On July 12, 2017, by a 5-4 vote, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners voted to put a 1 mill, 8 year tax proposal on that November’s ballot to fund mental health services. State cutbacks had eliminated two-thirds of the County’s mental health funding, and local officials sought to address the resulting “community crisis” with a new source of financial support. Funds realized from the proposal were to be devoted exclusively to mental health and public safety services; those funds would be allocated 38% to Washtenaw County’s Community Mental Health Department, 38% to the Washtenaw County Sherrif’s Office, and 24% to local jurisdictions within the County which maintained their own police force as of August that year. The proposal passed with 64% of the vote. The levy will begin appearing on this December’s tax bill and is expected to raise approximately $15,433,708 in its first year. Trish Cortes, Executive Director of Washtenaw County Community Mental Health; Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton; and Washtenaw County Administrator Gregory Dill, and will describe for us the difference that these new funds are expected to make.