Homeowners in Indian Hill, Madeira, Mariemont, Terrace Park, and Sycamore Township could see their children's services property tax bill jump from about $81 to $154 per $100,000 in home value if Hamilton County commissioners place a proposed levy increase on the November ballot.

The county's Tax Levy Review Committee is recommending a 5.57-mills levy that would generate roughly $144 million per year, nearly doubling the $81 million the current levy brings in. That current levy, approved by voters in 2021, expires at the end of 2026.

More than 13,000 children in Hamilton County received levy-funded services last year, including child abuse and neglect investigations, foster care support, and safe shelter placements, according to county officials who spoke at a public hearing Wednesday, July 15.

Why the increase

The money gap is stark. The levy's reserve balance dropped from about $149.7 million in 2022 to $41.9 million by the end of 2025, according to a February 2026 report by Public Consulting Group commissioned by the county. Total expenditures for Job and Family Services rose from $98.4 million in 2021 to $180.4 million in 2025. Out-of-home care costs alone nearly doubled in that span, climbing from $50.4 million to $97.3 million.

John Nelson, interim director of Hamilton County Job and Family Services, pointed to placement costs as a key driver.

"We have seen the cost of placement, whether it be with kinship, foster, residential treatment or group home, go up significantly over the last five years," Nelson said.

What a failed levy means locally

Even if the levy fails, the county is legally required to fund children's services. County Administrator Jeff Aluotto said about 75% of the general fund supports public safety and judicial operations. He warned that a levy failure "would have absolute major impacts across all levels, all areas of county government," forcing the county to redirect general fund dollars and squeeze other services.

Commissioner Denise Driehaus called the decision one of the most important in her nine-year tenure. All three commissioners acknowledged the increase is a significant ask for homeowners.

For east-side village families, the math scales with home value. A home assessed at $500,000 would pay roughly $770 per year under the proposed levy, up from about $405 under the current rate. Hamilton County's current $81 per $100,000 is the lowest among peer Ohio counties; Cuyahoga County homeowners pay $130.55, Franklin County $110.16, and Lucas County $109.88, according to the Public Consulting Group report.

What happens next

Commissioners will hold a special meeting Monday, August 3, to decide what levy, if any, goes on the November ballot. The 2021 levy passed with 58% of the vote at 4.75 mills; the proposed replacement would be 5.57 mills.

The full Tax Levy Review Committee report is available on the Hamilton County government website.