Tri-City's second bond effort goes to voters Tuesday
By: PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer | ∞
OCEANSIDE ---- For the second time this year, voters will decide whether to invest heavily in Tri-City Medical Center.
On Tuesday, listed among the clutter of local and statewide ballot initiatives, is Proposition T, the public hospital's $600 million construction and renovation bond. To pass, Prop. T needs support from two out of three voters. If it passes, the bond would add an estimated $23.40 per $100,000 of assessed value to all property in Tri-City's health care district, which encompasses most, but not all, of Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista. Bonds would be issued for 30 years in three chunks, spread over a 10-year period, meaning that the extra tax levy would be present on property tax statements for 40 years.
Prop. T follows Proposition F, Tri-City's first attempt at a $600 million bond that lost by a 400-vote margin, out of 54,099 votes cast, on June 6.
In writing the new ballot measure, hospital administrators said they attempted to learn from Prop. F's failure. The ballot statement is 10 pages longer than Prop. F's, and those extra pages contain specific details that were not on the statement in June. There is much more information on exactly what the hospital would build if Prop. T passes.
According to the bond's text, Tri-City would first build a six-story patient tower, a 550-space parking structure, and renovate existing emergency and surgery departments. Hospital planners estimate that the first building phase would create 756,916 square feet of new or renovated space, would cost $366 million and would be finished in 2012.
Next, starting in 2010, Tri-City would bring in the wrecking crews to demolish old buildings deemed not worth fixing. Those buildings include the hospital's south tower, north wing, center tower and center complex. The budget for demolition is $10 million.
Finally, the hospital would build a 220,000-square-foot outpatient services building next to the hospital tower. Construction on the outpatient services building, estimated to cost $226 million, would begin in 2010 and would be finished in 2013.
In the spring, little was known about how the outpatient building would function. Prop. T provides more information, stating that it would house some existing hospital departments such as women's diagnostics, radiology, the hospital's laboratory, physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation. An urgent care clinic would also be in the building's first floor to siphon cases deemed to be not life-threatening from the hospital's emergency room. The building would also include some office space for doctors who would pay rent to Tri-City.
Prop. T's text excludes a few controversial paragraphs that were in Prop. F. Under the first measure, bond money could be used to buy land in other cities. But after voters protested that this language could technically allow the hospital to flee to Carlsbad, hospital administrators made sure that Prop. T contains no reference to buying land.
Oversight
Another frequent criticism of Tri-City's first bond was that it allowed the hospital too much wiggle room. Bond language allowed hospital administrators to change any part of the building plan as they saw fit. New language in Prop. T makes changes more difficult, stating that Tri-City's governing board can only change Prop. T's scope, budget or location with a two-thirds vote.
If it passes, the measure would create an independent citizens oversight committee, charged with making sure the measure's money is spent as indicated in the bond's text. The committee would be able to hire its own auditor, at the hospital's expense, and an attorney, to conduct thorough annual audits.
Prop. T specifies that the committee will include professionals from the building industry and also one representative of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association.
In the weeks preceding the election, the Yes on T effort has repeatedly drawn attention to the oversight committee in an attempt to convince voters that bond money will be spent on new hospital facilities and not on administrator salaries or other expensive perks.
Pros and cons
About 200 volunteers have joined the Yes on T effort. Many are hospital employees and doctors whose practices are clustered around the hospital in Vista and Oceanside. Others say they have received quality care at Tri-City and express a desire to make sure their community hospital survives for another generation.
At the head of the charge for Prop. T is Tina Knight. On March 17, 1999 Knight came to Tri-City in a coma. She had gone into shock from kidney stone complications. When she arrived, doctors told her husband that it looked like she would not survive.
But after two months in Tri-City's intensive care unit, Knight was discharged to her Oceanside home. She is convinced that Tri-City, both because of its doctors and because of its close proximity to her home, saved her life.
Knight said she is convinced that if the hospital cannot get a bond passed, it will some day cease to exist.
"The bond is an investment to make sure that we still have a hospital in the future," she said.
