Last night, Jefferson County voters rejected, by 57% to 42%, a referendum to increase the tax levy — the amount that a jurisdiction budgets to receive from property taxes. The tax levy amount is limited by law, and exceeding it required the referendum.
Here’s the text of the referendum on which Jefferson County residents voted:
Under state law, the increase in the levy of Jefferson County for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, 2010, is limited to 8.41%, which results in a levy of $26,054,457. Shall the County of Jefferson be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next four fiscal years, 2010 through 2013, by $1,958,724 per year (which for 2010 equals an additional 8.15% for a total increase of 16.56%) which results in a levy of $28,013,181 for 2010, which sum does not include exempt library services or other exemptions from the levy limit?
There was also an explanatory statement from the Jefferson County Board:
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT AND EFFECT OF VOTE:
The September 15, 2009, special election ballot asks the county electors to vote “yes” or “no” on the referendum question above.
A “yes” vote on the question allowing the County of Jefferson to exceed the levy limit under s. 66.0602, Wisconsin Statutes, by a total of $1,958,724 for the next four fiscal years, 2010-2013, (which for the allowable 2009 levy collected in 2010 equals 16.56% more than the 2008 levy collected in 2009 and results in a levy of $28,013,181 in 2010 not including exemptions from the levy cap) is a vote to authorize the County of Jefferson to exceed the levy limit by $1,958,724 to be used for operating Jefferson County’s Countryside Home, a skilled nursing facility.
In the event a majority of the electors vote “yes”, the county tax levy for 2010 will be 16.56% more than the 2009 county property tax, and will be an increase in the county portion of tax bills of $90.12 for a property with an equalized value of $150,000.
A “no” vote on the question allowing the County of Jefferson to exceed the levy limit under s. 66.0602, Wisconsin Statutes, by a total of $1,958,724 for the next four fiscal years, 2010-2013, (which would equal a 16.56% increase in the 2008 levy collected in 2009 and would result in a total levy of $28,013,181 not including exemptions from the levy cap) is a vote to deny authorization to the County of Jefferson to exceed the levy limit.
In the event a majority of the electors vote “no”, Countryside Home will be listed for sale as resolved by prior County Board action, and the County Board will only be allowed to raise taxes as limited by state law.
So the Board dared voters: a higher tax levy, or no Countryside nursing home. Voters overwhelmingly rejected the referendum; the referendum received a majority of votes in only three of thirty-two precincts. That’s not because Jefferson County voters are cold or unfeeling.
Still, that’s how the story will be reported in some places: voters close nursing home. See, Countryside Nursing Home Will Close After Referendum Fails.
There’s a different story in all this — Jefferson County budgeted poorly, and asked voters to give them more, beyond the existing state limit, lest a nursing home be closed. The county might have made other budget choices, but was unwilling to do so. In fact, it made a choice: Countryside was the least of the Board’s concern. If it had mattered more, something lese would have been placed at risk.
This referendum was a failed gamble from incumbents on a county board, daring voters to increase a county tax levy, to cover poor choices that board made previously, lest a nursing home be closed. It was a cynical ploy, and this referendum deserved defeat.