A Victory for Public Health and Public Employees

Submitted by AFSCME Council 11.

AFSCME members helped win an Oct. 6 referendum that saved the county-run nursing home in Green County.  Voters there were asked to allow the county to exceed its property tax limit by 7.8%. That means a potential 13.3% increase to keep Pleasant View Nursing Home operating in county hands.      

By a decisive 74%-26% margin, voters said yes.  Despite a dismal rainy day and against a backdrop of economic distress, 3,560 Green County voters turned out to vote yes to support the home while 1,270 voted no.
   
It was a tremendous victory for AFSCME, which worked hard to win a victory for quality care and the 120 members of Local 1162 who work at Pleasant View.  The yes vote means that the county board will now be allowed to exceed the limit and increase the levy for the next five fiscal years, 2010 through 2014, by up to $890,000 per year.

A no vote would have forced the county to close or sell the home or slash operating budgets in other county departments.  The most likely scenario was spelled out in stark terms on the ballot:

In the event a majority of electors vote “no” to the question, Green County’s Pleasant View Nursing Home may have to be closed or sold. If closing the facility becomes necessary, residents will be relocated to other facilities.

   
With so much at stake, Council 40 staff and members in the area worked closely with the referendum support committee and the Wisconsin PEOPLE Conference ran a communication program featuring multiple pieces of mail and phone calls to members.
   
Peggy Siegenthaler, vice-president of Local 1162 and a certified nursing assistant for 28 years at Pleasant View, told the Monroe Times newspaper that she was pleased with the results.
   
"The public saw that the investment in Pleasant View was worth it and voted yes for health care in Green County. We are especially happy for all the residents that live at Pleasant View. They've been very concerned about their future if the referendum had failed," Siegenthaler told the Times.
   
"The employees and the county have more work to do," Siegenthaler continued. "We can move forward to get Pleasant View finances in line, and Partners for Pleasant View would like to thank everyone who has supported us in anyway."
   
Tough times have produced a rash of nursing home referendums this fall.  On Sept 15 voters in Dunn County voted yes to keep their county-run, AFSCME-staffed home operating while Jefferson County voters said no to additional tax support for their home.  On Sept 22, Shawano County voters also said no.
   
The victory in Green County means "YES" committees are 2-2 this fall.  The rubber match occurs on Thursday, Nov. 12, when voters in Lafayette County will decide the fate of Lafayette County Manor, the only home serving that southwest Wisconsin County.
   
Once again, quality care and the jobs of AFSCME members are on the line.  And once again, AFSCME will be working diligently with a local coalition to make sure Lafayette County citizens know exactly what is at stake. 

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