Complete Story
04/08/2026
New Defiance Board of DD tax levy goes before voters
Wendy Bryant Scheurich
The Defiance County Board of Developmental Disabilities is asking voters to approve a new property tax levy this spring.
The 2-mill continuing levy that will be decided on May 5 is expected to generate $2,758,064 annually, if it passes, according to Good Samaritan Superintendent Heidi Hull.
A continuing levy is a permanent levy, one voters will not renew periodically. Also, a Board of DD levy does not automatically adjust as property values increase as some levies (inside millage) do, but stays at the same level as when voted in, according to Hull.
“As an agency that does not receive inside millage, our levy revenue has stayed flat for the past 15 years while our expenses have increased,” she said.
If approved, the new levy would begin on Jan. 1 and cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 $70 per year.
The agency currently has three continuing levies in place: a 1.9-mill that passed in 2010 (1.22 effective mills), a 0.85-mill that passed in 2007 (0.53 effective millage), and a 1-mill that passed in 1991 (0.45 effective millage), that in total break down to a cost of $60.62 for a homeowner whose home is appraised at $99,800, said Hull.
“If our levy passes, this will add an additional $70 per year for a 100,000 home, bringing the total to $130.62,” she explained.
About expenses, that have increased, she said: “Among some of the most valuable services we provide is support for adult individuals who live in the communities of Defiance County. The direct support professionals who provide this crucial care received a long overdue wage increase to allow them to work for a living wage. This increase is one of the many factors that contributed to our rising expenses.”
Asked what the levy will be used for, Hull said it will support Early Intervention services for children from birth through age 3, which include speech, occupational and physical therapy services, as well as a service coordinator and a developmental specialist for each family.
Too, the levy will help support Good Samaritan School. She said the school receives funds from public school districts and the state, but it usually operates at a deficit so the levy funds are used to supplement the school and state funds.
And also, the levy will help to support some 250 individuals of all ages who receive a variety of financial support for disability-related needs, she said. Some of the services provided include sensory equipment, home modifications, assistance with budgeting, grocery shopping, hygiene needs, community employment support and transportation to appointments and other community locations.
Asked how the agency is meeting these needs today, she said: “We are utilizing a combination of federal, state and local funds. We budget conservatively and only approve necessary expenses for the operation of our agency.”
In addition, grant funds that are received occasionally helps the agency do more for the families.
If the levy does not pass, she said, “We will try to maintain as best we can through conservation and best use of resources. Ultimately, we may have to trim back programs, but that will be decided by the board.”
She added: “We remain hopeful that we will receive the community support, as Defiance County has always been great about recognizing the need for the services we provide.”