Archive for June 2011

THE RAINS CAME–BUT NOT ENOUGH

June 29, 2011 Around Madison, Front Page Comments Off

Submitted by Pat Lightcap

The National Weather Service Co-op weather station
in the city of Madison recorded 3.33 inches of rain on
Wednesday morning, June 29, 2011. That gives Madison
a total of 20.63 inches since January 1, 2011. However,
average rainfall by today’s date in 31.42 inches. Madison
has received only 66% of the average rainfall meaning we
are behind by 10.79 inches–a very dry year. The following
are the monthly totals thus far in 2011:

January……..5.55″
February……2.50″
March………..4.76″
April…………..1.61″
May………….. .67″
June (29th)…5.54″

Total………..20.63″
Average……31.42″
Deficit……..-10.79″

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County Commission Votes 3-2 To Give Half-Penny from Surtax to MCMH

June 29, 2011 Front Page Comments Off

The county commission voted 3-2 to give half a cent from the surtax originally enacted to build the new jail to the hospital for indigent care. Commissioners Ellis, Hamrick and Vickers voted for the measure. Commissioners Martin and Parrish cast the dissenting votes. Greene Publishing will have the video by Lynette Norris online tomorrow morning.

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Special Meeting Set To Discuss Indigent Care Funding For Hospital

June 29, 2011 Front Page Comments Off
By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.

The Madison County Commission will hold a special meeting on Wednesday evening, June 29, at 6 p.m. to discuss an amendment to an interlocal agreement. The amendment would allow the Small County Surtax to help the hospital pay for indigent care.

Clerk of the Court Tim Sanders said that he had been approached by County Commissioner Roy Ellis, who wanted to know if there was any way that the hospital could be helped with the surtax.

The surtax is a one-cent sales tax that was originally designated for the jail, which was constructed in the early 1990s. Funds were then designated to pay for landfill closure. When the county received a grant to help with that, the funds were disbursed between Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and infrastructure within the county. Part of the infrastructure funds go to pay off two loans for wastewater and drinking water.

The amendment to the interlocal agreement would involving refinancing the current loan for infrastructure. This would free up $250,000 a year for the hospital.

The loan restructuring could end up with either a higher or lower interest rate. Sanders said that the county would probably let out the new loan for bids. Some people opposed to it, however, say that the loan would have to go an extra length of time actually increasing the interest that the county would pay.

Supporters of the hospital are urging the commission to pay this amendment. David Abercrombie, the hospital’s chief executive officer, said, “According to the State of Florida’s 2011 County Health Rankings, 23% of all Madison citizens under age 65 are without health insurance. This is a bad number. And it is one of several reasons that cause Madison County to rank Number 67 out of all 67 Florida counties in various health factors. Knowing this, it becomes clear that the people of Madison are in dire need of this amendment to the Interlocal Agreement. Now is the time for our leaders to show real leadership. This is what we pay them for. And this is the opportunity. If passed, this amendment will have major positive effects for us all; if the resources aren’t there, then Madison County could fall further and further behind Number 66.”

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Letter to the Editor: Tax Money Is Not a Public Slush Fund

June 29, 2011 Editorials, Letters To The Editor Comments Off

This can be taken anyway the reader wants. I’m MAD, mad as H—-, I just got my paper in the mail, while reading the paper about using the Madison extra tax money to pay for indigent care at the hospital, my wife was reading the mail, she said my Medical Insurance deductible is going up July 1st. to a thousand dollars. Yes, a thousand dollars,
I worked thirty years in law enforcement, my wife worked 20 years in Law Enforcement, we pay $720. a month for insurance. I’m on a fixed income, and while our President gives billions to foreign countries and none to Social security folks I’m suppose to give up more money over time. Call it like it is- which most people are afraid to say, those indigents, most likely haven’t worked an honest day in their life, most are second and third generation welfare recipients, many have two or three kids from different men, I’ve been in indigent peoples homes, over the 30 years I WORKED, they got their welfare checks and I’d see lotto tickets, dog track tickets, bolita tickets, they even traded food stamps for drugs.and wore $150. Nike shoes, with designer clothes, how do you do that when indigent? It’s bad enough we have a President, and a novice Governor, one trying to destroy our country and the other our State, and now these people want to use our tax dollars for a slush fund, Someone tell us where the hospital will go, when (a date) our hospital construction will start, they should also be required to publish at the end of each month, how much public tax money was taken in, how much public tax money was spent that month-on what and to whom! Don’t snow us with it’s a private matter, not public, etc. It is our money not a private slush fund.

Ken Sumner, Madison

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