Are these guys for real wrote on Aug 28, 2008 8:50 PM:"Tri-City Medical Center directors will explore ways to raise money, other than increasing property taxes..."

This should have been thoroughly explored FIRST, before a bond was even considered!!

"It may be time that we take a look at the whole district process," Schallock said.

This would be funny if it weren't so infuriating! How many people were positively SCREAMING about this very issue after the FIRST bond failure? Good God in heaven, they really don't listen to anyone, do they?

The Truth Appears wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:11 PM:We wonder how much of a bonus Gonsalves will receive under the table for his last covert operation. The bigger question is what happened to all the ballots that were never returned. Tri-City has three generations of my family who have been treated there, really well and I smell a Gonsalves.

Floyd wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:46 PM:They still haven't figured they can fund the construction all by themselves with just 2.5% of gross receipts. For every hundred dollars they take in, they only have to set aside $2.50 and they'll be able to handle the $25 million annual debt service on a $600 million loan. Get the accountants on the job right away!

Vista Watchdog wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:46 PM:Look at selling a portion of all of the Hospital, that should raise more than enough money!

Carlsbad Resident wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:48 PM:Property tax is not an equitable way to pay for a service we all may use. How is it fair that my neighbor would pay 1/2 the amount we would because our home may be valued at twice theirs (or vice versa)? That sounds very much like taxation without equal representation.
We would be willing to support a bond for Tri City hospital should everyone be assessed the same amount.

Standing ovation for wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:54 PM:Dr. Gary Gonsalvez. I can't even begin to thank you enough for your efforts. I was seriously losing sleep that this bond would pass.

With a tight economy, increased gas prices, increased food cost, the Governor wanting to raise state sales tax, Vista already increasing our sales tax, The fire Bond and the already existing Bonds on our property tax bill and then then possibility of this 40 year bond.

I know that it didn't seem like a lot of money but it all ads up quickly. When your on a fixed income like I am every little bit counts

RD wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:58 PM:I am glad that NCT and other news sources brought this bond to my attention. I almost through my ballot in the trash for junk mail. I voted against this the first 2 times and thought it was pretty sneaking how Tri-City tried to pull it off again with the mail in ballot thing.

Not Cool Tri-City!

Tommy wrote on Aug 28, 2008 10:19 PM:They could make an easy $500,000 a year by leasing their Chief Executive Officer Arthur Gonzalez to some other company. And they've got a lot of Vice Presidents, too! Why, they could probably bring in several million a year just by leasing out their top executives! It's time for some creative financing options, and this is one worth considering.

to Carlsbad Resident wrote on Aug 28, 2008 10:49 PM:Right on! Taxation without equal representation!

Not to mention the 1 million dollar a month shelled out for the illegal alien population that will pay nothing at Tri-City.

Ridiculous wrote on Aug 28, 2008 10:52 PM:Watch the video on this site. Art Gonzales is so out of touch he just couldn't understand if the economy had something to do with this bond losing. ... I guess making a half million a year insulates you from reality, Art. You need to resign and let new leadership take over our community hospital. The board needs to rope in more area taxpayers from the areas that are currently using this hospital. And you need to quit lying to us about the earthquake safety hysteria. HAZUS hasn't even been done for this site. The risk increases as a property is on or close to a fault line. There is no major fault line here and so the fixes, if any are needed, to the hospital may be fairly minor and certainly affordable in the long run. Get your Hospital Foundation off their duffs and start raising money for a new ER for starters. And stop this bonding madness!

Heres an Idea to raise money wrote on Aug 28, 2008 10:52 PM:why doesn't Arthur Gonzalez TAKE A PAY CUT! A BIG PAY CUT!

Jay wrote on Aug 28, 2008 11:52 PM:Larry is RIGHT .. the days of public health districts may be over ..

The USERS should foot the bill - many district property owners have insurance that uses other facilities - they shouldn't be saddled with this bond. Sell the hospital off to the private sector and distribute the proceeds to the property owners in the district ..

Larry wrote on Aug 29, 2008 12:01 AM:A Tri-City bond will never pass as long as we have the current Board and hospital administration. Too many residents lack confidence in them.