A handful of residents have spoken out against Prop T. Jim Crostini, an Oceanside businessman and owner of a property management company, has been one of the most passionate.
Crostini said he opposes the bond because it puts a burden on property owners, especially the elderly on fixed incomes, who can least afford the new tax. He said he believes the hospital can fix critical safety needs by using its own borrowing power without asking property owners for tax money. Tri-City, which plans to free up about $100 million of its own bonding capacity by refinancing existing debt at a lower interest rate, insists that it cannot get the job done on its own. A careful student of the bond measure's text, Crostini also noted that the published tax rate of $23.40 per $100,000 of assessed value is only an estimate and could go higher if interest rates spike.
"They don't have to stick to $23.40, that's the point," he said.
According to the San Diego County registrar of voter's office, the hospital district's average assessed value is $205,000.
Indeed, the measure's tax rate statement does state that the rate is only an estimate based on the district's current tax base and how much it will grow in the future. It is common for statements of large public bonds to estimate tax rates. An examination of the rate statements for Grossmont Hospital's Proposition G bond, passed in June, contained the exact same estimate language, as did Palomar Pomerado Health's Proposition BB bond that raised $496 million in 2004.
Crostini added that he believes Tri-City's leadership has been "lethargic." Digging through old documents, he discovered that the hospital once estimated that it could retrofit its existing buildings for $45 million. While he said he accepts the hospital's explanation that inflation has sent that cost soaring, he said he does not feel he and his fellow taxpayers should pay for the hospital's previous indecision.
"Why didn't they do it 10 years ago?" he asked.
And Crostini said he simply does not buy the frequent statement that Tri-City will close if it is not renovated.
"That's just a scare tactic," he said.
Who gets to vote?
Tri-City gets its name from Oceanside, Vista and Carlsbad, the three cities that make up the Tri-City Health Care District. But simply living in one of those three cities is no guarantee that Prop. T will be on a voter's ballot Tuesday.
Some neighborhoods in each city ---- Morro Hills in northeast Oceanside, much of Vista's Shadow Ridge neighborhood, and La Costa in Carlsbad ---- are outside the boundaries and so those residents will not vote on Prop. T or pay for the measure if it passes.
When the hospital district was created in 1957 the three communities were much smaller. Over the last 40 years, each community has grown, but the hospital's governing boards have not expanded the district's boundaries to include some new neighborhoods.
The hospital district considered trying to expand the boundaries, but decided against it after learning that residents in the neighborhoods outside the boundaries could petition to avoid annexation.
The San Diego County Association of Governments estimates that there are about 390,000 residents living inside the hospital district and about 37,000 Oceanside, Vista and Carlsbad residents living outside.
The boundary issue has irked voters such as Esther Bandy, who lives in Oceanside's Fire Mountain neighborhood.
"It just doesn't seem fair that they can use the hospital, but they don't have to pay for it," Bandy said. "It feels like we are being picked on."
Why not repair?
Those who oppose Prop. T, and Prop. F before it, often say that Tri-City's existing buildings could be repaired and reused much more cheaply. But the hospital district disagrees. The master plan states that bringing the old buildings up to current earthquake standards, as mandated by state law, and making them able to handle new medical technology that will be needed in the future, will cost about as much as new construction.
Many of the hospital's doctors have tried to explain why Prop. T is best.
Dr. Hamid Movahhedian, director of Tri-City's neonatal intensive care unit, said that his department, which has 20 beds, is simply out of space.
"Prop. T, with the new plans, will allow us to have 35 beds, with the possibility of extension to 45 beds," he said.
He said the hospital's design is not friendly to mothers and babies with its operating and delivery rooms on the second floor and the neonatal intensive care unit on the third floor.
"The new hospital plan provides a connection from delivery rooms to operating rooms to a transitional nursery and even the pediatric floor," Movahhedian said. "New mothers will have easy access to their newborns."
Dr. Richard Burruss, who has been active in trying to pass both Prop. F and Prop. T, said the emergency department, where he works, has continually been challenged by an old building that can't accept new technology.
