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Board Member: Hope Creek Shortchanged about $9,000 a day

Rock Island County residents will continue their push for a tax increase that supports public ownership of the Hope Creek Care Center on Wednesday, May 28, 2014...

Rock Island County residents will continue their push for a tax increase that supports public ownership of the Hope Creek Care Center on Wednesday, May 28, 2014.

The Hope Creek Care Center is shortchanged about $9,000 a day, according to County Board member Steve Meersman. Now, county leaders are pushing for a tax increase in order to keep it publicly owned. Rock Island County voters will be asked whether they want their property taxes to rise during the November general election. A person's property taxes would rise about $50 on a home that's worth $100,000.

Wednesday's public meeting is the second one that the group Keep It Supported for Seniors (KISS) is putting on. They held the first one on Wednesday May 7, 2014.

"It's very difficult to find an unbiased source of information for it," Rock Island resident Jon Newkirk said at the first meeting. "I think you have to talk to both sides of it and find our for yourself, before you make a decision."

Back in March of 2014, Rock Island County voters struck down a sales tax increase that would have funded public school facilities. Hope Creek supporters are wishing that their outcome will be a little bit different.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Wednesday's KISS meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in Rock Island. The church is located at 4501 7th Avenue.

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