OCEANSIDE GANGBUSTER wrote on Aug 29, 2008 12:06 AM:Just wait until Oceanside Police and FBI get through with Tri-City Hospital. There won't be no stinking 4th Bond effort, no more pre-stuffed ballot boxs, no more 15 ballots per person, and Mexico won't try to force us to pay for Hospital care for Mexicans anymore. Let this hospital crash and burn like the fifty others that went bankrupt already due to illegals flooding the ER 24 hours a day then walking out without paying. Besides, since when do you drive to a Hospital for basic medical care, hmm? Usually, If you need to be in a hospital ER you should not be able to drive, with few exceptions like when my appendix burst and I nearly crashed in the parking lot on my banzai run to the ER one time. And I had insurance, weird eh?

Sell TCMC now wrote on Aug 29, 2008 12:44 AM:Time to sell this Community hospital to a private owner. Or at least sell the Facilities and lease them back. There are lots of options including co-ownership. With the region growing as it has since 1958 when TCMC first came into existance as a Hospital District there are plenty of Private Hospital Corporations and Private investors who would be interested in owning (at least a piece of) TCMC. Why do we need to continue a government enterpirse now that the region is large enough to attract private enterpirse? The only thing keeping them away right now is that it is impossible to compete with a fully up and running government Hospital. South Coast Community in Laguna Beach sold to a Private non-profit. Why not sell TCMC. The proceeds coudl be well used for any number of other much needed things around here: like a trauma center, firefighting equipment (a few helicopters and/or water bombers), just to name a few! Come on people, think outside the box!

Jeff M wrote on Aug 29, 2008 1:20 AM:I've got a GREAT idea. How about we cut off the billions of dollars of taxpayer dollars spent on illegal immigrant entitlements in socialist California!! Then we could build 20 hospitals, each with a gold spitoon in every room!

the answer is simple wrote on Aug 29, 2008 3:46 AM:Get rid of the $500,000 year CEO who just received a vote of NO CONFIDENCE from the public, and get rid of his hand-picked, bulldog of a nurse administrator, who I am sure is very overpaid too. Then maybe the public would look at supporting a bond. Hire someone who cares about the public, the hospital, and the doctors and nurses, and not just himself. Get rid of the cronies!!

NSShirlock wrote on Aug 29, 2008 3:55 AM:The answer is simple. Incompetent hospitals get taken over by competent healthcare providers. It's a dog eat dog world. Big city or rural, if the Jolly Green Giant doesn't can enough peas, we'll can his ??? No hard feelings. it's just business. LOLOLOLOL!!!

Oceanside Chris wrote on Aug 29, 2008 4:44 AM:The process is broke. Districts should not have the right to reach in my wallet. It's the economy, stupid. It's the tax burden! I am not against a new hospital, I am against a 40 year billion dollar note.

TCMC wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:34 AM:Self admittedly loses over a million a month in non payment for services rendered. Add to that the very bloated salaries of the Director's, CEO's and VP's. If they streamlined their operations, got creative and innovative people in the top spots and stopped deferring to outside agencies for VERY expensive advice, I'm sure they could soar on their own. Dr. Gonsalves pointed to all this in his campaign to Stop Taxing Us. Unlike TCMC, the good Dr. did nothing untoward or underhanded and that's why his campaign was more successful than theirs.

Godzilla wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:36 AM:How many millions of dollars did they spend trying to extort half a billion dollars from us?
And now they are exploring other options? Maybe a trip down to the emergency waiting area sometime would be a good place to look to save some bucks.
"We The People" choose not to pay additional taxes without representation.

Randy wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:38 AM:If you truly believe that the hospital is heading in the wrong direction, 4 of the 7 Tri-City board members are up for re-election Nov. 4th. They are being challenged by 4 candidates. Vote for change!

Joe B wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:38 AM:The board has so many options, as does the executives. They simply do not have a clue. Tri-City really does not need bond money if they really do not understand why they lost. I am, however, happy they are clueless... it help us defeat them. :) Thanks Art, Allen, and board!

Oceanside taxpayer wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:50 AM:Disappointing that TCMC would use scare tactics on little old people in order to try to pass this bill. I Recall they have been saying TCMC would close for the last 15 years. Tax payers are dumb you now.