"When a CT scanner goes on the fritz, we have to load the patient in an ambulance to send them to an outpatient scanner, all because Tri-City is too old to accommodate a new scanner without extensive revisions to the 50-year-old air-conditioning system," Burruss said.
He added that old plumbing and a lack of storage room in the emergency department, and the hospital's haphazard layout, all conspire to frustrate doctors, nurses and patients.
"All of these hospital attributes negatively impact patient care, increasing frustration levels and creating unnecessary risks for patients," he said.
Burruss said simply repairing the existing hospital will never be able to bring it in line with current architectural guidelines for hospital design.
Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com.
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La Costa Surfers wrote on Nov 5, 2006 12:31 AM:Vote yes on Prop T, suckers!
Sally wrote on Nov 5, 2006 12:36 AM:Paul Sisson covers many of the important issues regarding Proposition T. He touches on the issues of hospital managment not handling facility needs in the past years. For example, Jim Crostini explains that the seismic retrofit could have been handled many years ago. The lack of initiative by the hospital board and management is now presented as a huge problem to be thrown in the lap of the district's property tax payers. The hospital management doesn't want to take any effort to make paying for their new hospital equitable among future users. Nor do they want to consider more modest and cost-efficient projects such as retrofitting the existing buildings. The retrofit doesn't cost anywhere near the cost of new buildings, regardless of the management saying so; their largest cost component of the retrofit project was not the construction, but the alleged loss of revenue during the construction. The management didn't seem to be so concerned about revenue loss when Blue Cross patients were locked out of using Tri-City facilities earlier this year. My rambling could go on and on, but so much is troubling with the hospital managment and with their request for this huge bond. The taxpayers want to do business with groups that do their jobs well and provide a cost-efficient service. Unfortunately, we don't have that situation with Proposition T.
Godfrey wrote on Nov 5, 2006 1:42 AM:Change the sad state of hospital management at Tri-City by making a shakeup on the Board. Get rid of the two incumbents running for election. Vote in Joe Brown. The proposition's oversight committee is appointed and controlled by the Board-- so much for thinking they will be able to provide an independent voice. If you read the proposition you will find that it is cleverly written to put the Board in control of the money with no effective checks and balances. The San Diego Taxpayer's Association was fooled-- I don't think they even read the Proposition T language-- they went on "what they were told" was in the language. Paul is trying to be fair in his articles, but he has a problem in that his boss is Pro T. The special interests pushing Prop. T will be spending over a million dollars on promoting F and T, and this kind of money really speaks influence in the business communities. The special interests are betting on a $600 million pay back.
Randy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 1:58 AM:Tri-City residents, shake off your lethargy. Don't let negative campaign advertising keep you for going to the polls. Help ensure the availability of quality community hospital care for your friends and family, you, your children and grandchildren. I am asking for your vote. Please join with thousands of your fellow residents voting yes on Proposition T. Thank you!
Marcus wrote on Nov 5, 2006 6:28 AM:Funny how Jim Cristini points to how the administration and the board could have done something ten years ago. Here's the problem with that statement: The current administration hasn't been at Tri-City that long. Nor have almost all of the board members. I am glad to see that Jim is finally admitting that $45 million is an OLD number and that it would cost much more to do it today. Regardless, it is a moot point given the fact that a retrofit would do NOTHING to address the countless issues that make Proposition T a necessary measure. By the way, I must address this point AGAIN: It is NOT ONLY property owners who will be paying this tax. Property renters/leasers will pay for the tax as the owners of their property will pass the additional costs down.
Randy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 7:49 AM:We owe a debt of gratitude to Ron Mitchell and Larry Schallock for 12 and 4 years of service respectively on the Tri-City Healthcare District Board of Directors.
