Hospital District Board property tax approved
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Now to the latest on the back and forth between the Yuma County Hospital District #1 and Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC).
On Monday, the District board spoke out against the Goldwater Institute, who sent a letter to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors, challenging a property tax imposed by the hospital district.
The district is being accused of illegally sneaking this property tax past voters.
The lease agreement lawsuit between YRMC and the hospital district board is still ongoing, meaning property owners in Yuma County are still being taxed.
“The district has a right pursuant to section 19-14 to tax on behalf of the people of Yuma to make sure they can operate,” said Hospital District Board Attorney Paul Gerding.
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved another property tax Monday morning at the request of Hospital District Board #1 for the upcoming fiscal year.
The last tax approved was over $1.1 million.
The hospital district said it's mainly to cover legal fees, brought on by a lawsuit from YRMC.
The lawsuit started in 2020.
Before then the district board had never taxed the community, saying it was a last resort to defend themselves.
“We have a statutory obligation to assure that the hospital, the facilities and opposition of such is in the best interest of the people of Yuma County,” said Hospital District Board Vice Chairwoman Connie Uribe.
But just days before the board of supervisors adopted the hospital district tax, included in the county tax rates for 2023-2024, the Goldwater Institute wrote a letter to the board, trying to stop them.
“This Goldwater letter came at the 11th hour just before the final date of the approval deadline,” said Gerding.
YRMC said it agrees with the Goldwater Institute on holding the hospital district accountable.
“Property owners received their tax bill and started calling the hospital. They were very angry that there was a property tax that they were never given the opportunity to vote on the tax,” said Machele Headington, YRMC Vice President of Marketing & Communications.
But the hospital district board’s attorney said otherwise.
“Every meeting is open to the public. No members of the public have complained about the tax and no member of the Goldwater Institute came to complain about the tax,” said Gerding.
YRMC said none of the money collected goes back to the hospital.
And the board of supervisors can’t change that.
“The county board of supervisors also don’t have a right to not approve the tax so that’s disheartening,” said Headington.
The next step in the process is the trial between YRMC and the Hospital District Board #1 which we just learned has been delayed until next year.
