Title
To recognize and endorse the passage of Issue 4, the 10 year 3.1 Mill replacement with reduction property tax levy for Franklin County Children Services.
Body
WHEREAS, Franklin County Children Services helps more than 28,000 abused and neglected children each year by investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect, providing voluntary or court-ordered protective services to families whose children can remain safely in their own homes, helping parents resolve their family problems and placing children in temporary foster care or permanent adoptive homes when necessary; and
WHEREAS, during the past four years, the number of investigations of alleged child abuse and neglect has remained constant at about 11,000 a year; yet, by providing more "front door" services, Children Services has made it possible for more of these children to remain at home with their families; and
WHEREAS, by providing more effective and less intrusive services to children and families, and with its successful efforts to more prudently use taxpayer dollars, Children Services has been able to hold its spending increases to less than 1 percent a year over that past five years; and
WHEREAS, the 3.10 mill replacement with reduction property tax levy on the November 3 ballot will replace a 3.15 mill levy that expires at the end of 2009; and even though the 3.10 mill levy may not fully meet the agency's needs, Children Services has made a commitment to live within the income that will be generated, to efficiently manage the agency and to provide high-quality services to families and children without coming back to voters until 2014; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council hereby endorses the passage of the 3.1 mill replacement with reduction property tax levy on the November 3, 2009 general election ballot for the support of Franklin County Children Services and the care and placement of abused, neglecte...
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