DARLINGTON - About 81 percent of Lafayette County voters approved Thursday's referendum to allow the county to exceed the 2010 property tax levy limit in order to keep operating Lafayette Manor.
There were 2,486 votes for the referendum and 577 against the proposal.
About 25 percent of Lafayette County voters turned out to vote in the special election.
"Words can't describe how I feel tonight. I'm pleased and proud to be a Lafayette County resident," Nursing Home Committee Chairman and County Board member Jed Gant said. "It shows that people support the (Lafayette) Manor."
Voters faced the decision to either increase their property taxes over the next three years or see the county's only nursing home close or be sold, according to Lafayette County board members.
The referendum allows the county to exceed the levy limit by $500,000 for the next three years for the sole purpose of providing funds for the nursing home.
Because the referendum passed, the 2010 tax rate will increase from $6.67 per $1,000 of property value to $7.03 per $1,000.
The county's levy will increase from about $6.2 million for 2009 to $6.7 million in 2010.
The money will help cover expenses for the nursing home, which is expected to operate at a deficit of about $158,000 this year.
In the past, the county was able to use general fund money to help pay for the nursing home. This year, the county saw an unexpected increase in its human services budget. Lafayette County Human Services expects to be about $795,000 over budget.
If money from the general reserves was used to make up the deficits for human services and the nursing home, it would almost wipe out the nearly $1.1 million fund.
Gant said he was impressed by the turnout and the result.
"To have this many people turn out for a special election is impressive," he said.
Gant wanted voters to pass the referendum, but he also wanted them to know their opinion is important. He wanted voters to have the final say, he said.
"The true way to judge something is to let the people speak," he said.
The vote showed "overwhelming support" for the nursing home, said Lafayette County Board member Dwayne Larson, who is chairman of the county's Finance Committee.
"The people didn't want to give up ownership of the county nursing home," Larson said. "They wanted to prevent deep cuts in the county's budget."
Larson said he thought the Lafayette County vote might have been influenced by the October vote in Green County, in which residents gave permission for the county board to exceed the levy limit to help fund Pleasant View Nursing Home.
Larson and Gant said the board's job now is to spend the money wisely.
"We need to be responsible with the money or we'll be in the same boat in three years, and we don't want that to happen," Larson said.
Larson's Finance Committee will discuss the 2010 county budget at its meeting today. He said the budget is "pretty much done." The county put its budget together under the assumption the referendum would pass.
The county board will hold a public hearing on the budget Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Lafayette County Courthouse. After the public hearing, the board will vote to finalize the budget.
There were 2,486 votes for the referendum and 577 against the proposal.
About 25 percent of Lafayette County voters turned out to vote in the special election.
"Words can't describe how I feel tonight. I'm pleased and proud to be a Lafayette County resident," Nursing Home Committee Chairman and County Board member Jed Gant said. "It shows that people support the (Lafayette) Manor."
Voters faced the decision to either increase their property taxes over the next three years or see the county's only nursing home close or be sold, according to Lafayette County board members.
The referendum allows the county to exceed the levy limit by $500,000 for the next three years for the sole purpose of providing funds for the nursing home.
Because the referendum passed, the 2010 tax rate will increase from $6.67 per $1,000 of property value to $7.03 per $1,000.
The county's levy will increase from about $6.2 million for 2009 to $6.7 million in 2010.
The money will help cover expenses for the nursing home, which is expected to operate at a deficit of about $158,000 this year.
In the past, the county was able to use general fund money to help pay for the nursing home. This year, the county saw an unexpected increase in its human services budget. Lafayette County Human Services expects to be about $795,000 over budget.
If money from the general reserves was used to make up the deficits for human services and the nursing home, it would almost wipe out the nearly $1.1 million fund.
Gant said he was impressed by the turnout and the result.
"To have this many people turn out for a special election is impressive," he said.
Gant wanted voters to pass the referendum, but he also wanted them to know their opinion is important. He wanted voters to have the final say, he said.
"The true way to judge something is to let the people speak," he said.
The vote showed "overwhelming support" for the nursing home, said Lafayette County Board member Dwayne Larson, who is chairman of the county's Finance Committee.
"The people didn't want to give up ownership of the county nursing home," Larson said. "They wanted to prevent deep cuts in the county's budget."
Larson said he thought the Lafayette County vote might have been influenced by the October vote in Green County, in which residents gave permission for the county board to exceed the levy limit to help fund Pleasant View Nursing Home.
Larson and Gant said the board's job now is to spend the money wisely.
"We need to be responsible with the money or we'll be in the same boat in three years, and we don't want that to happen," Larson said.
Larson's Finance Committee will discuss the 2010 county budget at its meeting today. He said the budget is "pretty much done." The county put its budget together under the assumption the referendum would pass.
The county board will hold a public hearing on the budget Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Lafayette County Courthouse. After the public hearing, the board will vote to finalize the budget.