Letter: Retired county leaders urge ‘no’ vote on health care referendum

To the Editor-

On April 5 residents will be asked to approve a referendum that would authorize the Portage Country Board to exceed the state-calculated levy limit by $4,500,000 (an increase in the current levy of 15.13 percent) each year from 2024 to 2042 to support the County Health Care Center.

We recommend a “no” vote.

We have several concerns with the resolution.

First, cost. Over the 20-year life proposed, the levy increase would collect a total of $90,000,000. By the end of the 20-year life of the referendum, the levy would have grown to $34,238,344. But the referendum does not define the cost of a new health care center facility. Given the state of the economy, no one can predict construction or operational costs for the next five years, let alone 20 years. If costs increased more than the estimations, where would the additional funds come from?

Second, state law never mandated that counties be responsible for health care. If enacted, the proposal will limit the county’s ability to support mandated activities, e.g., criminal justice, welfare, drug programs, and highway upgrades and maintenance.

Third, the health care center currently provides 32 beds and the proposal is based on maintaining that population. Since the health care center accepts Medicare and Medicaid patients, federal law requires the facility to accept any applicant without discrimination as long as there is an available bed.

As a result, beds are not reserved for Portage County residents but are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis regardless of the applicant’s current place of residence.

For example, residents of surrounding counties without a facility could apply for one of Portage County’s beds. Why should citizens of Portage County pay for the care of people who do not live in Portage County?

Fourth, is cost-effectiveness. An increase of $4,500,000 represents a cost of $140,625 for each of the 32 patients used as the projected population forming the basis of the cost estimates. Surely, there must be less expensive solutions.

Why is it that most Wisconsin counties do not provide a county-owned and operated facility? Portage County should look at this option—or look at a plan which costs less for a shorter time. Since state law never mandated that counties be responsible for health care, property tax was never intended to fund health care.

Please vote NO on April 5.

O. Phillip Idsvoog
Former County Board Chairman, Retired
Plover

James Gifford
Former County Board Supervisor, District 14, Retired
Plover