Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Yes on Issue 13, Lorain County Murray Ridge Center levy

For four decades, Lorain County's Murray Ridge Center has supported the needs of the county's less fortunate. The center provides services to more than 600 mentally disabled students and more than 1,000 adults. The county's Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities runs Murray Ridge.

Murray Ridge is asking voters to renew a five-year, 1.69-mill levy. Renewed by 62 percent of the voters in May 2003, the levy generates about $8.5 million per year, or about 23 percent of the board's operating revenue. The owner of a $150,000 home pays $50.96 per year for the levy.

Money from this levy supports services ranging from early intervention for young children to group homes for adults.

Voters should renew this levy so Murray Ridge can continue to offer its services to those in dire need of assistance.