Township undermining voters on mental health

Are they attempting to undermine democracy in our own backyards? Or are they just getting poor legal advice? Whichever it is, it is negatively impacting the most vulnerable in our community.

Back in November 2022, Wheeling Township voters approved by a margin of over 2,000 votes the new community mental health board and a property tax increase to further fund local mental health organizations. Illinois legislation, SB0690, was passed in November, 2023, to address a technical issue the board's legal counsel raised. It is now February 2024 and the Wheeling Township Board is still ignoring the will of the voters and the new community mental health board has not seen one dime of this voter approved funding. Every single moment of delay causes tremendous anguish and pain for those who need the help and their families. The cost to not care for the most vulnerable in our community is certainly more expensive than caring for them.

At each Wheeling Township Board meeting and at each Community Health Board meeting, residents and voters come forward to share their own or their family's story of the need for more availability to care. And at every meeting, they hear only why funding cannot be approved. Meanwhile, there is a $3 million surplus sitting in the township's coffers. Instead of consistently working against the voters and the most vulnerable in our community, the Wheeling Township Board must find a way to make the requested $1.5 million in funding available now.

Come see and hear for yourself how the boards ignore the needs of our community's most vulnerable and oppose the will of the voters at the next Wheeling Township Board meeting (Tuesday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m.) and at the next Community Mental Health Board meeting (Wednesday, March 13, 7 p.m.

Mary Hahn

Arlington Heights