The King County Council adopted Ordinance No. 15313 concerning a proposition to form King County Public Hospital District No. 5. This proposition would authorize the formation of a new public hospital district having the powers and duties provided in RCW 70.44.060. The new public hospital district would encompass all territory of Vashon-Maury Island and would be governed by a board of commissioners composed of five positions, all of whom would be elected on an at-large basis.
FOR PUBLIC HOSPITAL DISTRICT NO. 5 AGAINST PUBLIC HOSPITAL DISTRICT NO. 5
If Proposition No. 1 passes, a new public hospital district will be created with boundaries encompassing all territory of Vashon-Maury Island. The District, which will be known as King County Public Hospital District No. 5, will have the authority to own and operate hospitals and other health care facilities and to provide hospital services and other health services on behalf of the residents of the District and other persons. The District will be a municipal corporation with all the powers enumerated in RCW 70.44.060, including, but not limited to, the authority to acquire, lease, maintain, operate, and develop property, equipment, and hospital and health care facilities; to exercise the power of eminent domain; to enter into contracts; to hire employees, including superintendents, attorneys, and other technical or professional employees; to sue and be sued; to contract indebtedness; to issue and sell revenue bonds; to levy an annual property tax of up to $0.75 (75 cents) per $1,000 of assessed valuation upon real property within the District; and to levy excess taxes when authorized to do so by the voters at a special election. The District will be governed by a board of commissioners consisting of five members elected at-large who are residents of the District.
The cost of primary and long-term health care is increasing every year; the cost of going off-island for primary and urgent care, assisted living and skilled nursing care is even greater. More and more Vashon residents cannot afford the cost of care, at the same time as Vashon providers of primary and long-term care cannot cover the costs of delivering it! We believe the formation of a Public Hospital District (PHD) is a viable long- term solution for assuring we maintain good quality, on island, primary and long- term care that is accessible to all islanders. We are not proposing a hospital for Vashon. The Public Hospital District will support critical health services through contracts with existing island providers. With the funds received from the property taxes each year, the Commissioners, who are all Island residents, will determine how best to meet the health care requirements on Vashon-Maury-Island, and who could best provide those services. A “YES” vote for the Public Hospital District insures we will be keeping affordable primary and long-term health care ON Vashon-Maury Island. Vote Yes for the PHD, and then vote for five of the candidates for PHD Commissioner.
Voting for the Hospital District means you believe the whole community benefits from having affordable healthcare ON ISLAND.
Commissioners will initially set how much property tax to levy and what services to support. Voting for 5 of the 9 qualified candidates gives you choice about the priorities for and the size of the tax investment. Like other districts, the hospital district must go back to voters to issue bonds whose payment exceeds the initial rate.
If this hospital district is created by one vote more than half, the hospital district commissioners will have the legal authority to levy property taxes without approval of the voters, up to 50 cents per thousand dollars of assessed evaluation (approximately $1 million dollars per year). If created, the commissioners also have the legal authority to encumber the Hospital District and therefore this community, with general indebtedness by issuance of general obligation bonds for a term as long as thirty years without approval of the voters. When other Island taxing districts go before the voters they must receive a 60 percent vote to pass their levies and bonds.
The hospital district proposes to help support the Community Care Center and the Vashon Health Center. There are only about 35 people residing at the CCC and the VHC is not the only provider of medical services on the Island.
In March, voters will be asked to continue the current School District M&O levy and to continue the current Park District M&O levy. Our community always supports them.
There are too many questions and concerns at this time to support creating a new Hospital District. More community dialogue is needed.
AN ORDINANCE establishing February 7, 2006, as the date of a special election on the question of creating a public hospital district on Vashon Island; establishing and defining the boundary lines of the proposed public hospital district; and determining the number of commissioners of the proposed public hospital district and the manner of their election; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY: SECTION 1.Findings:
A. 1. On August 25, 2005, a petition for the formation a new public hospital district in King County encompassing all territory of Vashon-Maury Island was filed with the King County director of records, elections and licensing services division. The King County director of the records, elections and licensing services division has examined the signatures on the petition, compared them with the voter registration records of the King County records, elections and licensing services division, and certified their sufficiency in compliance with RCW 70.44.020 and RCW 70.44.030.
B. The council fixed a date for a hearing on the petition and published the petition, without the signatures, together with a notice stating the time of the hearing, in the Vashon Island Beachcomber on October 12, 2005, and October 19, 2005, in compliance with RCW 70.44.030.
C. The council held a public hearing on the petition in compliance with RCW 70.44.030. SECTION 2. The proposed public hospital district shall be known as “King County Public Hospital District No. 5.” SECTION 3. The boundary lines of the proposed King County Public Hospital District No. 5 shall be as follows:
The territory to be included in the King County Public Hospital District No. 5 is bounded from the point on Vashon Heights at the Northeast corner of Government Lot 1, Section 6, Township 25 North, Range 3 East W.M., by the meander line of the low water marks of Puget Sound, starting East, thence South around adjoining Maury Island, thence South around the Southern tip of Vashon Island, thence North to the original point of beginning, following the meander line of low water mark of Puget Sound at all times, and including all docks, wharves, and residences attached to said islands, which may protrude beyond the low water meander line. SECTION 4. Pursuant to RCW 29A.04.321 and 70.44.020, it is hereby deemed that an emergency exists for purposes of calling a special election. The King County director of the records, elections and licensing services division is hereby requested to assume jurisdiction to call and conduct a special election and submit to the registered voters within the subject area of the proposition as set forth in section 3 of this ordinance. The clerk of the council is hereby authorized and directed to transmit these propositions to the director of the records, elections and licensing services division in substantially the following form, with such additions, deletions or modifications in the ballot title as may be required for the propositions listed below by the King County prosecutor:
PUBLIC HOSPITAL DISTRICT NO. 5
KING COUNTY WASHINGTON
The King County Council adopted Ordinance No. 15313 concerning a proposition to form King County Public Hospital District No. 5. This proposition would authorize the formation of a new public hospital district having the powers and duties provided in RCW 70.44.060. The new public hospital district would encompass all territory of Vashon-Maury Island and would be governed by a board of commissioners composed of five positions, all of whom would be elected on an at-large basis.
For Public Hospital District No. 5
Against Public Hospital District No. 5 SECTION 5. The board of commissioners of the King County Public Hospital District No. 5 shall be composed of five positions to be elected on an at-large basis. The initial commissioners for all five positions shall be elected at the February 7, 2006, election. SECTION 6. The director of the records, elections and licensing services division is hereby authorized and requested to prepare and distribute a local voters’ pamphlet, pursuant to K.C.C. 1.10.010, for the special election called for in this ordinance, the cost of the pamphlet to be included as part of the cost of the special election.
Ordinance 15313 was introduced on 10/10/2005 and passed by the Metropolitan King County Council on 10/31/2005, by the following vote:
Yes: 12 – Mr. Phillips, Ms. Edmonds, Mr. von Reichbauer, Ms. Lambert, Mr. Pelz, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Gossett, Ms. Hague, Ms. Patterson and Mr. Constantine
No: 0
Excused: 1 – Mr. Irons
Signed by:
KING COUNTY COUNCIL
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Larry Phillips, Chair
贊成：12票 – Mr. Philips, Ms. Edmonds, Mr. von Reichbauer, Ms. Lambert, Mr. Pelz, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Gossett, Ms. Hague, Ms. Patterson and Mr. Constantine
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