Public Hospital District No. 1, Proposition 1 · Douglas County

Committee: Michael Pruett

Vote yes to keep quality healthcare close to home. Three Rivers Hospital is where our families, friends, and neighbors turn for care at every stage of life, from routine appointments to life-saving emergencies. As a community-owned, nonprofit hospital, Three Rivers is here when we need it most. Vote yes for a practical investment. This modernization project improves our existing hospital with updated patient care spaces, modern technology, enhanced privacy and comfort, and infrastructure that meets today’s healthcare standards. When wildfires or other emergencies affect our region, neighbors help neighbors. Strong local healthcare is part of that resilience, ensuring care remains close when it matters most. Vote yes for every community we serve, from Mansfield to Mazama. At an estimated cost of $0.73 per $1,000 of assessed value, this investment helps keep quality healthcare close to home for all of us. Vote yes. Written by Michael Pruett

Committee: Melvin Sorensen

Before voters commit $48 million for hospital construction in Hospital District #1, they deserve solid county-wide information to confirm how best to meet the medical needs of the residents of Okanogan County. We don’t have that information, and the current proposal asks voters to commit to 30 years of increased property taxes and $48 million for new construction without the county-wide data showing that this is the best way to spend the money. Committing money, without studying county-wide data, locks in the current system, and stands in the way of designing what might be better. Perhaps a county-wide study would support a central facility with outlying 24-hour urgent care centers. Maybe something else...but good information is the way to find the best use of limited health care tax dollars. Without that information, voters should Vote No on the current proposal. Good information can later support funding what’s best. Written by Melvin Sorensen

Rebuttal of argument for

Okanogan County’s three small hospitals have few overnight patients and compete with each other for patients and staff. Three Rivers is fragile. New Medicaid reductions mean even less financial stability. This bond doesn’t help. It funds construction. If Three Rivers Hospital fails, residents get decades of increased taxes, but no hospital. Before additional taxes, we need county-wide data to inform best options for improving hospital care in the county. Vote No! Written by Melvin Sorensen