TCMC should be a shamed!

TCMC has the money already wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:55 AM:The million a month TCMC spends on treating undocumented folks equals 12 million a year. Over 40 years that is 480 million dollars. There's your bond money TCMC!

Oceansider wrote on Aug 29, 2008 7:31 AM:Each time a member of the TCMC Board of Directors opens his/her mouth, they confirm what opponents have been saying all along:

The board DID NOT explore other financing mechanisms (and they had no backup plan in case the bond measures failed);

The failure DOES NOT mean automatic closure of the hospital;

The district overhaul HAS NOT been adequately addressed up to this point.

The first poster on this board has it exactly right: despite what we have been saying during all three bond campaigns, the Board hasn't listened at all. That, oh wise and powerful Board members, you will NEVER pass a bond. It starts and ends with your credibility, which you have squandered to the point of extinction.

Oceansider wrote on Aug 29, 2008 7:38 AM:Do yourself a favor: watch the video on the NCT home page, and watch a completely baffled CEO Gonzalez as he explains that he doesn't know why the bond failed. The utter cluelessness that this PhD expresses should give you the clearest indication of the competency of the Board and management. Appalling is the only word I can use to describe it.

Craig wrote on Aug 29, 2008 8:01 AM:To:The Truth Appears- Do you have any proof to what you are alluding to or are you just shooting off your mouth because you bought into "the sky is falling" story?

No on Joe wrote on Aug 29, 2008 8:04 AM:To Joe B...3rd bond didn't pass!Good for you. So what will you do with your life now?

the st choice wrote on Aug 29, 2008 8:18 AM:the 1st choice was milk the tax payers???

The Plan wrote on Aug 29, 2008 9:43 AM:They said that if the bond did not pass the hospital would have to close. If that were the case they should be planning to pack. Just a few days out and they are looking for alternate funding sources. They lied - they know closing is not the only option. Closing the hospital may be the BEST option. The place is a dump, that is why I voted no!

Exquisite planning wrote on Aug 29, 2008 9:50 AM:If Tri-City followed PPH's lead they'd have their bond money. Covert and the board could see the writing on the wall. Hurry up and run for bond money because it was inevitable that HAZUS would change the requirements and the economy would turn.
Exquisite planning on PPH's part!

Common Sense wrote on Aug 29, 2008 9:59 AM:"1st choice milk the tax payers???", is that not how schools pass bonds. People wake up please, there are few alternatives. This community needs a hospital, thousands of people need a job. The CFO at Tri-City makes no more than that at Scripps or Palomar so that should have nothing to do with a NO vote. "Don't treat illegals", educate yourself, there is a law called EMTALA, by law you are not allowed to turn anyone away that beleives they have an emergeny. It is not the responsibility of Tri-City to monitor the boarder, that is why your tax money pays boarder patrol. Who is going to buy a hospital that needs $600,000,000+ in rennovations, that would be a stupid move for anyone. It's kind of funny that most of the 19,000 No voters are the ones still logging on making comments, you won....get over it. 32,000+ voted YES but due to our wonderful judicial system the 19,000 NO's won. What a wonderful USA we have.

Osider wrote on Aug 29, 2008 10:40 AM:How about all the citizens that do not want to pay for a new hospital thru increased property taxes not go there when in need or deny them emergency services when they arise. Come on people, we need a new hospital but, you dont want to pay for it. No wonder we have the worst hospital in the county! Typical Oceanside.

LetsGetTogether wrote on Aug 29, 2008 10:53 AM:Lots of great comments here. I'm new to watching NCT letters. They are pretty good!

But I've been in NC for 20 yrs with grandparents dieing at TCH in the 60s and 70s.

In the last few years its become obvious Tri-City Hospital Management has mental problems. Or maybe simple greed. Anyway they certainly need a new head and they need TRANSPARENCY. Several of you seem like clones of Sarah Palin / John McCain / Barack Obama. How about running for Board positions? How about a real grassroots movement folks and consider all the wisdom seen here and elsewhere?

To NO on Joe wrote on Aug 29, 2008 12:12 PM:DOn't be mad at Joe, be mad at the Board and the administration.

