The democratic process has worked once again. Concerned taxpayers has worked diligently in frigid weather to complete the required number of registered voters signatures (2,113) to place on the March ballot, a measure which would repeal the 38 cents of thousand assessed to property owners, who are paying for the hospital proposal, which has been denied by the State of Oregon. A proposal, which started out as a Critical Access hospital, then turned into a Rural Hospital, then once again down graded to a  $48 million dollar clinic, another brainstorm that would require a new application, requiring more money to be spent. The lunacy never stops.

People sought out the signature gatherers hoping to have the ability to sign the petition, some signed because they are tired of taxes, some are tired of being duped, the response was great, and the political process was being done. People are tired of politicians and are tired of the indifference shown by all elected officials. 

Back in 2004 the Columbia County Health District went to the county commissioners asking the commissioners to do a referendum to place a 38 cent per thousand on property tax valuation measure on the ballot for the voters to approve or deny. Commissioner Rita Bernhard and Commissioner Tony Hyde approved the referendum. The Health District asked the voters to approve funds for a Critical Access hospital. The voters presumed that they were to get a full-blown hospital facility, unfortunately interested parties researched and found that the Columbia County Health District would never qualify for Critical Access designation, to bad the health district board did not do their jobs and research the criteria.

After the Hospital board failed to due proper paper work the proposal was a complete failure. Instead of these people accepting failure and stopping the collection of taxpayer dollars, instead of actually getting their plans in order, instead of informing the tax payers what was happening, they proceeded to spend foolishly and un wisely. It was apparent to the community that these individuals cared little about the public and the public's opinion or the public's pocket books.

These idiots continued on for 5 years with out being reigned in, they continued to thwart public opinion and reason, they spent $1.2 million dollars needlessly in fact they were cautioned by the state of Oregon about proceeding with site development for a rural hospital or what ever they were building that week. They continue to pour good money after bad sending. Spending on lobbyist, consultants, lawyers, hiring a firm to look for rich donors to help pay for the construction of a facility no takers after spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, appeals that they had no hope in winning, going forward to a judge to try and by pass the results of the certificate of need ruling. just to name a few items.

This is where a group on interested people decided to ask the commissioners to do a referendum to place on the ballot a measure that would take away the pot of gold for the health district, taking away their 38 cents per thousand.

The commissioners refused time after time over the 5-year time frame. So the people finally had enough and did their own initiative, completing the required number of signatures in record time. Now it will be the voter's responsibility to stop the collection of funds by passing the ballot measure this march 2010.

I hope the voters who still believe that they will be getting a full blown hospital reads the local media and wakes up to the fact that they have been getting duped all along AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE DUPPED BY the HEALTH DISTRICT unless they vote to appeal the 38 cents per thousand. If not the taxpayers will be paying for a facility that they will never get and will be paying a tax that will never end.

I personally did not vote for the critical Access hospital because I knew that Columbia Health District did not qualify. I support medical care in the community but I support medial care that we can afford. I do not support a Health District and its board that has been less than truthful to the public. I do not support a health District and its board that has no concern for the taxpayer's hard earned dollars.

I will vote to repeal the 38 cents this March and hope you do as well.

We could have had a 23/7 urgent care with Legacy up and running 4+ years ago at a fraction of the cost. You should ask the health district board why they did not consider this.