Needs to be a limit on what citizens pay

According to our local newspaper, the citizens will be asked whether to continue to upgrade the existing East Adams Rural Hospital (EARH) facilities or to build anew. There may be an attempt to inject a bit of humor here as we are told, “Commissioners have already embraced the building committee’s recommendation that new construction is the most viable and likely the most affordable option.”

Why ask the citizens to pay the unnecessary costs inflicted upon them by those who were hired to serve us? The persons responsible for creating this mess should be required to make matters right. The problems these folks created, does not end with the facilities. There remains non-medical staff who seem to believe it is their job to keep people from using EARH and it is far from clear EARH is financially sustainable.

There will be some who claim Ritzville needs to have a hospital facility of sort no matter what the cost. Can the local citizens pay the bill to replace or fix the destruction of the EARH facility by elected officials? What is the opportunity cost to a citizen of Ritzville of another $10, $20 or $30 per month? Is there one elected person who cares? The School Board certainly isn’t asking that question. If there is a member of the city council who wonders how the $5 or $10 or more increase in monthly water rates for 2013 affects the ability of city citizens to make ends meet they do not (it appears) dare utter a sound.

Is there a limit to what citizens can pay? Is there any limit to what citizens must pay to clean up the consequences of bad judgment of their elected officials?

Barry Boyer, Ritzville