FAST FACTS:
(Memphis, TN/January 22, 2010) The Regional Medical Center at Memphis remains on financial life support.
As time ticks down to keep its emergency room open, there's a new debate over how to fund The MED to keep it fully operational.
Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford says several options are being looked at to save The MED. Ford said, "We had no funding left over from last year and no funding left over from this year and five million going to The MED. Where are we going to get from? You take it from the reappraisal money."
A reappraisal surplus was created when Shelby County didn't have to use as much money to fight appeals by property owners upset about the appraisals.
Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter says he's not completely on board with that plan. Carpenter said, "If we have a surplus we have an obligation to return those funds to the taxpayer either in the form of a check or in the form of a credit in next year's and then we reach out to the taxpayer in a transparent way and say what is The MED worth to you?"
Mayor Ford says he's not hearing any complaints about using taxpayer money to rescue The Med. Ford said, "Not one person has said to me don't save The MED, don't use tax dollars."
But Carpenter says the Ford plan amounts to a lot of smoke and mirrors. Carpenter said, "So, it's moving money around and it's using surplus dollars. There are really only four and a half million dollars in cuts when you're looking to balance the budget when there's a 35 million dollar hole."
But Mayor Ford says there will be cuts. Ford said, "We need 35 million, not 10 million. We are eight million short. Where are we going to get it from? There will have to be some cuts. Do we want a tax increase? No. Am I proposing one?"
Still, Commissioner Carpenter says the mayor needs to be upfront with taxpayers about how their dollars will be spent. Carpenter said, "The mayor calls for, as promised, that he would find 10 million dollars this year and 10 million recurring for The MED and he would do so by cuts and not laying any employees off and give employees a 2 percent raise and frankly, I don't think its feasible."
- New Debate Over How To Save The MED
- Property Reappraisal Money Could Be Used To Help
- Some County Commisioners Say More Study Is Needed
(Memphis, TN/January 22, 2010) The Regional Medical Center at Memphis remains on financial life support.
As time ticks down to keep its emergency room open, there's a new debate over how to fund The MED to keep it fully operational.
Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford says several options are being looked at to save The MED. Ford said, "We had no funding left over from last year and no funding left over from this year and five million going to The MED. Where are we going to get from? You take it from the reappraisal money."
A reappraisal surplus was created when Shelby County didn't have to use as much money to fight appeals by property owners upset about the appraisals.
Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter says he's not completely on board with that plan. Carpenter said, "If we have a surplus we have an obligation to return those funds to the taxpayer either in the form of a check or in the form of a credit in next year's and then we reach out to the taxpayer in a transparent way and say what is The MED worth to you?"
Mayor Ford says he's not hearing any complaints about using taxpayer money to rescue The Med. Ford said, "Not one person has said to me don't save The MED, don't use tax dollars."
But Carpenter says the Ford plan amounts to a lot of smoke and mirrors. Carpenter said, "So, it's moving money around and it's using surplus dollars. There are really only four and a half million dollars in cuts when you're looking to balance the budget when there's a 35 million dollar hole."
But Mayor Ford says there will be cuts. Ford said, "We need 35 million, not 10 million. We are eight million short. Where are we going to get it from? There will have to be some cuts. Do we want a tax increase? No. Am I proposing one?"
Still, Commissioner Carpenter says the mayor needs to be upfront with taxpayers about how their dollars will be spent. Carpenter said, "The mayor calls for, as promised, that he would find 10 million dollars this year and 10 million recurring for The MED and he would do so by cuts and not laying any employees off and give employees a 2 percent raise and frankly, I don't think its feasible."
