Candidate for
Board Member; Peninsula Health Care District

The other board members justify the continuation of the district by spending tax money like a private tax revenue funded foundation. The district collects $7.4 million dollars of revenue annually, made up of $4.6 coming from property tax and gives it away to organizations of their choosing.

To continue collecting taxes -- with board members now deciding whom that tax money should benefit -- should simply not be their privilege, but should involve voter intent.

Peninsula Healthcare District justifies their high reserves based on the lease agreement they have with Sutter Health that allows for a buy-back of the hospital or extension of the lease. Nearly $61 million dollars of reserves that could be potentially returned to school districts that need fund based on Serrano-Priest or allocated elsewhere in the county.

Meanwhile, the district has authorized the CEO Cheryl Fama to make real estate acquisitions on behalf of the district. PHCD has made clear their long-term extremely ambitious real estate development projects be known to the public. The effectiveness of such expansions is questionable. The need for high reserves comes as a response to the Grand Jury investigation comes in conflict with their high level of expenditures towards real estate and desire to develop more expensive property developments.

Voters established the hospital district in for the purpose of building the hospital. The district recently had Sutter re-build the new hospital for $620 million and functions as the landlord of the hospital.

Before you vote, you should be aware that just to maintain the district costs millions of dollars in expenses.

Millions of dollars have been spent on programs and charities the board members have chosen without voter approval. Nearly $4.6 million collected in property tax could be going directly to schools, fire districts, or other special districts without spending the overhead costs associated with having a CEO and other staff - or giving away millions to non-profits without voter consent.

The district has been the subject of multiple civil grand jury reports over the years and once made a recommendation that it merge with the Sequoia Healthcare District, which also collects property taxes to provide similar services mostly in the southern part of the county.

I tend to advocate the exercising of the recommendation issued by the Grand Jury in stark contrast to the other board members, candidates, and incumbents who continue to resist the Grand Jury.