Tavares, FL - April 2, 2011 - Yesterday the Orlando Sentinel published a strong editorial supporting Governor Rick Scott's plan to review the justification for Hospital Tax Districts. It followed three columns by columnist Lauren Ritchie regarding poor oversight and accountability for funds collected via property taxes for the Hospital Districts.
I have been covering the local North Lake County Hospital District since 2008. They collect about $10-million and split it between two local large hospitals, Waterman (part of the Adventist Chain), and Leesburg Regional Medical Center. The regulations that established the Hospital District and taxing authority are being challenged in court due to changes made without following Constitutional requirements. The regulations have absolutely NO clear rules on where the funds can be spent, so the Hospitals can actually lump the funds into their general fund and buy pink flamingos for the front lawn if they want. Even very small charitable foundations have better rules and procedures than the Hospital District regulations subject to Florida State oversight (there are NO OVERSIGHT requirements because some of the local Lake County legislators take contributions from Health and Hospital related sources).
I was a corporate internal auditor and anti-corruption investigator for many years and taxpayers need to throw out the local Lake County legislators, Marlene O'Toole, Alan Hays, Paula Dockery and others (not Larry Metz) because they have been repeatedly asked to improve the regulations to allow millage rate flexibility and better accountability methods, and have done NOTHING. Florida taxpayers should be embarrassed at the lack of oversight from the legislators.
They should also remember to vote out the four Hospital supporting Board members of the North Lake County Hospital District who even refuse to have monthly meetings to define some accountability rules or even video tape the three board meetings they do have every year.
vj
HERE is the Orlando Sentinel editorial.
and, HERE is Lauren Ritchie's page - or click on the links below for the specific columns:
-
Nonprofit hospitals have strayed from their mission
April 1, 2011
Everybody link arms.
-
County commissioners may go after tax-district dollars
March 30, 2011
Sunday's column predicted a political explosion if the county commissioners ask for a piece of the taxes collected by two hospital districts that cover all of Lake.
-
Change is coming to hospital taxing districts
March 28, 2011
This version includes a further explanation by Florida Hospital Waterman's president and CEO of his 2009 compensation.