Allen wrote on Nov 5, 2006 7:55 AM:Sally's rambling could go on and on and that is about all it is ,Rambling. The Board, past and present we all elected by voters within the district, who during the past years would not address upcoming issues in advance. Kind of like last minute shopping at Christmas. The management is good and sound, and if Sally would sit down and review the work that has been done, the lights would turn on. The $23.00 per 100K is about 1/2 of a tank of gas, and even that part is tax duductable at the end of the year. If it fails again, think about traveling miles away for your routine or emergency medical needs. I live out of the district, but would be glad to send a yearly check to Tri-City for the amount I would be taxed if I lived within. My last Emergency room visit was in Denver, and nobody queried me as to where I lived. Nobody wants to visit a Hospital, but if the need arises, hopefully one will be nearby, which is modern and update!! Yes on T !!!!! Its good medicine for ALL of us!!
Brad wrote on Nov 5, 2006 7:58 AM:Prop T has full accountability and transparency of spending. With the group of local citizens to supervise spending, it has my vote. I also look to the significant supporters they have like the local firefighters, chambers of commerce of all cities and, perhaps most important, the San Diego Taxpayers Group. YES on T.
Jack wrote on Nov 5, 2006 10:18 AM:I voted against it again. It's supposed to be a public hospital but it is run more as if it were private. Let them sell it to an HMO and let all these people that want to increase my property tax pay for it.
To Godfrey wrote on Nov 5, 2006 11:00 AM:Joe Brown would "shakeup" the board in the wrong way. Surely there would be several of his co-workers at TCMC endorsing him if they thought he would be an asset to the hospital board. Why are Joe Brown's supporters not able to name just one?
TCMC employee wrote on Nov 5, 2006 11:10 AM:Sally writes, "Their largest cost component of the retrofit project was not the construction, but the alleged loss of revenue during the construction." My question is what is going to happen to the employees when the construction is going on? If TCMC will experience a decrease in patient population, will employees be forced to take time off without pay?
Legal Eagle wrote on Nov 5, 2006 11:25 AM:Read the fine print- accountability my backside!!! ICOC (independent citizens oversight committee) will contain total of 9 members- 3 will be at large positions- other six voting members will be ie... medical staff, board members etc... Any of this may be overturned by 2/3 vote of BOARD of directors. Plan for oversight is only written for total of 4 yrs of building- what is going to happen the remainder of the plan. The hospital didn't feel that all members of community should be assessed tax to support community hospital- only ones based on community lines drawn up many years ago.
Legal Eagle wrote on Nov 5, 2006 11:44 AM:to Allen- "Management good and sound"- you must be joking!!! BAD DECISION MAKING AND IMPROPRIETIES ABOUND !!! ie... cardiothoracic and neurosurgeon deals, blue cross contract lapse, orthopedic surgeon axe deal- board member golden parachute deal- tip of the iceberg my friend. They will not disclose to public these deals- because they would demand their resignation- effective immediately!!!
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 12:40 PM:This is one of the things "NURSES" have been yelling about- "CLEAN MONEY"- VOTE FOR PROP 89- this does not increase property taxes for the working man/woman.
To Randy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 12:55 PM:I agree that Larry Schallock is an asset to the board. I'm not so sure about Ron Mitchell. I watched a televised board meeting only once and saw Ron Mitchell yelling at another board member to "shut up". He then acted like that was funny. Somehow his actions did not strike me as mature or professional.
Legal Beagle wrote on Nov 5, 2006 2:01 PM:Watching the board meetings for years there's one board member who has consistently brought these items to the discussion - typically shouted down by Horton, Mitchell, Shallock, Garrahy, and former board member Halfon. It is a common act of the board's failures over the years - they have stopped caring about the people, their mission and the people's hospital... oh yes they have cared about their feathered beds, their pocket books, their buddy system, their contractors, and their CEO and his cronies... whether it was the current CEO or the last one which took a Grand Jury scare to run him out of town!
