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Because several County Board members had not respected the results of
the 2008 referendum and because of changes in economic conditions, the
County Board once again asked the public to voice their opinion on
if the County should own/operate a Nursing Home and to partially fund
its operations if necessary. The question read:
"Should St. Croix County continue to operate a public nursing home if
property tax dollars are needed to partially fund its operation?"
This was a slightly modified question from the 2008 referendum, with
the word "partially" added. The explanation read as follows:
"A 'yes' vote means you want the County to continue to
operate the St. Croix County Nursing Home in New Richmond if property
tax dollars are needed to partially fund its operation. For 2012,
the St. Croix County Nursing Home in New Richmond budgeted $333,002 of
County levy support for direct operations, which is approximately 1.2%
of the total County tax levy of $27,847,925. These are projected
numbers.
"There are no Wisconsin Statutes that mandate a county
must own or operate a nursing home. If a county does own or
operate a nursing home, it must comply with Wisconsin Administrative
Code DHS132. The St. Croix County nursing home in New Richmond is
operated by choice; there are no 'state mandates' to provide nursing
home services.
"A 'no' vote means you do not want the County to
continue to operate the St. Croix County nursing home in New Richmond if
property tax dollars are needed to partially fund its operation."
HERE'S WHAT THE EXPLANATION
DIDN'T
TELL YOU.....
- The budgeted cost to
taxpayers for 2012 to help maintain the Nursing home is
less than $7.20 per tax parcel per year.
Concessions in excess of $550,000 from employees in summer 2011 were
given up to keep the home viable (amounting to $4,500 -
$10,000/employee/year).
- The Federal
Government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has rated
the St. Croix Health Center with
5 Stars the highest rating possible for a skilled nursing
facility. US News & World Report recently listed the Best
Nursing Homes in Wisconsin and St. Croix Health Center was in their
list of
top 60 homes statewide.
- NorthStar
Economics recently did an
economic impact study for Wisconsin nursing homes, including the
St. Croix Health Center. The YEARLY economic impact on the
Community by the St. Croix Health Center is $12,210,534 with
202 jobs associated with the operation of the Health Center.
Click
here to review the study.
- The
County is the payer of last resort anticipated changes in
Medicaid funding and ultimate responsibility for protectively-placed
citizens leaves the County vulnerable to unanticipated and
uncontrollable costs.
- The County
Board developed a five year Strategic Plan in July 2009 to provide
direction to the Nursing Home's future and the goal of getting
it off the tax levy by 2015. They need to follow the plan
if they want to reach their ultimate goal of getting the nursing
home off the tax levy! Click
here to review the
plan.
- In the
November 2008 referendum EVERY precinct in the County voted in the
MAJORITY to continue funding the public nursing home! This amounted
to an overall YES vote margin of 2 to 1. Click
here to review results.
- Many other
County services are NOT state mandated....such as parks, planning
and zoning, and full funding of libraries -- yet the County does not
curtail any of these services, nor are these services largely
serving the needy and acting as the County's safety net.
- The tax levy
dollars requested in 2010 were $616,131, a REDUCTION of $331,183 (or
35%) from 2009. Yet, the St. Croix County Board on October 26, 2010
attempted to completely defund the Nursing Home of tax levy dollars
($616,131). The motion failed on a TIE VOTE!! This after a 4 month
long budget process where the topic of removing ANY tax levy dollars
from the Nursing Home was NEVER mentioned to managerial staff or the Human
Services Board!
- Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
(WITC) utilizes the St. Croix Health Center as its training ground
for its CNA and RN programs.
- The chart from
the 2012 County Budget presentation shows how hard Nursing Home
staff have worked and sacrificed to make the home viable without
significant tax levy dollars.
WE VOTED "YES" ON APRIL 3, 2012
If you would like to make a NON-tax deductible
donation to help educate and inform the citizens of St. Croix County on
behalf of our nursing home residents, families and staff, please mail a
check to:
Friends of St. Croix County Nursing Home (FSCCNH)
P.O. Box 301
New Richmond, WI 54017
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR NURSING HOME!
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