Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities enters state of fiscal emergency
Makes deep cuts, prepares sustainability plan
On September 11, 2025, the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities approved a resolution and officially entered into a state of fiscal emergency – a response to projections indicating that financial obligations will far exceed revenues in the first quarter of 2027. Along with the declaration of fiscal emergency, BCBDD created a financial sustainability plan that included $2.1 million in savings and the expectation to place a levy issue on the May 2026 ballot.
BCBDD has operated on a 1-mill continuing levy passed in 2001 and a 2-mill levy passed in 2004 with no significant increase in collections. “For the past 21 years, we have worked diligently to honor the commitment that voters last made to us in 2004 to provide lifelong services to Butler County residents with developmental disabilities and their families,” said Lee Ann Emmons, Superintendent. “We intend to continue doing this very important work. I’m proud to work with a dedicated team that is so willing to pivot during this challenging time to ensure that our community continues to thrive.”
Cost saving measures, that largely begin in 2026, include adjustments to personnel/benefits resulting in over $1.5 million in savings. This includes but is not limited to:
• Reduced Work hours: All full-time staff will take a 2.5-hour reduction in working hours which results in a 6.67% decrease in pay.
• Raises and increases: All wage increases including cost of living adjustments are frozen.
• Promotions and vacancies: All promotions are frozen and all vacated positions will be scrutinized before posting.
Other cuts that impact services and supports resulted in over $330,000 in savings and additional nearly $250,000 was realized with non-personnel/benefits cuts.
BCBDD currently operates on a 2-mill property tax levy passed in 2000 and a 1-mill property tax levy passed in 2004. Without inside millage, the value of these mills have depreciated over time. In the year 2000, the average single-family home in Butler County was valued at around $113,000. Since then, the median single-family home has appreciated by 110% but BCBDD still collects on values determined when the levy was passed.
Meanwhile, expenses continue to climb. The single largest line item on BCBDD’s expenditures is waiver match expenses – funding so that people with developmental disabilities can safely live, work, and be a part of the community rather than spend their lives in an institution.
In 2004, when BCBDD’s most recent levy was passed, 250 Butler County residents received waiver-funded services. By the end of 2024, that number had climbed to a staggering 1,200.
Using a ten-year projection, BCBDD’s board has been closely monitoring the need to return to voters for several levy cycles. Considering expiring levies from other levy-funded social service agencies in Butler County, BCBDD has prolonged the inevitable. With commissioner approval, the Board expects to place a levy issue on the May 2026 ballot.