MONROE - Today's referendum could mean the county's nursing home will stay open or possibly close within a year.
A "yes" vote will allow the county to exceed the tax levy rate by up to $890,000 for each of the next five years, to fully fund Pleasant View.
If the referendum passes, the owner of a home valued at $150,000 will pay about $50 more per year in property taxes.
A "no" vote will mean the county will either have to make deep cuts in its budget or close the nursing home. Last month county officials raised the possibility that Pleasant View would have to close if the referendum fails.
Some voters haven't made up their minds as to how they should vote.
"I'm still thinking about what my vote will be, but, yes, I plan to vote," said Sue Meier, Monroe, Monday.
Meier didn't want to guess what the final outcome will be for today's election, but said the economy might play a part in voters' decisions at the polls.
Jack Reese, Monroe, said he plans to vote in favor of the referendum.
"I don't want to take the chance that they'll close it down," he said.
Meier said she wishes she had more time to think about her vote.
"It was kind of sudden," she said of the referendum.
Bruce Meier also wished he had more information. He plans to vote, but didn't say which way.
"If there will be cutbacks, I'd rather see it someplace else, like the highway department or in other departments," he said.
Pleasant View is expected to operate at a deficit of about $1.2 million this year. Last year, the gap was about $900,000. Rising staffing expenses and the withholding of Medicaid funding by the state government are the primary reasons for the deficit. The state withheld about $650,000 in Medicaid funding from the county for next year.
Green County Pleasant View Nursing Home Administrator Terry Nelson estimated it costs about $200 a day to house an individual at Pleasant View.
The county receives about $136 per resident per day in Medicaid reimbursements, Nelson added, which means the county loses about $64 a day per resident.
In the past, the county has used money from reserves to make up the difference, but now has only about $1.1 million left in reserves.
There are about 125 residents at Pleasant View. The county is obligated by state statute to provide housing for about 10 of them because of their special needs. The remaining residents would need to find alternate housing if Pleasant View were closed.
Until there were no more residents at the nursing home, the county still would have to staff and maintain the building. It still would require cuts in next year's budget to pay for the home, but the process to close it could begin.
A "yes" vote will allow the county to exceed the tax levy rate by up to $890,000 for each of the next five years, to fully fund Pleasant View.
If the referendum passes, the owner of a home valued at $150,000 will pay about $50 more per year in property taxes.
A "no" vote will mean the county will either have to make deep cuts in its budget or close the nursing home. Last month county officials raised the possibility that Pleasant View would have to close if the referendum fails.
Some voters haven't made up their minds as to how they should vote.
"I'm still thinking about what my vote will be, but, yes, I plan to vote," said Sue Meier, Monroe, Monday.
Meier didn't want to guess what the final outcome will be for today's election, but said the economy might play a part in voters' decisions at the polls.
Jack Reese, Monroe, said he plans to vote in favor of the referendum.
"I don't want to take the chance that they'll close it down," he said.
Meier said she wishes she had more time to think about her vote.
"It was kind of sudden," she said of the referendum.
Bruce Meier also wished he had more information. He plans to vote, but didn't say which way.
"If there will be cutbacks, I'd rather see it someplace else, like the highway department or in other departments," he said.
Pleasant View is expected to operate at a deficit of about $1.2 million this year. Last year, the gap was about $900,000. Rising staffing expenses and the withholding of Medicaid funding by the state government are the primary reasons for the deficit. The state withheld about $650,000 in Medicaid funding from the county for next year.
Green County Pleasant View Nursing Home Administrator Terry Nelson estimated it costs about $200 a day to house an individual at Pleasant View.
The county receives about $136 per resident per day in Medicaid reimbursements, Nelson added, which means the county loses about $64 a day per resident.
In the past, the county has used money from reserves to make up the difference, but now has only about $1.1 million left in reserves.
There are about 125 residents at Pleasant View. The county is obligated by state statute to provide housing for about 10 of them because of their special needs. The remaining residents would need to find alternate housing if Pleasant View were closed.
Until there were no more residents at the nursing home, the county still would have to staff and maintain the building. It still would require cuts in next year's budget to pay for the home, but the process to close it could begin.