The Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities recently wrapped up another meaningful Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March. Throughout the month, we connected with our community by visiting local schools, partnering with libraries, and sharing a simple but powerful message: when we include people of all abilities, our entire community grows stronger.
As we move into spring, you may also notice CCBDD on the ballot this May. We are asking voters to consider a 1.5-mill, five-year property tax levy. For a homeowner, that equates to about $52.50 annually for every $100,000 of property value.
We understand the timing is far from ideal. Many residents are already concerned about rising taxes, and we share that concern. If there were another option, we would take it. Our current funding comes from three continuing levies, the oldest dating back to 1982 and the most recent to 2001. While those levies total 5.5 mills on paper, the way Ohio’s tax system works means we actually collect closer to 2.15 mills. In short, as property values increase, our revenue does not keep pace.
For years, we have worked to manage these challenges without asking for additional support. We have partnered to share services with neighboring counties, reduced staffing where possible, and trimmed budgets carefully to avoid impacting the people we serve. At the same time, the cost of providing services has continued to rise. Today, we support more than 450 individuals in Champaign County from early childhood through the end of life; and we fund roughly 35% of the Medicaid services that help people live and work in our communities. In 2020, we served 132 adults and we are now serving 199 adults. We are seeing similar increases across all of our service lines. And like every organization, we are also navigating increases in healthcare, wages, and everyday operating costs.
Despite these pressures, our mission remains unchanged: to promote independence and create pathways to success for the individuals and families we serve.
If you would like to learn more about the levy or the work we do, we invite you to attend our upcoming open house on April 14, 2026, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 224 Patrick Avenue in Urbana. Our staff will be available to answer questions and provide tours. If you’re unable to attend, you are always welcome to reach out directly.
An informed community is a stronger community, and we appreciate your time, your questions, and your consideration.
More Info