California residents will vote on whether to approve a $1.5 billion bond measure to help the state's children's hospitals fund renovations to make them earthquake-resistant and other infrastructure and medical equipment upgrades, according to a California Healthline report.
The California Children's Hospital Association is behind the measure, which goes before voters Nov. 6.
The association said taxpayer money is necessary because children's hospitals can't pay for building and technology needs solely through private donations, according to the report. That's because private donors often stipulate how their gifts should be used, Ann-Louise Kuhns, the association's CEO, told California Healthline.
"We do fundraise, we ask donors to make contributions and we issue our own debt," Ms. Kuhns said. "But it's hard to completely close that gap for what's needed … without a little bit of assistance."
California children's hospitals have asked voters to approve bond measures before to help pay for construction and new medical equipment — in 2004 and 2008. Both measures — for $750 million and $980 million, respectively — passed.
But some healthcare experts and election analysts question the multiple bond measures and encourage state residents to closely look at the latest proposal, California Healthline reported.
"I think it's a misuse of the initiative process for private groups to sponsor ballot measures that are intended to benefit them exclusively," Elizabeth Ralston, a former president of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles, which opposes the measure, told the publication.
If it passes, this year's measure would affect eight nonprofit hospitals and five University of California hospitals. According to the report, nearly 75 percent of the bond money would go to the nonprofit facilities, while 18 percent would go to the UC hospitals. About 150 California hospitals that treat children would also have 10 percent available in competitive grant funds.
Access the full California Healthline report here.
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