Winnebago County Board debates mental health tax spending before sending extension question to voters

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Voters will be asked in November if they want to extend a half-cent sales tax that supports mental health services and substance-abuse treatment.

The referendum will be  on the Nov. 5 ballot and ask whether the tax should continue for an additional five years after its scheduled June 30, 2026, sunset.

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Winnebago County Board members voted 15-2 on Thursday to approve putting the referendum on the ballot. John Butitta and Jim Webster voted against. This was the board’s last chance to vote to put the matter on the ballot by the Aug. 12 deadline.

“Voters of this county overwhelming voted to enact a mental health tax because of how badly it is needed,” said County Board member John Sweeney.

Sweeney said entities who receive funding from the tax deserve to have plenty of advanced notice about whether that revenue source will continue after 2026. That’s part of why County Board members want it on the November ballot, about a year and a half before its sunset. It’s also considered good timing because the November election will have higher turnout because of the presidential race.

The board was split on the matter largely over questions about how the money is being spent so far. Others questioned whether November was the right timing for the ballot question. Several County Board members, even those in favor of putting it on the ballot, said more work needed to be done to review how the tax is being spent.

The tax revenue is allocated by the Winnebago County Mental Health Board, whose members are appointed by the Winnebago County Board.

“We have an ongoing duty to at least question the status quo and make sure that we’re helping as many people in the community as possible,” County Board member John Penny said.

The board debated the matter for more than an hour before the vote, split over everything from the board’s role in oversight of the tax to which County Board committee should have brought the issue forward.

The tax was supported by about 62% of voters when it was initially approved in March 2020. It has been collected since July 1, 2020.

The tax costs shoppers 50 cents for every $100 they spend on purchases in Winnebago County. The tax isn’t applied to groceries, prescription drugs, medical appliances and vehicles such as cars, boats and mobile homes.

The tax raised approximately $19 million last year for mental health and substance abuse programs. The money is distributed to by the appointed Winnebago County Mental Health Board, which in April announced about $60 million in funding for 41 programs and agencies would be doled out over the next three years.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas