Local outsider taxpayers can vote ‘No’ to paying taxes for new healthcare district in Imperial County

Taxpayers outside of Pioneers Memorial Hospital and Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District can vote "No" to paying taxes on the new healthcare district

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The new bill that is going to create a new county-wide healthcare district in Imperial County has a new update that brings concerns to local taxpayers.

Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-California) introduced Bill 918 which is combining Pioneers Memorial Hospital, Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District, and El Centro Regional Medical Center into one healthcare district. 

On May 1, 2023, the bill was amended and on July 6 was amended once again with its latest updated version of the bill. 

An update that Pioneers Memorial Hospital is concerned the new bill might cause some issues. 

Such as voters who are taxpayers outside of Pioneers and Heffernan can vote to not pay taxes on the new healthcare district.  

Taxpayers will see their money going toward the new Imperial Valley Healthcare District.  

“If that tax doesn't pass, you now formed a new district. All of those taxpayers in the current two districts are still paying taxes but people outside of those two districts are governing the use of those funds,” said Damon Sorensen, Interim CEO of Pioneers Memorial Hospital.   

According to Damon, he's afraid that with the taxpaying towards the new healthcare district, it will jeopardize Pioneers financially.     

“So Pioneers has had some financial struggles but we’ve turned that around. We’ve made over $5 million over the last seven months. We got a positive budget of over $3.5 million next year and to get pulled into this thing and to cause the one healthy hospital that you have in the county to now be unhealthy, you really jeopardize and do accomplish exactly all the things that they say they are trying to avoid,” said Sorensen.