Portage County Health Care Center. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – A referendum that would fund the Portage County Health Care Center has advanced to the full board.
This comes as a result of a joint committee meeting where the Portage County Health Care Center Committee voted to advance the question. The full county board must still give its approval.
The referendum question would allow the county to exceed the tax levy limit by $3.5 million per year from 2025 to 2044.
During a public comment portion of the meeting, many stated their support for the referendum, while some in opposition wanted to ensure voters had fiscal responsibility in mind. “Don’t tell me that we can’t spend this money or that it’s losing money and so we can’t do it. We need to do this. We need to pass, get this referendum on the ballot,” Nancy Roppe said.
Much of the discussion among committee members centered around when the referendum should be posed.
If approved, it would be posed in this April’s election in Portage County, but some proposed it be placed on November’s ballot during the general election. “More voters doesn’t necessarily mean more educated or highly educated voters on a topic. I understand the argument and I appreciate the argument, it just concerns me and it seems like a slippery slope,” said Shaun Przybylski, a member of the PCHCC committee.
The Portage County Board of Supervisors will have its next meeting on January 16.
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