JPS bond election
The Tarrant County Commissioners Court needs to take a deep breath and slow down on the Tarrant County Hospital District’s proposed $809 million bond package.
Very recently, word began to spread through social media that the hospital district was proposing to add nearly $1 billion in debt to the taxpayers’ balance sheet.
Public meetings in Arlington and Mansfield were packed with concerned citizens who were unable to get answers to even the most rudimentary questions.
This is not a trivial matter, and forcing it onto the November ballot without adequate citizen input is irresponsible.
This is not a critique of the bond measure. Not enough is known and not enough questions have been answered to assess it.
Commissioners will be doing the public a grave disservice if they force this through without sufficient airing.
— Adrian Murray, Fort Worth
After I attended a town hall meeting for the $809 million bond package to update and expand John Peter Smith Hospital, it’s clear to me that the Tarrant County Hospital District is not yet ready to answer basic questions regarding its efficiency forecasts and financial future if this plan passes.
The chief operating officer and vice president conducted the bond presentation, but they were unable to answer basic questions from people at the meeting.
Every time someone in the audience made a suggestion and asked if the district had considered alternatives to this all-or-nothing bond, the answer was “no.”
The experts could not fully explain how they pledge “no new taxes” if the bond is passed.
But if they don’t meet their operational efficiency goals, either taxes will need to go up or the number of employees will need to go down. The financial forecast posted online assumed a huge staffing reduction, but JPS officials claim they aren’t reducing any staff.
This large bond cannot yet withstand public scrutiny and needs a reworking, preferably with more citizen involvement.
— Aaron Harris,
North Richland Hills
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This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 5:53 PM with the headline "JPS bond election."