A volunteer-driven petition effort has secured a spot on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, ballot for a referendum that would create a 708 Mental Health Board in Downers Grove Township, funded by a small property tax dedicated to mental health, developmental disability, and substance-use services.

Township officials advanced the measure to DuPage County for certification after the petition drive exceeded the required number of signatures, according to a July 21, 2026, Patch report citing the Daily Herald.

Debbie Hare, a Downers Grove Township resident and volunteer with the petition effort, told Shaw Local in January 2026 that the group had set a goal of 5,000 signatures from township residents. At that time, nearly 1,000 had signed on. The final count has not been publicly reported, but officials confirmed the threshold was met.

Downers Grove Township is the only township in DuPage County without a 708 board, according to the volunteer group 708 for Downers Grove Township, which is affiliated with the statewide organization Advocate for 708. Hare told Shaw Local the township is also the largest in the county by both population and size.

What a 708 board does

A 708 board does not provide services directly. It evaluates community needs, then distributes tax revenue as grants to local organizations serving residents with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance-use disorders, according to the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

The concept dates to 1963, when the Illinois Community Mental Health Act first authorized local mental health taxing bodies. More than 90 such boards operate across the state.

What it would cost

The referendum proposes a maximum levy of 0.05% of assessed home value. According to campaign materials from Advocate for 708, the actual rate is expected to be around 0.025%, which would cost a homeowner with a $400,000 home roughly $33 per year. At the maximum rate, the cost would be about $67 per year.

"It is a citizens' initiative," Mike Murray, part of the Advocate for 708 group, told Shaw Local in January 2026. "No one likes to ask for increases in taxes. But it is a worthwhile investment for the community."

Murray said 708 boards began appearing in DuPage County in 2017 when Bloomingdale Township passed its referendum.

Who would benefit

Only Downers Grove Township residents could access services funded by the board. The township spans zip codes 60439, 60480, 60514, 60515, 60516, 60517, 60521, 60523, 60527, 60559, and 60561.

Examples of services the board could fund include senior mental health programs, police-referred social work, youth drop-in centers, addiction recovery programs, developmental disability support, and respite care, according to the Advocate for 708 website.

All board members would serve as unpaid volunteers, appointed by Township Supervisor Kim Savage with approval from the Board of Trustees.

How neighboring townships compare

Lisle Township formed its 708 board in 2023 and is set to award more than $1 million in fiscal 2026 to local agencies, including more than $120,000 to Kids Matter and $100,000 to Trinity Services, according to Shaw Local. Naperville Township's board approved just under $500,000 in grants in 2025.

The referendum requires a simple majority to pass on Nov. 3, 2026. All funds raised by the board would stay within the township and go directly to the local board, not to the state.