I do hope that all of you that are saying he was "freeloading" by taking advantage of a program that the county offers for free didn't just accept those H1N1 shots for free. Hopefully you paid for those and weren't "freeloading" by accepting something that they offer for free. You should have taken your ass to CVS and paid for them! And hey why shouldn't he take advantage off it for once. Portage has it's fair share of freeloading welfare recipients that are getting all these programs for free. Let somebody else catch a break, just because he has kids and works a job to support them on his own(versus letting the county do it) doesn't mean he shouldn't get a "freebie" once in a while. Hell maybe if we take all the free **** away from some of these people they'll get jobs and support themselves and their kids, maybe even pay some taxes, then perhaps the Health Department wouldn't need more levies.

With all the things the health dept has to do, you are having a fit because of a canceled a free eye exam clinic?

With the small amount of funding they have, they have to conduct health and safety inspections at all the schools in the county at least twice a year, inspect restaurants and food service providers/distributors, issue, inspect, and supervise septic systems, as well as providing occasional special events such as the H1N1 vaccinations. I am glad all 3 of my kids have received the vaccine for free, and will get the follow up dose as well. I think that is much more important than a missed eye exam clinic. Kids are dying from this flu, I never knew of a child dying over sub par eyesight.

Give them a break, and go to a real eye doctor. Personally, I would not trust my eye, dental, or regular health care to a public agency doctor/nurse who has never met me before, and knows nothing of my kids' medical histories. This is why we have our own doctors and use them.

A Voter didn't read the original post very carefully. The person received a letter from the school nurse stating that the child needed further testing. It was the school nurse's letter, not something from the health department, that stated that the County Health department provided the service for free. It's likely the nurse didn't realize exactly how tough things are for the PCHD now that the levy was turned down yet again last month.

Since the health department isn't able to provide the services within the budget they are provided they, as you suggested, stopped offering the services, or curtailed them.

A reasonable person concerned about their child's health wouldn't wait for a callback about the next clinic, wouldn't wait a month to follow up, and then wouldn't drive 25 minutes without confirming the clinic themselves. They'd make an appointment with their own private doctor and be in and out within a week. Anyone who's paid taxes "all their lives" is making enough to use a private doctor for something as simple as an eye exam. (The truly poor either pay no taxes, pay only small amounts of taxes, or receive tax credits; they are the ones who deserve to be served by the health department.)

Instead, we have people who, having paid into the system, are going to get theirs no matter what, and if they don't they are going to punish the truly needy by urging people to vote against the tax levy. Yes, if you vote against the levy you may save your $4.00 a year on your $100,000 house, but your spite will deprive those for whom services help relieve a financial hardship.

Anyone who thinks the Portage County Health Department should be offering free services should be urging others to vote for the levy, not trying to be spiteful and make things even worse. What has happened to compassion and understanding in this country?

it doesn't sound like an 'entitlement mentality' to me. the person received a letter from the health department stating the services (eye exam) were needed and available.

their complaint is the lack of service after it was offered (a callback about when the next clinic was). then, once they did get some service there was no follow-up about a change in the service (clinic being cancelled).

if the health department isnt able to provide the services with the budget they are provided then they shouldnt be offering the services.

i too will continue to vote no until the department shows it can handle the programs it is running.

It's people like this with an entitlement mentality that are bankrupting our system. They pay only a few dollars per year in taxes to the Portage County Health Department, and then feel they are entitled to free services intended for the poor. Then, because the department is underfunded and doesn't have the staff to cater to their freeloading, they decide to get even by campaigning against the desperately needed levies.

If these services are so important to you, you should be willing to pay for them. Paying taxes your entire life doesn't entitle you to leech services intended for the needy. It's the price you pay for living in a compassionate society, in which people who own a $100,000 home pay $4.00 a year so that those less fortunate can be helped. The last time I checked, the only health care providers with enough money to pay a person full time to reschedule appointments were called "doctors offices." The Portage County Health Department does an amazing job with the funds it is able to get from the self-centered misers in this county.

The first time you "use" the Portage County Health Department, you choose bad mouth them. Now you see the results of continued failed levies. When there is no money, this is the end result. I question how you voted in the past for the Portage County Health Department? They have only been asking for new money since 1955 and have yet to receive any from the voters(parents).

I am sorry for your probelm but, I have complete faith in them and they have done a great job for my kids this year. Please keep the faith and give them another chance.

Strykker

It is not the job of the Health Department to provide free health care, although they try to do what they can to help the poor and indigent. If you cannot afford an eye exam, the welfare people have many wonderful programs that can help you, especially Aid to Dependent Children.

Because of the continued failure of the levies that the Health Department needs to perform its duties, they have had to cut back on what they are able to do. People trying to get free health services only make things worse. Exactly what do you expect them to provide you in exchange for the $3.48 in taxes the average homeowner pays for a 0.4 mill levy?

My family took part in the H1N1 program several weeks ago, and it was amazing to see how the PCHD was able to bring together so many volunteers to do this efficiently. Once we got in the door, the three of us were out and on our way in less than five minutes.

They do a wonderful job with what they have, and provide us with the essential services that we really need, despite poor funding. People should support the Health Department levies, not campaign against them because they can't get the freebies they think they deserve for their lousy $3.48.

Health care is never free. Go to your medical care provider. The Health department should stick to Health Inspections and stay out of the Medical Care provider business.