Valley General Hospital, a 48-bed, county-owned hospital in Monroe, Wash., plans to ask county voters this April to triple their tax rate to stave off millions of dollars in losses, according to a Daily Herald report.
Currently, county taxpayers are paying 13 cents per $1,000 in property valuation toward Valley General, according to the report. The tax proposal is asking taxpayers to boost that rate to 37 cents per $1,000.
Michael Fraser, Valley General's interim CEO, told the Daily Herald that the current tax rate is among the lowest in Washington to support a public hospital. If the measure is approved, hospital executives expect an additional $2.4 million would flow to the hospital's balance sheet.
Last month, Valley General and EvergreenHealth in Kirkland, Wash., agreed to a deal that would make the public hospital an affiliate of EvergreenHealth. The agreement is not a full-on merger, but rather a partnership to improve Valley General's services.
Currently, county taxpayers are paying 13 cents per $1,000 in property valuation toward Valley General, according to the report. The tax proposal is asking taxpayers to boost that rate to 37 cents per $1,000.
Michael Fraser, Valley General's interim CEO, told the Daily Herald that the current tax rate is among the lowest in Washington to support a public hospital. If the measure is approved, hospital executives expect an additional $2.4 million would flow to the hospital's balance sheet.
Last month, Valley General and EvergreenHealth in Kirkland, Wash., agreed to a deal that would make the public hospital an affiliate of EvergreenHealth. The agreement is not a full-on merger, but rather a partnership to improve Valley General's services.
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