Quick Take

The Pajaro Valley Health Care District governing board members unanimously voted to place a $116 million bond measure on the March 5 ballot. A recent survey showed the district could likely receive enough votes to approve the measure.

The Pajaro Valley Health Care District governing board Wednesday evening unanimously approved placing a $116 million bond measure on the March 5 ballot. 

If more than two-thirds of the district’s registered voters approve the measure, the district will use the funds to improve health care services at Watsonville Community Hospital and also potentially purchase the hospital buildings and the land they sit on. 

“We are excited about the possibility of what this bond measure would mean for the Pajaro Valley community,” board chair John Friel said in a news release. 

The bond could fund the renovation of Watsonville Community Hospital’s emergency room and nearly doubling its size – or adding about 10 new beds – as well as updating X-ray equipment, MRI and CT scanners, replacing aging roofs and plumbing and other projects. 

The district also has the option to purchase the hospital property for about $40 million – rather than continuing to spend more than $3 million in rent per year. 

“This bond program would help ensure not only long-term financial stability, but also allow us to expand services and upgrade our hospital to the high standard of quality this community deserves,” said Friel. 

If approved, the measure would charge a $24 annual tax per $100,000 of assessed property valuation. The district’s boundaries extend from Aptos in the north to Pajaro in the south, encompassing 46,729 registered voters. Of those, 42,286 reside in Santa Cruz County and 4,443 reside in Monterey County.

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