Issue 1 is a replacement levy that increases a current tax set to expire next year to 3.9 mills. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $136 a year. Cuyahoga County Councilman Dan Brady chairs the Health and Human Services Committee. He says the levy became necessary after last year’s county property re-evaluations lowered revenues.

“We found that we were not going to be able to bring in enough money to sustain services at the current level and decided we would be proactive and go to the ballot this fall instead of next spring, when we would normally be up for renewal.”

Brady says the lower property values will cost health and human services programs $50 million over two years. The replacement increase would bring in more than $107 million to help close the gap. Brady says about 250,000 families use the services each year, and drastic cuts will be made if the levy fails.

Besides Issue 1, Cuyahoga County voters will consider a Cleveland Metroparks levy renewal and increase, and a Port Authority levy renewal.