Franklin County senior services levy up for renewal on general election ballot
Franklin County voters will decide on the general election ballot whether to renew the five-year senior services property tax levy, which provides services and programs to about 60,000 seniors to help them maintain living at home.
The 1.75-mill levy generates a total of about $50.3 million a year to fund the county Office on Aging's Senior Options program, which provides residents 60 and older with services such as home-delivered meals, transportation to and from medical appointments, adult day care, temporary relief for their home caregivers and emergency response buttons.
"We're so thrilled that we can offer these services at the county," said former Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown, who co-chairs the levy support committee with NAACP Columbus Branch President Nana Watson.
"Especially during the (COVID-19) pandemic, (the levy funding) was essential. Everyone was so isolated," Brown said. "Meals on Wheels was out there, giving food to people and … checking up on them. It was an essential thing to have contact with many of these seniors, who had no other contact because neighbors, friends and families couldn't see them."
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Homeowners currently pay about $41 per year for each $100,000 of assessed property value, said Zak Talarek, director of the county Office of Management and Budget. Because the levy is a renewal, taxes would not increase, but they wouldn't return to previous levels because they would be based on current property assessments.
"It's minor in many ways; people are already used to paying it," Brown said.
The current levy was originally approved by at least 84% of voters in 2017.
In the 30 years since Franklin County voters first adopted a senior services levy, it has passed with at least 71% of the vote all but once. In 2012, 63% of voters approved the measure.
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But while voters have largely supported the levy for the past three decades, Brown said she is somewhat concerned this time might be different. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, she noted property owners are already strapped for cash because of the effect of rising costs of food, gas and other goods on household budgets, and voters already having gone to the polls twice this year.
"I'm always concerned about voter turnout," she said. "It should be that every election is important enough that voters come out and vote the whole ballot, but that's not been the case. We've already had two primaries."
If the levy doesn't pass, Brown said, "all of those services would go away, which is unthinkable. Those particular services are funded solely by Senior Options, and that would be unfortunate."
What is Franklin County Senior Options, and what services does it offer?
The county Office on Aging's Senior Options program is a "one-stop shop" for Franklin County residents 60 and older who need services and information about home-based and community care in order to maintain their independence. Services include:
Adult day care
Caregiver relief (respite care)
Case management
Emergency response systems
Home-delivered meals
Homemaker services
Information and advocacy
Medical transportation
Personal care
County residents age 60 and older are eligible to receive services. While there is a sliding fee scale, based on monthly income, almost 70% of participants don't pay a copay. To enroll, call (614) 525-6200 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays or fill out an online referral form.
Advance voting began Wednesday. Voters can vote early in-person from now until Monday, Nov. 7 at the Franklin County Board of Elections office at 1700 Morse Road, Columbus. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays through Oct. 28; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 29 and Nov. 5; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1-4; 1-5 p.m. Nov. 6; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 7.
Voters may also request an absentee ballot until noon Nov. 5. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 7.
Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Election Day, Nov. 8.
nshuda@dispatch.com
@NathanielShuda
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Franklin County voters will consider senior services levy renewal