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 2:08 PM:NO MRS-A on Nov. 7th," this is one hospital infection we can do without" Mitchell=crony, Randy=crony, Schallock=crony. We need oversight and transparency!!! Read above written by Legal Eagle- BAD DECISIONS-to which these guys were a party to!!! The only cure for this one is= BOARD MEMBERS WHO LOOK OUT FOR COMMUNITIES, HOSPITAL AND EMPLOYEES INTERESTS!!!!! I might have to vote Joe Brown-no other choices can fix this problem. Whatever happens on Nov.7th- REMEMBER "little sisters are watching you." DO WHAT IS RIGHT!!
BBBom-barded with TC Adverts wrote on Nov 5, 2006 2:17 PM:Just think of all the money spent to date and how much closer we would have been to our goal. The board will need to change management, rid themselves of their Legal Counsel, treat diverse opinions with respect, stop rubberstamping, follow the federal and state law, discuss the issues - physician and clinical recruitments, employees rights, and protect people who go to ER from waiting!!!! Only then will I ever get on board to reach out to the people to vote for this bond or any other bond presented by Tri City.
To Randy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 2:24 PM:You're right we owe a DEBT of gratitude to you, Garrahy, Halfon, Mitchell, Shallock, Tweedy, the appointees to the Board's Committees (CEO, CFO, COO/CNE, Physicians) who have consistently rubberstamped the 12 year mess. With two CEO - a Grand Jury investigation, federal and state violations, JACHO Conditional accreditation, a federal and state court saying Tri City is in non-compliance with Open Meeting and Public Records law, payouts to plaintiffs who prevailed because they should never had to take the hospital to court... Yes We HAVE A DEBT that a bond cannot fix...until the board changes, and the feds / state does an audit of all parties - including you.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 2:48 PM:to BBBom-barded- Touche!!! Checkmate!!! etc.....
gadfly to rumpus wrote on Nov 5, 2006 2:55 PM:Both the NCT and the UT know how Gonzalez, Wardwell and Coleman in just three years nearly bankrupted Shumpert Hospital in Shriveport,La. Before 1999, Shumpert the crown jewel of hosptials in Shriveport had never had a quarter in the red. Since 1999 Shumpert has lost $156,000,000. How did this happen? According to the current administator at Shumpert and the management team at the competing health care system , Willis Knighton: Taj Mahal building projects; bizzare contracting with 3rd parties; kickbacks and payoffs to insider physicians and the amortization of any and all current expensesto make the books look good! Sound familiar? Why hasnt the NCT or UT reported on this? Or why havent the two accountants running for the Board looked into this? Fortunately the Sisters of Mercy owned Shumpert. Unfortunately it is the residents of the District who will own the new hospital and its debt.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:02 PM:to person who wrote To Randy @2:24pm- Thank-you for not drinking the Kool-Aid ! Yes, to a hospital that is able to provide advanced medical care to our community and no to the essentially "white collar criminals" who want to fill their wallets on taxpayer money. Nurses have a legal, ethical and moral right not to endorse something that may be potentially harmful to their patients!!! We need a community hospital here because neither Scripps or Palomar can absorb influx of patients from our community but I don't feel current administration can fufill this promise. Give aid to K. Sterling- she has been demanding this all along!!
rumpus to gadfy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:08 PM:Give me a break. Anyone with an ounce of sense knows that Tri City's books are in such bad shape that we could never have gotten CIT or anyone else to underwrite revenue bonds like Scripps does. So we did what we had to. Go for $600,000,000 in generaly obligation bonds. Besides as part of the deal CIT is going to refinance our $75,000,000 in junk revenue bonds. Liquidity man. How else am I going to get my next 30%of base salary bonus? Now buz off.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:26 PM:to gadfly- "This all sounds too familiar" - reason for no investigation by NCT +UT is possibly their leadership has been sleeping in same bed drinking Kool-Aid !!! Stupid is as stupid does- so they say!
