Advocate for Saint Louise ER expansion sales tax lays his case on the table for the community
Dear Editor,
I have been a staunch advocate for the expansion of Saint Louise Regional Hospital’s emergency room. I have gone to great lengths to persuade the public to support the expansion. I recently conducted a survey that involved polling 500 Gilroy residence about a sales tax increase that would fund this expansion.
As your paper reported, my findings suggest that 65.53 percent of registered voters are in favor of the sales tax increase. In general two-thirds of Gilroy residents polled were in favor of the tax and would support this expansion through the form of a tax.
I realize that many in the community have a problem giving tax dollars to Saint Louise, because it is a faith-based organization. The idea doesn’t thrill me either. However, we have to understand that they are providing a valuable service to the community. There is not another organization currently looking to take over the hospital, so we have to be content with what we have. The fact is we have a local emergency room that is inadequate for the current population of Gilroy. The waiting room is often cramped, crowded, and impossible to sit in given the current size.
We cannot plan for every scenario, but if Gilroy suffered some major catastrophic disaster, we would want to give our follow residents the care they need as fast as possible. I believe the best way to prepare for the threats that face us in the 21st century is to have a capable emergency room.
Tim Avila, Gilroy
