Commissioners Expected to Vote on Resolution December 9 to Help Fiscal Emergency

After more than two decades of careful budgeting and financial planning, the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Butler DD) requested placement of a 2.0-mill continuing levy on the May 2026 primary ballot. The request was presented by Superintendent Lee Ann Emmons during the Butler County Commissioners’ regular meeting on Tuesday, December 2.

The proposed levy would generate $26.4 million annually and would cost $70 annually per property valued at $100,000 or roughly $5.83/month. A vote by the County Commissioners is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9 at 9:30am at the County Administration Building, 315 High Street, Hamilton.

“This request reflects both the urgency of our current financial situation and the strength of our long-term commitment to the people we serve,” said Emmons. “We are not asking to expand services—we are asking to preserve what already exists for more than 4,200 Butler County residents with developmental disabilities.”

In September 2025, Butler DD declared a fiscal emergency, citing financial forecasts that show expenditures will exceed local tax revenue by early 2027. At the heart of the challenge is a dramatic increase in demand for Medicaid waiver services—federally mandated supports that cannot be denied to eligible recipients. Since the Board’s last successful levy request in 2004, the number of individuals supported through waivers has increased by 380%.

Butler DD’s revenue has remained stagnant over that period, limited by the absence of inside millage and the use of property valuation frozen at early-2000s levels. Despite inflation and escalating service costs, the Board has not asked voters for new funding in over two decades.

“Over the last 21 years, we’ve taken every step possible to stretch local dollars,” Emmons said. “We transitioned day program services to community providers, consolidated facilities, reduced our workforce, and even returned $7.2 million to taxpayers at the request of county officials during the pandemic. However, we have now reached the point where further reductions would directly impact the safety, health, and well-being of those we serve.”

The proposed 2.0-mill levy would stabilize operations and sustain existing programs, including early intervention, residential supports, employment services, transportation, and family supports. If approved, the levy would allow Butler DD to continue meeting its legal obligations while providing essential, community-based supports for individuals throughout their lifespan.

“We take very seriously the responsibility that comes with public funding,” said Emmons. “We are committed to transparency, accountability, and ensuring that every dollar directly supports people in our community.”

About the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities

The Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities provides life-long supports to more than 4,200 residents with developmental disabilities so they can successfully live, work, and learn in their communities. Services are delivered through a network of partner agencies or directly by the Board. The agency’s primary funding source is local property tax levies. Butler DD was last on the ballot in 2004.