2008-02-05 Oral Communications SubmittalReprinted from Alameda Journal Jan. 25, 2008} and Alameda Sun Jan. 29, 2005}
The hard choice between health or education
By William Dodge
The city of Alameda cannot afford both quality education and a quality
hospital. In fact, Alameda Hospital has become a money pit. The new
Alameda Hospital administrator is paid as much as the president of the
United States, $400,000 per year in salary and benefits.
This is just plain wrong.
You might ask how Alameda got in this fix. The closing of the Alameda
Naval Air Station, 11 yeaxs ago left both education and hospital under
funded. As a result, Alameda Hospital loses money every year. And, every
year, Alameda education cuts budgets. Our elected representatives in the
state Legislature have done nothing to help.
When the Navy funded Alameda Hospital, it was a full service acute-care
facility. Today, the hospital does not provide inpatient obstetrics or pediatric
services, although some Alameda residents need this medical care. Its
emergency department refers to other hospitals for the critical traumas and
for the cardiac cases. that require catheterization. The inpatient occupancy
rate of the 100 acute beds is 40 percent. This is a losing proposition.
Without Navy monies, Alameda does not have the population to support a
hospital. Federal health care guidelines suggest that it ta.~ces a dedicated
population of 100,000 to support a 100-bed hospital. But, almost half of
Alameda's 75,000 residents are members of Kaiser Permanente.
So how does Alameda Hospital financially survive? Two of the laxgest
contributors are property taxes and Kaiser Permanente.
Annual property taxes of $298 per parcel pay $6 million and Kaiser's
contract for surgeries pays $8 million. But, Kaiser is building a new Oakland
hospital to be completed in five years. What happens when Kaiser leaves?
And the story gets worse. By 2013, Alameda Hospital must spend over $6
million to retrofit all three of its buildings. Does this mean that the buildings
are unsafe now? Delaying the retrofit might save money but at the expense '~
of safety.
Submitted by Bill Dodge at the
02-05-08 Council Meeting under
Oral Communications
When the Alameda Naval Air Station closed, it left Alameda schools in as
bad financial shape as Alameda Hospital. In 2007, the $116 annual property
tax for Alameda schools was not sufficient enough to stop a $2 million
budget cut and did not allow employees and teachers a salary increase to
keep up with inflation.
In 2008, state budget cuts of 10 percent in education loom. Alameda schools
have already closed schools and reduced sports, physical education and
some arts. Classroom student numbers are at a maximum. Qualified teachers
axe leaving the district for higher paying jobs. There is no immediate
solution to bail out Alameda education. Alameda's property values are
partially based upon the success of its education. And, property values axe
going down.
I~ s time for Alameda to decide whether they want quality education or a
quality hospital. Alameda cannot afford both. Giving the annual $6 million
Alameda Hospital tax to Alameda education might make sense. But, there
are many health care services that Alameda Hospital does provide quite
successfully.
It's time to consider selling Alameda Hospital. Sell to the Veterans
Administration, to Summit, or even to Kaiser. The Veterans Administration
recently announced they want to have medical services in Alameda by 2012.
The V.A. seems willing to sign short-term contracts with Alameda.
Why not long term or permanent? How about abuy-out?
Wouldn't it be nice for all residents of Alameda to have quality veteran-
civilian medical services in Alameda and not have to pay the $298 annual
property tax?
Wouldn't it be nice for Alameda schools to receive that $298 annual property
tax to deliver quality education?
If you would like to comment on what to do with Alameda Hospital and
Alameda education, please e-mail me at
AlamedaHosnComment(c~pacbell net.
William Dodge is a resident of Alameda.