Voters will decide Nov. 2 on whether to increase a countywide sales tax by 1⁄4 of a cent to go toward a new Allen County Hospital.
Members of the Allen County Healthcare Committee address questions about the issue.
Q: How will a new hospital be paid for?
A: Profits made by the hospital and reimbursement from Medicare as a Critical Access hospital are expected to provide most of the money needed for annual debt payments on the $25 million in Public Building Commission bonds and the $5 million working capital loan that are part of the financing package.
Sales tax revenues in the amount of $750,000 annually from two different sources complete the funding. If Allen County voters approve the ballot question in November, there will be a 1/4 cent sales tax increase to generate about $400,000 of the amount needed and the $350,000 balance will come from the City of Iola, which is pledging part of its existing capital outlay sales tax for the project.
The $25 million in bonds will be sold to the public by investment banks. Local commercial banks have said that they would have an interest in lending the $5 million needed for startup funds.
If you agree with us and would like to help our voter information effort with your time or your money we can use both. We expect it to take several hundred volunteers to get the word out with only a few short weeks before the election. Volunteer names or contributions may be sent to “Yes Allen County Healthcare,” at A.C.B., Inc, 16 W. Jackson, Iola, KS 66749 or left at the Moran, Humboldt or Iola branches of Emprise Bank where we have our checking account.
Yes! Allen County Health Care
