Primary voters in Sangamon County approved a referendum on March 17 that will levy a 0.5% limited sales tax for a mental health board to distribute an estimated 14.7 million dollars annually to service providers and programs. Nearly 53% of Sangamon County primary voters supported the referendum, which received 17,300 votes. Only about 24% of registered voters in Sangamon County cast ballots during the primary election.
A wide range of community leaders, along with both hospitals and every health care organization in Sangamon County, supported the referendum. Local taxes as a funding mechanism for mental health services is something two-thirds of counties in Illinois have already approved, although most utilize property taxes. Ryan Croke, president of the Mid-Illinois Medical District, said the vote delivered “an extraordinary, history-making victory—and with it, a solemn responsibility to strengthen the local systems that support families facing mental illness, substance use disorders and developmental disabilities.”
Community Response
Tiara Standage, founder of harm reduction nonprofit Intricate Minds, responded that she’s “so proud of our community” for voting to pass the referendum. She emphasized how trained mental health professionals, rather than police, could aid people in crisis. “This is a huge step forward—and a step toward justice,” Standage noted, referencing how mental health professionals could have prevented tragedy.
The Sangamon County Board expects to nominate members to the mental health board within a month or so following the referendum’s passage, with the board expected to be closer to nine individuals rather than seven.
Comparable County Efforts
Winnebago County voters approved a similar sales tax referendum during the 2020 primary election with about 62% voting in favor. That county is in its second year of a three-year, almost 60 million dollar plan to fund more than three dozen social service programs. In 2024, just about 53% of McHenry County voters approved switching from property tax to sales tax to fund their mental health board. In its current fiscal year, McHenry County committed around 10 million dollars to more than 30 different organizations. Champaign County utilizes a property tax to fund nearly 40 programs with about 6 million dollars and is currently funding crisis co-response teams, reentry housing vouchers, general affordable housing vouchers, and specialized therapists.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.illinoistimes.com/news/voters-narrowly-approve-mental-health-board/