know anything about you guys wanting a hospital." This surprised me, as I thought they had presented it to the Civic Group that we are interested--Homer and Kautenberg [ Kautenburger ] said at the last meeting that they were going to push it. I asked Monte to let me come over and talk, Harry Thompson, too, and we went there last night and told him all about it. It is rather immediate as to necessity, and that is because this group are trying to get together on the proposals for bond issues for the next six to eight years, to organize it so that they will know how much the tax rate will stand and have a working program. If they put up schools for six million, water, and all this other stuff, we will never get anywhere. Monte suggested last might that we get a resolution from this body to meet with them a week from next Friday and explain it all to them. This is to be done on order of priority. This is a newly formed group and is serving as Tax Advisory Committee to the Supervisors.
Dr. Harry Thompson--I think this is the first sensible thing that has happened and he wanted to know exactly what the community needs in the way of utility for the next 25 years, and it surprised me that he knew nothing about it. His criticism was that they were taking private patients down there, and that they had outstanding bills that are not being collected. He knew nothing about lack of OBS and Gyne facilities and lack of general and convalescent care, and so on. I think he was very much interested. There are four things they have to provide for--schools, hospitals, sewerage, and water, and are going to Washington to find out whether federal funds are available and how soon. I think if this committee is properly approached it will go ahead. Mr. Mansfield asked us to formulate a resolution empowering our committee to talk with that committee on this problem, so that they can take immediate action, and I have here a hurriedly drawn up resolution which may need some redrawing.
Dr. Kent--There is much agitation against drawing federal funds for this sort of thing.
Dr. Beaton--The real danger is that this community will go ahead and spend money on a Civic Center but none on school rooms or hospitals.
Dr. Harry Thompson--The real issue is to get this before this Tax Study Commission and let them determine what percent.
Dr. Robert Hastings--I will support, so we can discuss.
Dr. Harry Thompson--I move that a resolution containing the gist of what I have read, after rewriting, be approved. Motion seconded by Dr. Hastings
Discussion:
Dr. Hastings--I do not think we ought to appoint a committee to go and meet with this Chamber of Commerce Committee without full knowledge and sanction of the Board of Supervisors, and we ought not go around them or over their heads. They should know how we feel. They know we want a new hospital and the reasons we feel that way, but I think they ought to be consulted before our representatives go to this Committee. I would only ask that when the President appoints representatives from this Society they be empowered to discuss it with the Board of Supervisors before it goes to this Tax Committee.
Dr. Manning--There is another committee which the Board of Supervisors appointed of which I am a member, and it is meeting next Tuesday afternoon. I was going to tell them and get their blessing if I could, since they are the ones appointed by the Supervisors for this. I do think you should talk to Lambert, but Monte was urgent about this and wanted us to see if we could do it by Friday. This would be impossible.
Dr. Hastings--Why could this not all be done on a pay as you go local bond issue basis? Why do we have to enter into any fuss about local or federal funds?
Dr. Harry Thompson--Monte said all this would amount to about 25 million dollars. He is perfectly willing to increase the tax load for essential things; he also told us about the schools wanting a 12 million dollar bond issue. He studied the thing and found that they could have gotten a 4 million load from the Government back in September. Apparently a 6 million dollar bond issue will do it. But when you come to think about it, a 6 million dollar bond issue would raise you tax dollar about 3 dollars per hundred. They managed to get around
