More than half of the voters who turned out Tuesday approved a tax levy to get the money needed for the DeKalb County Nursing Home.

The referendum passed 4,472-3,376 with 56 percent of the votes cast in favor of the tax levy.

The nursing home, 2331 Sycamore Road, will use the money to continue providing care to its 194 residents and to continue offering quality services, said Director John Ross.

“The people have spoken,” Ross said. “It’s nice to have this money.”

Even though the referendum passed, the home still must cut some services because of anticipated cuts from the state, Ross said.

Ross said he will have to look at the state’s fiscal year 1992 budget but said the home will continue to run. Ross said the home “can forestall some cuts” and won’t have to cut as deep.

But it’s time the state comes up with some money for long-term care, Ross said. Within the next four to five years, the state should develop some sort of reimbursement system, he said.

James Forster, who helped form a committee to pass the referendum, said the DeKalb County Board now can levy a tax to help the home cover costs.

“We will only levy the amount of money needed to balance the budget,” he said.

None of the tax money will be used to repair the home’s laundry facilities which endured about $125,000 of damage during a Sunday fire, Ross said.

Forster said the levy passing shows the county holds the home in good regard. However, most of the 3,376 voters who were against the referendum came from the southern end of the county, Ross said.