As Delaware County keeps growing, three county-wide agencies are sending tax levies to the November ballot.
Delaware County Transit is placing a 0.2% sales tax levy before voters; the Delaware County Board
of Developmental Disabilities is seeking a new 1.8-mill levy after its combo renewal and increase levy failed in May; and The Delaware-Morrow Mental Health & Recovery Services Board is seeking to renew its existing 1.5-mill levy with a 0.5-mill increase.
The Delaware County Commissioners on July 20 approved placing the disabilities board's levy on the Nov. 3 general election ballot and the Delaware County Transit’s Board of Directors voted July 15 to place the sales tax on the same ballot.
Neither Delaware County Transit or the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health & Recovery Services Board needed approval from the Delaware County Commissioners to place the levies on November ballot, Jane Hawes, the spokesperson for the commissioners, told The Dispatch July 23.
If the developmental disabilities board's 1.8-mill five year levy passes, it will cost property owners $63 per year for $100,000 of appraised property value. It would collect about $25.4 million annually, the board's spokesperson Chase Waits told The Dispatch via email July 21.
The county board in May sought a renewal of its 2-mill levy, which expires Dec. 31, as well as a 0.7-mill increase for five years. But voters narrowly rejected it 50.69% to 49.31% – a difference of 552 votes, according to official results from the Delaware County Board of Elections. The new levy request would replace that expiring levy.
If Delaware County Transit's permanent sales tax levy is approved, the agency estimates the sales tax could generate $10.5 million annually, Volenik told The Dispatch July 23. The revenue would be used to enhance the agencies existing services within Delaware, Sunbury and Galena; provide service to Powell and Liberty and Orange townships; and expand rural service throughout the county, according to a news release.
Delaware County is one of the fastest growing counties in the Buckeye State, and the agency's ridership has grown. Since 2021, ridership has increased 174%. In 2025, more than 200,000 trips were logged and the agency anticipates hitting at least 215,000 trips in 2026, according to the release.
Volenik said while the agency provides services well enough, but they don't do it well enough across the board. The sales tax levy would change that.
"This empowers us to provide more service to more communities over more hours and more days than we've ever done before," Volenik said.
The mental health and recovery services proposed renewal and increase would cost homeowners approximately $50 per $100,000 of appraised property value annually. The levy is expected to generate $23 million annually, the board's Executive Director Deanna Brant said.
The increase will ensure the board can "keep pace with rising costs, growing demand, and the evolving behavioral health needs of both counties," according to the agency's website.
Provider agencies could be forced to reduce capacity or close – resulting in waitlists, service disruptions and higher public costs – without the renewal.
"Renewing the levy will stabilize the system, allow the Board to plan for the future, and prevent deeper cuts to this essential safety net," the board's website says.
Delaware County and eastern Columbus suburbs reporter Maria DeVito can be reached at mdevito@dispatch.com and @mariadevito13.dispatch.com on Bluesky and @MariaDeVito13 on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Three Delaware County levies head to voters amid area's rapid growth