gadfy to TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:31 PM:You seem to know more than you are letting on. So, do you know how much CIT will get off the top for underwriting a $600,000,000 general obligation bond and refinancing the $75,000,000 outstanding junk bond debt leftover from the last building fiasco? Why not ask Randy. He's the bankruptcy accountant who works for the Feds . Or perhaps Ron Mitchell, whose accounting firm GLT does the accounting for several of the largest medical groups doing business with TCMC, would know the answer to this question. Both are running for the Board. The amount of money wasted on corporate welfare and executive bonuses at TCMC alone would enough for a meaningful raise for the rank and file. Good luck.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:34 PM:to rumpus- better watch out- or the next time you look for your wallet it may be with the prison guard! Don't worry we'll send you 6,000,000 bars of soap on a rope-courtesy of nursing staff.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:42 PM:to gadfly- Yes I know WAY MORE!!! I don't know exact amount- but I bet is close to 1 million for underwriting. I think this is a service that should be provided to the Hospital for free since CIT is squeezing many credit card customers monthly!!! It is high time for corporations to give back to community! IMPROPRIETIES ABOUND!!!
gadfly to randy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:51 PM:Think PETCCO Park. $169,000,000 bond underwritten. Exclusive underwriter got $39,000,000 of the top. They insisted that the bonds were insured. The interest rate on these tax exempt, insured bonds was set at 7.66% The city of San Diego netted $139,000,000. The underwriter bought the entire bond issue for their own portfolio including the $39,000,000 off the top for foing the deal. Corporate welfare and government stupidity at its worst or best Randy? Makes me wonder why you are running for the board.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 4:05 PM:Our CNO/CNE- should re-read American Nurses Association "Code of Ethics" paying particular attention to provision 6, section 6.3 regarding "Responsibility for health care enviornment."
gadfy to TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 4:15 PM: $1,000,000 wouldnt be enough to get an underwriter to sharpen his pencil. Read on. Although I graduated from Polyanna HS some time ago, you seem to be well on your way to matriculating yourself. If you live in the TCHD, remember that you own it ; ASSETS and LIABILITIES. Randy can help you with the later. He's a bankrupcy accountant who used to run a PAC to influence north county and OS politics out of his office in the Federal building downtown. Isnt government great! Vote yes for Prop 89. God bless the children who wont have a place in the new hospital but hopefully will be around to pay for it.
Randy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 4:17 PM:Tri-City residents, don't let the Naysayers discourage you. They want you to stay home on Tuesday. Shrug off their negativity. Get up off your collective couches, turn off your collective TiVos, and drive yourselves to your collective polling places. Do your duty for yourselves, your friends and family, your children and grandchildren. I am asking for your vote! Join thousands of your fellow residents voting yes on T!! Thank you for your support!!!
Alex wrote on Nov 5, 2006 4:33 PM:For Citibank to similate the future bond sales and arrive at the $23.40 per $100,000 tax rate, they assumed that they would repeatedly be reissuing short term bonds selling at 3% interest rate. They also used the property tax base increase of the past ten years and projected that growth rate for 40 more years. So, do you think your Proposition T tax rate will really stay at $23.40? Another reason for voting no on T.
gadfy to rumpus wrote on Nov 5, 2006 4:46 PM:They shot horses and horse thieves. Its frontier justice when government doesnt work. Take cover rumpus.
gadfy to randy wrote on Nov 5, 2006 4:59 PM:Our children and grandchildren will be amply represented on Teusday one way or the other. In the mean time how about a descent pediatric inpatient unit for the children and their parents at TCMC. Didnt you vote to close the one we had? In the meantime how about an answer to the bond underwriter question. You must know that while assets can be depreciated , debt can not, except through bankruptcy in which case the Board would be out of business. Not a bad idea now that I think of it. Concider recievership. Then CIT wouldnt have to buy our junk bonds. Any thoughts?
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 5:19 PM:to gadfly- Yes- little sister is listening. I have graduated from Polyanna HS and seem to be doing some post graduate work in the study of "white collar criminals." This is reason some nurses have aligned themselves with CNA- seems only solution- as there is "No Nurse Protection Program" in place. Whistleblowing at TCMC to the values line only leads to identification of the victim not the perpretrators.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 5:22 PM:Randy will continue to avoid answering real questions because "HE IS AND WAS PART OF PROBLEM- NOT SOLUTION!!! Speak up sir- CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE?
