How totalitarian does this sound:
Four local governments own the hospital.
Local government officials—in a reversal of the usual grassroots petition drive—impose a petition on the people, more like rulers than elected officials who receive petitions from their constituents.The petition, if it receives about 430 signatures, will put the question on the November ballot: Should Sierra County be a hospital district?
Local government officials improperly use their influence and authority to place the petitions in central government offices.
These actions are probably in violation of election and other laws. New Mexico election law says there can be no campaigning in government buildings. The New Mexico Government Conduct Act says government officials cannot coerce employees to do their political bidding, including circulating petitions for them. The federal Hatch act prohibits the use of government resources, personnel and property for campaigning, including circulating petitions. Federal statute 18 U.S. Code § 594 – Intimidation of voters, may apply, since government elected officials are foisting the petition on the people and placing the petitions in government offices, which could be construed as voter coercion to sign the petition.
Local propaganda outlet for local governments, the Sentinel, on Feb. 17, runs a front page article encouraging the people to sign the petition at government offices or to “contact their municipal representatives or administrative office staff for further information.” The owner, publisher, reporter and columnist, Frances Luna, was on the owner-hospital board, the Joint Powers Commission, for many years, leaving office about a year ago.
Local government officials do not tell the people that the hospital district will form another taxing authority that will add another layer of taxes on top of the taxes already being collected by the four local owning-governments that go to support the hospital.
Local government officials do not tell the people that many of the same local government officials now trying to unload the hospital are responsible for buying too much new hospital in 2016 (over $30 million) and that taxes currently being collected are insufficient to pay off the debt.
Some may think this was overreach. But as a retired healthcare worker(Louisville KY) I’ll be the 1st to tell you,medical facilities here in S NM, are lagging way behind many other states. I appreciate the addition to S Vista. All change & updates cost dollars,just a fact. There is also a great need for more medical doctors/practitioners here. It’s crazy to wait for 5/6 months to see some DR’s,while in KY one could call and be seen within 3 days.
Another great heads up/article! Thanks for your due diligence and tenacity to keep us all informed. We may disagree politically on the bigger picture of reality but I have great respect for you personally and willingness to speak truth to power in this totally corrupt self serving community . . . and no one seems to care.
Appalling! The lack of knowledge of and skirting around laws by our local officials is outrageous. We complained back before the extension to the hospital was built that it was unaffordable. Do they listen? No. Are those who speak out reasonable and well-meaning? Yes. The ‘real cavers’ are Commissioners Angry Voters Elect’em — ie that they have to be responsible to THE PUBLIC welfare. There is another violation now by TorC on the behind-closed doors of the so-called selling of the Electric System. And its sale will not fixed the core problem—run away spending of the Commission and the inability of city staff to stop its waste. The line, “this is how we’ve always done it” is dysfunctional and lacks accountability.
The community must have medical care that is within the County. Although the Ben Archer Clinic is currently doing a great job for VA patients and the general public., it can not be expected to carry a greater patient load should the hospital close. Although I am ignorant as to the specifies of hospital funding, I am certain that local tax money spent on the SpacePort must be diverted to service the hospital debt. Also, in my view, the city’s water infrastructure woes must be secondary to the funding of the hospital.
The hospital close? If a hospital district is not formed? Unlikely. If the people must pay more taxes to pay off the debt (due to poor planning, vetting, fiscal projection and indifference to what the people’s wants for a cheaper new hospital wing) then have the four entities, Williamsburg, T or C, EB and the county, raise their taxes. Why do we have to have a FIFTH taxing district to fund the hospital?
And we can’t divert spaceport tax money. The GRT tax the people passed is without a sunset and is being “intercepted” by the state tax department to pay off bond debt.
That’s the point of this article. Elected officials on the spaceport authority boards promoted economic development in return for the tax. Didn’t happen.
Elected officials are now selling the idea of a hospital district as needed to get the number of board members down. They are not even mentioning taxes and debt.
Citizens need to inform themselves before voting. Otherwise you could be indebting yourself and future generations.