Monday, July 20, 2009

Sarasota Memorial may raise tax rate

SARASOTA — - Sarasota Memorial Hospital board members are planning to propose a nearly 15 percent tax rate increase at their meeting today.
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The proposed increase, the hospital’s first since the recession began in 2007, comes as other taxing districts are deciding to hold rates steady or drop them.
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Hospital officials say the increase is needed to fund building projects and a growing number of expenses incurred as the region’s only public hospital, charged with providing services that are increasingly unprofitable such as delivering babies and treating the poor.

Without the rate increase, the hospital would lose an estimated $6.6 million because of the decline in property values.

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The board is set to vote today whether to propose a rate increase. The vote is on whether to increase the rate on Sept. 21, after the last of two public hearings. The proposed new tax rate is $1.08 for each $1,000 of taxable home value, up from the current rate of 94 cents per $1,000. More...

1 comment:

Kangaroo said...

'services that are increasingly unprofitable such as delivering babies...'

SMH has the unique opportunity to both improve outcomes AND save taxpayer money by zeroing in on this issue. If they implement protocols to reduce induction and elective cesarean section rates, they will save taxpayers money both in medicaid costs and in hospital funding. reducing repeat c-section rates will significantly reduce NICU admissions, perhaps the biggest cost to the hospital.