StopTaxingUs wrote on Aug 29, 2008 12:20 PM:Join Gary's grass roots group - StopTaxingUs dot com. We are growing rapidly to stop all this tax anarchy going on.

bond is a four letter word wrote on Aug 29, 2008 1:09 PM:Bond should be a 4 letter word in TCMC.

The top priority of the out of touch execs is to keep their cushy jobs and extravagant pay. There were absolutely no incentives for them to CHANGE. It is so much easier to scare and look down on the citizens. Their arrogance shows through after the 1st and 2nd and now the 3rd strike. Their conduct demonstrates gross contempt for the democratic process and the voters.

Install new board members in Nov. and recall anyone who use the 4 letter word.

Twin City Hospital wrote on Aug 29, 2008 1:16 PM:Scripps Encinitas is working on an expansion, without our tax $$ of course. It will have the facility to provide services to Carlsbad.

Since Tricity will soon become Twin City, it does not need a new hospital and additional capacity at all.

TCMC has a strong enough balance sheet to borrow and pay for a small bond for the Earthquake work itself.

To Common Sense wrote on Aug 29, 2008 1:28 PM:Does the fact that Tri-City is NOW looking into other ways to finance their project OTHER than making only property owners fund it raise any red flags for you? TCMC told everyone the hospital will close without A passing-are they packing their suitcases? They said they've explored every other option before putting this to a vote,obviously a LIE. I won't get over winning this vote for a long time because it's a MAJOR victory for all tax paying citizens who are tired of being asked for a blank check! TCMC spent millions on failed campaigns, TV commercials, huge CEO bonuses, etc., but want a select group of it's district citizens to pay up? NO WAY! I won't mind paying for a new hospital as long as it's FAIR and a plan is in place for ALL the citizens in the Tri-city area pay for it. Maybe if TCMC learned that lesson the 1st or 2nd time, they would've had a different outcome!

FTM wrote on Aug 29, 2008 1:36 PM:The idea that a hospital - a business that provides healthcare in exchange for money - can be in financial trouble is really sad. Why treat so many people for free?? Why do hospitals take care of people for free?? It should not be the hospital or the taxpayers that shoulds pay for that. The people needing the healthcare should pay for that. If they can't pay then give them loans, but they still must eventually pay. We all band together in helth insurance policies and in that way we agree to pay each others medical bills because we all pay into the insurance policy together. Why should these freeloaders who will not pay into a policy or pay medical costs get it for free??

Why, please tell me WHY should they get it for FREE. Why?

Born in Tri City wrote on Aug 29, 2008 2:25 PM:Ok. Yeah the proposition didn't pass. But I am glad to see that Tri-city will still find and is looking for another way.

Tri City was here way before the other hospitals came along. That is why it needs some renovation so that it may still stand and still serve the community and people that come from a far for health services.

Dont worry tax payers you may not have to pay. But you still need Tri City at your reach.

Because wrote on Aug 29, 2008 2:48 PM:They get it free, because it is the law that the hospital has to treat them. Call your Congressman.

Oceansider wrote on Aug 29, 2008 2:52 PM:Repeating lesson one from a few days ago:

The Tri-City Board of Directors must first pursue the expansion of the hospital district's boundaries to include ALL of the three cities it serves.

Just reminding the Board members of one of the major reasons the bond lost, as they seem to have short attention spans.

No other country in the WORLD wrote on Aug 29, 2008 3:29 PM:treats patients without PROOF of insurance, and no other country in the world has a problem with ASKING people if they are citizens. TriCity should start treating ONLY patients who can pay.

Lee wrote on Aug 29, 2008 3:36 PM:I'm happy at the outcome at this point in time. I think most residents would prefer that TCMC succeed in some way. But the current Board and CEO are not going to make that happen. FIRST priority is to either slash Gonzo"s pay and also of his VP's in half, or better yet, get rid of them. Second priority is for the voters to make sure that we elect new Board members as soon as possible. Third priority is to get out of the Hospital District mode by either selling the place or expanding boundries. I'm not against the hospital, just the way it's managed.

taxed wrote on Aug 29, 2008 4:58 PM:Get reimbursed from Mexico.

