Poll: Do You Support Measure A?

As the headlines have announced, the Sonoma Valley Hospital is on a campaign to renew a $195 parcel tax, originally passed in 2007. 

Residents passed Measure A, which generates about $2.8 million per year for the hospital, in 2007 as an extension to Measure D, a $130 parcel tax passed in 2002. The tax comes at the heals of a $35 million general obligation bond, passed in 2008 to provide funding for a .

Officials say the tax, which provides about 6 percent of the hospital's operating budget, is crucial to the institutions survival: "Without the parcel tax, we would be running in the red and going out of business," Peter Hohorst, the president of the Sonoma Valley Health Care District board, told the Press Democrat earlier this month.

To give more attention to the measure, the hospital is funding $100,000 for a mail-in election on Feb. 6. To pass, Measure A requires a 2/3 majority vote.

Several groups have stepped up in support of the bill, citing the hospital's positive effect on the economic vitality of the Sonoma Valley. Calling themselves 'Yes on Measure A,' an advocacy group has taken to the internet, building a website and facebook page, though it currently has only 64 followers. The Sonoma Chamber of Commerce recently endorsed the measure on their blog, citing several 

1.     Sonoma Valley Hospital relies on the revenue ( equal to 6% of its total budget) provided by the Measure A parcel tax to continue to operate with a positive net income.

2.     Health and health related industry in Sonoma Valley represent 430 direct jobs and indirectly support 900 other jobs, representing 1,330 individual salaries.

3.     All options for the future of a community hospital, regardless of location or public/private affiliation, are dependent upon the passage of Measure A.

Yet, we've also received negative comments on the Patch about Measure A, questioning the ongoing funding scheme and the hospital's new wing.

What do you think? Will you vote for Measure A?