STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAU) -- County Executive Patty Dreier said no to taking $40,000 from the county’s reserve fund to pay for the Healthy Beginnings Program. She went along with a one-time expense last year, but a committee voted to come back to the reserve account to fully fund the program.
Dreier instead recommends using the same $40,000 from the fund balance to seed an endowment fund that can grow and generate long-term financial support for the Healthy Beginnings Program, so it can have perpetual income that is not on the tax levy.
Portage County already budgets $100,000 dollars to the program. Dreier emphasises that it is a good program, but needs a long term sustainable solution that doesn’t put additional pressure on the tax levy, since they have to live within state-imposed levy limits.
Supervisors will vote Wednesday to try and override Dreier’s veto. If the override vote fails, Dreier will forward a resolution to create the endowment fund.
The Healthy Beginnings Program is a voluntary UW-Extension-run intensive, long-term home visitation program for families with children up to four years old.