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Rick DelVecchio, Chronicle Staff Writer, The San Francisco Chronicle
By Rebecca Vesely, STAFF WRITER
Measure A -- a half-cent sales tax to fund county health care services -- was narrowly ahead late Tuesday night. With a little more than half of precincts reporting, 68 percent of voters approved the measure, while 32 percent opposed. The measure requires a two-thirds majority to pass. "We've been working our butts off the past few months and we've done everything we possibly can," said Joe DeVries, health care staffer for Supervisor Nate Miley, who originally proposed the measure. About 150 Measure A supporters gathered at the campaign office of Supervisor Keith Carson in downtown Oakland late Tuesday awaiting results. "We'll keep watching the computer screen until it's time to go to bed," DeVries said. If Measure A passes, Alameda County would have the highest sales tax in the state, at 8.75 percent.
The measure would raise about $90 million a year -- 75 percent for the Alameda County Medical Center -- a network of hospitals and clinics that includes Oakland's Highland Hospital. The remaining 25 percent would fund community clinics, emergency services for the poor and public and mental health services throughout the county. The measure had widespread support from hospitals and business groups and no organized opposition. The new tax would kick in this July, and sunset in 15 years. Still, it faced some obstacles. The majority of voters who rejected Measure A live in south or east county -- areas where the medical center has few facilities. Besides Highland Hospital, the medical center includes John George Psychiatric Pavilion and Fairmont Hospital in San Leandro, Eastmont Wellness Center in Oakland, Winton Wellness Center in Hayward and Newark Health Center. The measure also lost support of a key union. SEIU Local 250 -- representing 800 health care workers at the medical center -- did not campaign for Measure A because of concerns over how the county Board of Supervisors will allocate the funds. Even if Measure A passes, the medical center has huge hurdles ahead. The county-run hospital system has a $71 million deficit -- in part due to decreased federal and state funding and rising health care costs. Cambio Health Solutions, a consulting firm, was retained in January by medical center leaders and is under a $3.2 million 18-month contract to identify and implement cost-saving measures. Cambio will present its first report in mid-March.
Contact Rebecca Vesely at rvesely@angnewspapers.com
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