MOUNT VERNON — Knox DD is asking voters to renew its levy when they go to the polls on November 8. This levy, however, includes a decrease of 0.25 mills.
Voters passed Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ initial five-year levy in 2008 and renewed it in 2013 for a 10-year term.
“We are decreasing the millage from 2.75 to 2.5, so voters will see a decrease in the amount of tax from previous years. We felt at this time we are able to give back a little to the taxpayers,” Steve Oster, Knox DD superintendent, explained.
The current levy generates around $3.3 million. The renewal levy, if passed, will generate around $300,000 less each year.
Levy money represents 51% of DD’s total funding. Oster said it is needed for the same reasons it was needed 15 years ago when voters passed the original levy.
“Without it, we would not be able to offer our non-mandated programs like Early Intervention, Help Me Grow, Home Visiting, and Family Resources. These programs are imperative to children,” he said. “We also are required to meet future Medicaid match obligations, and without the passing of this levy, we would not be able to do so.
“There has been an increase in multi-system youth with complex needs and a growth in enrollment that the money will also be used for,” he added.
DD will not use levy money for its planned building expansion.
“We have been saving money for an expansion to our building to be able to better serve our constituents and our community and that would allow ESC and Head Start to expand the services they can offer in our current building,” Oster said. “The money we get from this levy will not go toward this project as we have capital funding reserved for [building expansion].”
On October 10, Knox DD enrollment stood at 646 individuals and families. Enrollment has increased by 28% over the last 10 years.
“We did a Help Me Grow outreach campaign to find young children with delays and educate the community on the importance of getting services earlier for children, and that has increased that program by almost 500%,” Oster said.
While not every Knox County household has a special-needs child, Oster said supporting the levy benefits the entire community.
“People with developmental disabilities and their families are integral and valuable members of our community and society as a whole,” he said. “They support our workforce, are patrons to our restaurants and stores, are members of our churches, and are volunteers to make our community whole.
“By supporting our levy, we will be able to help people with developmental disabilities and their families get the support and resources they need to live meaningful lives.”
The Knox County Board of DD has been in the community for 60 years. It offers services from birth through the end of a life cycle to ensure people are healthy and safe.
“DD provides the supports that are needed for each individual based on their assessed needs,” Oster said. “For adults, we help individuals, with support, to find jobs and have opportunities to live in the community and give back to the community in a way that everyone else can do on their own.
“When we can connect with families of young children that have potential disabilities, sometimes with therapy and other resources we are able to help the child catch up with their typically developing peers to live a normal life,” he continued. “If the child is not able to catch up, we are there to help them progress to the best of their ability.”
Oster said Knox DD gets books out to children countywide, including the kids with disabilities, through supporting the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
“We also were able to partner with many other local organizations to create Harmony Playground, which has accessible equipment for children who need it,” he said. “It has become an asset to families all across our county.
“Our self-advocates with supports have been able to get more accessibility in areas of the community by talking with people and sitting on committees, which improves lives for everyone,” he added.
Oster noted that community members never know when they might need DD’s services.
“With the blink of an eye, someone may become eligible due to unforeseen circumstances,” he said. “It’s been said that the measure of a community is in how well it supports its most vulnerable members. The individuals supported by Knox DD require such support due to physical or intellectual limitations to lead their everyday lives.
“We believe a community is made up of all of its citizens, without regard to physical or intellectual limitations. The Knox County community has always been extremely supportive of this. This is what makes Knox County the great place that it is.”
