Will County Voters To Decide On Question To Add Tax For Mental Health

WILL COUNTY, IL — Voters in Will County for the 2022 General Election will be asked if they will support a new tax for the creation of community mental health board.

The referendum that will appear on the ballot calls for a .05 percent tax on homeowners' equalized assessed value, or EAV, on their homes. That would amount to $50 on a home with a $100,000 EAV.

Here is the proposed referendum as it will read on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot:

Shall the County of Will levy an annual tax not to exceed .05% for the purpose of providing community mental heath facilities and services including facilities and services for the person with a developmental disability or a substance abuse disorder?

The Will County Board approved at its June 16 meeting adding the referendum. The measure passed by a 13-11 vote, with all 13 votes in favor coming from Democrats and all 11 votes against the measure coming from Republicans, County Board records show.

Board member Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet) said the proposed tax would go toward funding existing Will County Health Department services.

"This doesn’t create a new Health Department, this doesn’t create a new organization to dispense these services, it creates a funding line," Ventura told the board at its June 16 meeting on the matter. "I think if these services are important to our community, as I believe they are, it is our responsibility to make sure we can pay for them."

Some Republicans on the board expressed a disinterest in asking voters to dig deeper into their pockets to pay a new tax.

"I’ve committed to my constituents that I will oppose any new taxes," said board member Frankie Pretzel (R-New Lenox). "I scratch my head in disbelief that all of you are willing to go to your constituents at this time with a new tax, or even a proposal for a new tax. I will be opposing this; I support postponing it indefinitely."