As Americans, we take care of our own. We fight for those who no longer have much fight left in them. Just as Kent County voters approved a property tax increase eight years ago, they should do so again to help senior citizens remain in their homes and out of institutions for as long as possible. This slight increase in the milage to meet an increasing demand for services is vital to the survival of many of Kent County's senior population. A YES vote on the August 8th ballot proposal will continue services that provide compassion and dignity to people in the twilight of their lives.

The county is seeking a .08 mill increase in the current .25-mill senior levy, which expires at the end of the year. That tax generated $4.6 million last year. The increase would bring in an additional $1.6 million the first year and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $4 a year. The .33-mill tax will generate $6.6 million the first year.

Kent County has 77,000 residents age 60 and older. That number is expected to increase by 30 percent over the next eight years -- the life of the milage request. More than 12,000 of the county's elderly were served by the senior milage last year, a 36 percent increase since 2000. The Senior Pantry, which used to provide a bag of groceries to low income seniors every week, now provides a bag only twice a month because demand is outstripping the food supply. The pantry is averaging 75 to 80 new clients a month. More milage money would help ease the pantry's food crunch.

Many seniors can't perform the basic daily tasks that others take for granted. Cooking, cleaning, bathing, dressing, getting out of bed, using the toilet, taking medicine or driving can be difficult to impossible for some seniors, especially those with medical problems. The milage funds provide such services for the county's elderly. The money also has allowed expansion of some services funded by state and federal dollars. Though state and federal officials seem more inclined to pay for institutional care, where costs -- largely paid by Medicaid -- are far higher, keeping people in their own homes is both humane and cost-effective. Kent County's efforts to do so via the senior milage are commendable. It is the largest county in the state with a dedicated senior milage.

The Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan, which administers senior milage services for the county, says the bulk of the funds go to priority services such as home delivered meals, personal care, house cleaning, transportation and assistance with medication. Those are things that can be the difference between being able to stay at home and having to move into a nursing home or some other assisted living facility. One third of the seniors receiving services live alone.

Kent County voters made a good decision eight years ago in approving the senior milage. It has been money well spent. Voters should continue efforts to keep our elders comfortable at home rather than pushing them into care institutions.