commissioners have approved placing a replacement levy on the November 2025 ballot for Morrow County citizens with developmental disabilities. If passed, this replacement would bring the county’s only levy for people with developmental disabilities up to current property values. This levy was replaced in 2014 and its effective value has dropped significantly over the years. The replacement levy will cost taxpayers $96 per year, ($8.00/month or $0.26/day) per $100,000 of a property’s appraised value. Replacing this levy is an increase of less than $2.93 per month or $0.10 per day for every $100,000 of the property’s appraised value.
Levies are necessary to ensure the county can meet the lifelong needs of residents with developmental disabilities. Morrow County DD has had limited local funding since the loss of two 5-year term levies over 20 years ago. Limited funding creates constant challenges and very difficult decisions as we strive to ensure safety and well-being and meet the growing needs of people with developmental disabilities. This long-term reduction in local funding has increased hardships on people with developmental disabilities, their families and caretakers. Insufficient local funding means more people must wait, often for years, without needed supports. It means many people are often barely able to get by and sadly, it can also mean people end up in crisis or emergency situations.
Residential and Day Service Providers are essential!
Levy funds are needed for all services to ensure the health and wellbeing of people with developmental disabilities throughout the county 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. County boards provide the local matching funds needed for Medicaid services, like the residential, day and transportation services that service providers deliver every day. County boards send local funds to the state to reimburse service providers for the supports they provide. Direct Support Professionals are essential to the quality of life people deserve and they help to prevent abuse, neglect and other tragedies that can affect people with developmental disabilities at higher rates than the general population.
Levy funds are also needed for Early Intervention, supports for children with complex needs, Supported Living for non-Medicaid services, Special Olympics, and other community supports. MorrowDD strives to ensure that efficiencies, transparency and accountability are integrated into everything we do. We have utilized one-time funding made available by the federal government to address some of our building and grounds maintenance, which allows us to maximize our local funding for services and supports. We have reached the point where we must ask our community to replace this levy to meet the growing needs of Morrow County residents with developmental disabilities. Currently, Ohio legislators are considering the elimination of replacement levies effective January 2026. If this happens, Morrow County would only be able to seek a new levy to raise additional funds for service needs as costs increase. County boards of developmental disabilities are not permitted to run levy campaigns directly and must rely on volunteer groups. Morrow Abilities Partners (MAP) is a group of family members and volunteers who promote the social welfare of individuals in Morrow County with developmental disabilities and coordinate Morrow DD levy campaigns. For more information, you can visit their Facebook page.
There are many ways each of us can make a difference and contribute to our community. Please read the enclosed details regarding this levy and share a few copies with others. If you have questions or want more information, please contact us. You can also find more information on our website, www.MorrowDD.com and can help spread awareness by sharing our Facebook posts.
Respectfully,
Nancy Foglesong
Superintendent