The Children’s Services Council of Leon County is facing more requests for financial aid as local needs continue to grow. The council could also see pressure on its own revenues, depending on how lawmakers handle property-tax relief in the upcoming session.
Executive Director Cecka Rose Green says the children’s services councils around the state could see more requests for aid from their local nonprofits.
“We are in some challenging times, financially," she said. "And so, our hope is that CSCs will be able to [long pause] help with those challenges. But we could very well be challenged ourselves, depending on any changes that happen at the state level regarding property-tax relief.”
Leon County voters approved the Children’s Services Council in 2020. Now the CSC has published the first report about its impact in those four years.
Seventy percent of those served live in zip codes 32303 and 32304. And 72 percent of the families served have a household income of $45,000 or less.
This week, the CSC governing council will consider an emergency request for housing support for pregnant women with young children who are experiencing homelessness.
Green says if the legislature reduces taxes on property owners, the state’s 11 CSCs could be affected.
“Because, of course, we get our revenues from property taxes," she said. "So, we will be keeping our eye on that and having some communications with our legislators so that they are aware of the important gap that we fill and how any of those changes at the state level regarding property-tax revenue could also affect us.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the legislature struggled over the question of cutting or eliminating property taxes earlier this year. Now, they’re expected to take up the question again, with different proposals on the table.
Any proposal would require a 60 percent vote from state residents.
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To see the Children’s Services Council of Leon County’s Impact Report:
