Letter To The Editor

In a few days, June 2, the Lewis County Nursing Home will be asking us to vote in favor of a tax increase. This request will be to adjust the tax rate from .1399 cents to .25 cents per $100 assessed property valuation.

Like so many others I am always hesitant to vote for a tax increase. I always find myself asking the same questions. Do they use the money wisely? Are we getting what we pay for? Do the tax moneys go to serving the “mission”? After some study I feel the answer to these questions is a very strong YES.

The Lewis County Nursing Home is a county resource for all of us. For many years the Lewis County Nursing Home absorbed increasing costs of employment, food, supplies, and maintenance of the building and grounds.

It employs large numbers of county residences and pays for a major portion of their medical insurance. It's home to many of our parents and grandparents, providing care, rehabilitation and a good quality of life for those within its walls.

Lewis County Nursing home has managed to maintain a 4 star rating according to CMS where the state average is 3.11.

These last years have been tough as costs continue to rise and the powers that be (medicare/medicaid) keep moving the goal posts. Adding to the issues testing the mettle of the Lewis County Nursing Home and staff is the recent risks brought on by COVID-19.

Through all this, the Lewis County Nursing Home has continued to “soldier on” but sadly it has reached a point where it is requesting some additional help and support from the county at large. Voting yes for the tax increase will go a long way to reducing the growing burden of employee costs which will continue to rise due to voter mandated wage increases implemented a few years ago at the state level.

Humbly, this request is put before us, the voters of Lewis County: Vote YES in favor of the tax levy increase. Help maintain a county resource for our parents and grandparents, as well as ourselves, and by extension keep jobs in the county.

Thank You for your consideration and time,

Mary Joy Dawson

Canton, Mo