MANSFIELD — The fate of at-risk children in Richland County is in the hands of voters asked to renew a property tax levy that benefits Richland County Children Services. 

The 10-year, 1-mill property tax levy generates about $2.3 million annually for RCCS and provides funds for the support of children services and the care, protection and placement of abused, neglected and dependent children. 

As a renewal, the levy would not cost local property owners additional taxes. The levy was first approved in 1984 and is due to expire at the end of 2024; the first collections of the renewal would come in 2025 and end in 2033. 

Tax was most recently approved in 2013

The levy was last on the ballot in 2013, when 58 percent of county voters approved it as a replacement issue. RCCS also has a second 1-mill, 10-year levy, last approved in 2018 by 59 percent of local voters.

According to RCCS Executive Director Nikki Harless, the renewal levy would be based on a homeowner’s 2013 property taxes, and would not increase just because property taxes have increased. 

“Children are the most vulnerable population in Richland County,” Harless said. “We’re all in this together for their wellbeing, their permanency and their protection.” 

Two of the agency’s biggest costs are salaries and the cost of placing children that come into RCCS custody, Harless said. The agency investigates around 1,200 reports of abuse and neglect of children annually.

“We employ about 50 caseworkers; intake workers go out and investigate, and ongoing workers create a case plan with the family and provide supportive services,” Harless said. 

“We also have about 100 voluntary cases where people work with us voluntarily without getting the court involved,” she continued. “This includes counseling services, parenting classes, and support such as clothing, rent, utilities and other things to keep kids safe in their home.” 

Temporary custody costs now around $10K per day

Currently, the agency has about 140 children in temporary custody, and provides supportive services to those children and the families who have stepped up to take care of them. This costs around $10,000 a day, Harless said. 

The agency has also paid for representation of grandparents in domestic relations court and juvenile court to gain custody of their grandchildren. 

“I don’t know that there’s another children’s services in Ohio that does that for families,” Harless said. “We want to be able to do that for grandparents that don’t have the money for the legal fees to do that.” 

She added the levy also allows RCCS to “pull down” federal and state funding, meaning the loss of the levy would mean the loss of those dollars.

RCCS began 2023 with an $8.9 million carryover, according to agency board meeting minutes from January, which is projected to decline to $6.9 million by the end of the year.

The agency’s budget, approved by its board in November, calls for revenues of $11.4 million with expenses of $13.4 million.

In 2022, RCCS received 46 percent of its funding from the federal government and 17 percent from the state government, with another 37 percent coming through local tax dollars.