Alex wrote on Nov 5, 2006 5:26 PM:To Gadfly and others. How'd you think if Kaiser were to buy Tri-City? Were this to happen, we would want it to happen before approving $600 million in bonds. The debt is ours to pay over the next 40 years. I'd be 99 years old when the bonds are paid off.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 5:43 PM:to Alex- it would not be a good idea for patients for Kaiser to buy TCMC. Haven't you read about HMO's and their managed care corporate criminals? Read above-we own it- ASSESTS and LIABILITIES. It is time for the real owners to stand up and take notice what is going on under our own noses!!!! It's time to put on "our big girl panties" and deal with it!!
To TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 6:17 PM:Tri-City administrators are not the only ones with quesionable behavior. I was very angry to receive a mailer from CNA endorsing political candidates and propositions. First of all, they only endorsed Democrats. Secondly, they apparently don't think nurses can think for themselves. I can make up my own mind on who and what to vote for. Is this how our union dues will be used???? If so, I want out!!!
Alex to TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 6:19 PM:I appreciate the advice about Kaiser. I mentioned Kaiser because many of us are getting owner-fatigue due to these Tri-City bonds coming back at us like a boomerang. Sorry, I can't join you in putting on "our big girl panties"-- my wife wouldn't like me doing that.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 6:37 PM:to Alex- it is an expression for not being afraid-standing up-and taking action.
Alex to TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 6:57 PM:"For not being afraid (to) stand up and take action", what action so you suggest we take? Who are you voting for for Tri-City Board? What about the management? If you oppose Prop. T, what changes do you want for you to be able to vote for a Tri-City bond?
TriCity Doc wrote on Nov 5, 2006 7:24 PM:Boy, Does Randy serve the best kool-aid ever. Listen, Vote No on T. It's not needed at this time. Let's take the time to really inform the voters what is needed, and T is not needed at this time!
concerned homeowner wrote on Nov 5, 2006 8:30 PM:I feel really sorry for anyone trying to sell their home affected by the Tri-City bond disaster...In this fickle real estate market, who would purchase a home with this type of bondage on it? To those who own homes in the Tri-City bond area, I would think very hard before approving this proposition. Better plan on keeping your home forever, because no one will want it once this passes!
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 5, 2006 9:08 PM:read above blogs- and you will know how I will vote on Nov.7th. Bring me-and our community a bond that is fair, honest and contains the proper oversight needed on this issue and I'll throw a sign on my front lawn and even go door to door educating public about it!! There are too many people standing in line right now for their corporate welfare check!!! As for management- sounds like we need- independent Federal investigation into activities occurring at TCMC. I will be attending BOARD meetings- and paying close attention to activities occurring at hospital... Become active- don't sit in back seat.
Voter For Ethics & Oversight wrote on Nov 6, 2006 4:23 AM:Years of WATCHING the board MEETINGS, going to COMMITTEES, reviewing TAPES, along with years of RESEARCHING the background MATERIALS, PROPOSALS, RFPs, CONTRACTS, LAND DEALS, PURCHASES, MOUs, MOAs, SUMMARIES, and PAPER TRAILS from other agencies about Tri City, & following the MONEY TRAIL of PROIR WORKS & DEEDS of the CEO, VPs, COO/CNE, DOCTORS, APPOINTEES, by chipping away at the culpable - the BOARD, to date everything these folks do – BACKFIRES!!! They just don’t seem to get it! Therefore, I will not vote for Prop T!... OUT WITH THE INSIDERS and IN WITH THE OUTSIDERS - Voter for Ethics & Oversight will VOTE ONLY for Mr. JOE BROWN!
To Vote for Ethics wrote on Nov 6, 2006 7:12 AM:Can you name just one of Joe Brown's ex-coworkers at TCMC who will endorse him? Just one. If he would be such a good asset for the hospital surely that won't be hard to do. Just one endorsement from an ex-coworker.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 4:13 PM:Mr. Brown - has insight to how Management treats employees!! If he has a willingness to do what is right for our patients, community and staff at TCMC-thats all I need to vote for him. The other candidates- are INSIDERS- who were party to BAD DECISION MAKING!!! K. Sterling needs help-are you willing-JOE? I am willing to give you that chance because- other candidates are BAD FOR BUSINESS!!
