MONROE - The Green County Board unanimously approved a referendum question Tuesday for the August 12 primary ballot to increase the county tax levy, which would help pay for the operating costs of the Pleasant View Nursing Home.
The referendum needed support from the state Legislature and is slated to be signed by Gov. Scott Walker this morning, April 16.
County Clerk Mike Doyle and District 31 Supervisor Herb Hanson said they will travel to Madison as a sign of gratitude to the lawmakers at the Capitol. Senate Bill 513, co-authored by Rep. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, passed the state Assembly and Senate in February. The bill allows for a referendum to be placed on the August primary ballot and use August assessment numbers, rather than wait for the November ballot. The bill explicitly applies to Green County, but Doyle said they are working to pass a statewide bill like SB 513.
The referendum will ask voters to consider increasing the tax levy across the county for the next five years, 2015 to 2019. The current state budget allows for an increase of .717 percent in tax levy, amounting to $89,174. The referendum would ask the levy be increased to 7.07 percent, allowing an increase of $790,000 per year.
The county sought to get this referendum on the August ballot because assessment numbers for the current year won't come out until Aug. 15. If the referendum had not been approved to be put on the August ballot, it would have been on the November ballot. This would have caused logistical problems for the county, as they would have had to create two budgets, one if the referendum passed, and one if it failed.
Pleasant View Nursing Home is one of the few nursing homes in the state that takes in Medicaid cases. This is a large cost burden, but Herb Hanson said it is worth it.
"We accept Medicaid patients rather than putting someone on the curb, but we do lose money on it," he said.
The burden of this cost means operating the nursing home takes a hit. The nursing home is a not-for-profit organization and without the added help a tax levy would give, the county could have to look at other options.
"We could close our doors, but we have a responsibility to care for these people," Hanson said.
Gordon Klossner, district 24, asked what kind of voter turnout they can hope for in an August primary.
Hanson answered that it is the responsibility of board members to spread the word in their communities of the importance of the ballot. He said the nursing home has worked at cutting costs, but an increased levy would help with operating costs.
"I don't like paying extra taxes either," he said. "But I think it needs to be said that there has been work done to consolidate positions and they have been very effective at cost savings."
The referendum needed support from the state Legislature and is slated to be signed by Gov. Scott Walker this morning, April 16.
County Clerk Mike Doyle and District 31 Supervisor Herb Hanson said they will travel to Madison as a sign of gratitude to the lawmakers at the Capitol. Senate Bill 513, co-authored by Rep. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, passed the state Assembly and Senate in February. The bill allows for a referendum to be placed on the August primary ballot and use August assessment numbers, rather than wait for the November ballot. The bill explicitly applies to Green County, but Doyle said they are working to pass a statewide bill like SB 513.
The referendum will ask voters to consider increasing the tax levy across the county for the next five years, 2015 to 2019. The current state budget allows for an increase of .717 percent in tax levy, amounting to $89,174. The referendum would ask the levy be increased to 7.07 percent, allowing an increase of $790,000 per year.
The county sought to get this referendum on the August ballot because assessment numbers for the current year won't come out until Aug. 15. If the referendum had not been approved to be put on the August ballot, it would have been on the November ballot. This would have caused logistical problems for the county, as they would have had to create two budgets, one if the referendum passed, and one if it failed.
Pleasant View Nursing Home is one of the few nursing homes in the state that takes in Medicaid cases. This is a large cost burden, but Herb Hanson said it is worth it.
"We accept Medicaid patients rather than putting someone on the curb, but we do lose money on it," he said.
The burden of this cost means operating the nursing home takes a hit. The nursing home is a not-for-profit organization and without the added help a tax levy would give, the county could have to look at other options.
"We could close our doors, but we have a responsibility to care for these people," Hanson said.
Gordon Klossner, district 24, asked what kind of voter turnout they can hope for in an August primary.
Hanson answered that it is the responsibility of board members to spread the word in their communities of the importance of the ballot. He said the nursing home has worked at cutting costs, but an increased levy would help with operating costs.
"I don't like paying extra taxes either," he said. "But I think it needs to be said that there has been work done to consolidate positions and they have been very effective at cost savings."