Frank wrote on Aug 29, 2008 5:28 PM:To: Common Sense,

Sorry to say it, but you sound like a typical tax and spend liberal. Don’t worry, when TCMC is still open in ten years, and you still have your tax money, I won’t expect you to thank me for voting no.

too funny wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:00 PM:To no other country- then go to another country!

Amazed wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:10 PM:I am amazed at many of the uninformed comments of you no voters. Tri-City did nothing illegal. The mail in Ballot and the centrally located drop off box, yes, located at the Hospital run by the registrar of voters was completely legal. Many of you gonsalves lovers keep talking about "the illegals" treated at TCMC. Well guess what? EVERYONE is treated there.The uninsured and the insured. Those uninsured are also your family, friends & neighbors.

to Amazed wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:40 PM:you should be amazed that TCMC all of a sudden has other options to consider. Be amazed that TCMC is more profitable now than 3 years ago when it said the hospital would close if bond failed.
Speak for yourself that the uninsured are our family, friends and neighbors. Those who are informed take responsibility of our own bills and encourage those who don't to do the right thing.
Blame others and in denial for your own failure the 3rd time, that is amazingly uninformed.

Stop taxing us wrote on Aug 29, 2008 6:43 PM:this grass roots operation has saved all of us thousands of dollars and 40 years of grief. I for one will make a donation as a token of appreciation.

Community Support wrote on Aug 29, 2008 10:22 PM:The hospital received over 63 percent of the communities support on all 3 elections. Let not forget that fact! Why because most of the community would like a modern medical center to add to the wonderful place we live. This majority also has the vision to know what it takes to run such a vital service.

The medical center will now need to figure out how to fund the needed changes another way. Hopefully we as a community can get behind them with philanthropy and develop funding alternatives. The unfortunate result of the missed election is that the medical center will need to redirect precious dollars to concrete and rebar rather than cutting edge technology. I am sure they will continue to invest in the equipment they need to keep us healthy and healed. But bottom line they now will need to make difficult capital choices so they can rebuild the old facility. We all lose because I personally would rather then spend all of the their dollars on staff and new medical technology.

I will do what I can to help. Please join me and lets get together to help make a great hospital a state of the art modern medical center. We have much work to do.

Alex wrote on Aug 31, 2008 6:05 PM:The bond opposition didn't put out much effort the third time, and the margin of defeat continued to increase. If a fourth bond is presented, we will defeat it even worse, driving the "yes" vote to under 60 percent. When you have three strikes against you (three bond losses), all credibility is lost.

Mike wrote on Sep 1, 2008 7:50 AM:Change the board, and then finally we can be gone of the likes of CEO Gonzales, his protege CFO Wardwell, VP Coleman, and VP Ellerbe then the reamainder of the house of cards will fall. Remember - the million dollar team (Gonzalez, Wardwell, Coleman, Dean from Shreveport)the board hired (Horton, Halfon, Garrahy, Mitchell, Reno, and Kellett) Sterling learned very early the million dollar team is not what they say. She's been the target with Reno and Kellet realizing Sterling has been right all along. Yes, change the board and we can be done with the likes of the million dollar team.

Delmar wrote on Sep 1, 2008 3:43 PM:I will not attack Gonsalves nor any of the board members as some immature citizens have posted on this board. I simply voted no because the medical center was a gift in 1957 from by north county citizens to the county. The intention was to be a self sustaining center not a tax liability. As such these “upgrades” should have been incorporated into the normal billing process, for which I have paid when using the facility. Since I had to pay for the medical transportation fees, emergency room fees, and the recovery room fees I am not sure why I have to pay for an additional fee through my property tax for services rendered or to be provided. If I am paying “my way” and being taxed too I ask why a busy center like Tri-City is requiring a tax bail out.

Richard wrote on Sep 2, 2008 2:28 PM:While you are at it. Cut off social security benefits/medicaid/veterans benefits too all these cheapskates that dont want to pay taxes. Why should my hard earned money go to pay for some old man who never earned more than 36K a year in his whole life??? People always want the pork but never want to pay.

Again wrote on Sep 5, 2008 7:14 AM:It must be the pave it over KFC group who is responsible for this latest fiasco. Just give them a little space and the next thing you know there is a problem like this. What next, I hope they do not take up in projects in my neighborhood.