Peppermint Pattie wrote on Nov 6, 2006 4:30 PM:to Leagle Beagle- you are our only hope!! Little sisters will watch your back- we were there and we saw how the BAD APPLES behaved!!!
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 4:40 PM:to TriCity Doc- right now as you may know- california seismic requirements are having a retro-fitting of their own. Stay away from Kool-Aid- it's bad for you. You are one of the few MD's not concerned where you will park your new BENZ when the construction is over.
to fellow TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 5:06 PM:Mad about mailers- are you kidding I recieved at least 8 from TCMC alone. Maybe TCMC thinks we don't have brains either. At last check-we still live in USA-your vote is your own. Apparently you have not attended any "union meetings" because if you did you would know - they ask for permission and a signature before assuming you support issue at hand. We "the nurses of TCMC" have decided what is being negotiated on- so if you don't attend meetings and voice your concerns- no complaining. Lastly, I am trying to understand your oppositionality- you don't/didn't support "patient ratio's or clean money in elections?" Why
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 5:10 PM:to marcus- You need to see how the other half lives then you would not be so cavalier as to ask for our last dollar in support of your cause!!!!
To TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 6:23 PM:I never stated my opinion regarding any proposition. Nice of you to assume that, though. Nurses cross all political lines and each nurse has his/her own priority for his/her own life circumstances. That priority might not be the same as yours or mine. And some issues are highly personal, such as Proposition 85, and have nothing to do with nursing directly. All I am saying is that CNA should be not be giving such endorsements, when all nurses may not be behind them. They certainly should not be using union dues to pay for the endorsements either.
TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 6:56 PM:Yes, this is true. Politics are personal thing. Prop 89 is "clean money" prop and although it does not effect nursing practice directly-it does affect our patients. Are you not opposed to limiting the PAC money and influence big Pharmaceutical companies have?- because this issue directly affects our elderly patients. As far as union dues go- "do you expect to receive electric lights without paying the bill? I think not, monies collected go to running plant, maintenance etc.. Even TCMC provides polictal influences and support-look beneath surface- you'll feel sick. We need to stand together for positive change. Research and gather information before being critical and I will try harder to do same.
to fellow TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 7:10 PM:one thing to add-sorry- I just got a call urging me to vote NO on PROP 85 from Cal- AMA(california doctors association). This is what politics is about- we have more power as a group. Try asking TCMC to go after these Pharmaceutical companies- they won't because they side with AHA (American Hospital Association), AMA(American Medical Association) and others too numerous to list- which are all in bed with these groups. Nurses need to realize that we need to organize for a voice for our patients and ourselves. Go onto CNA website and read history of organization to gain insight.
To TCMC RN wrote on Nov 6, 2006 8:12 PM:I don't think CNA should be pushing their own political agenda on a very diverse group of nurses. We will just have to agree to disagree on that. And I have no intention of getting into a discussion on specific issues, there's not enough time or space. I hope you have a good evening.
To TCMC wrote on Nov 6, 2006 8:15 PM:I don't think CNA should be pushing their own political agenda on a very diverse group of nurses. We will just have to agree to disagree on that. And I have no intention of getting into a discussion on specific issues, there's not enough time or space. I hope you have a good evening.
RaM ROD wrote on Nov 6, 2006 8:36 PM:Full page ads in the North County Times (no wonder you endorsed the troika) - is this what our Oversight Committe selected by CEOAdmin has chosen to do from the money gained from the Foundation, Auxiliary and the Philantropist who have given money for state of the art equipment for the hospital? Shame on CEOAdmin for cutting out the Baile!!! North County Fundraiser for the Hospital. This has been a tradition now spoiled by a Thug whose pocket must be filled with gold! Is this okay by you Randy Dandy Handy?
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