Our community lives on a beautiful island in the Salish Sea. Community members before us developed a property tax-supported healthcare system under the San Juan County Public Hospital District, No 1.

The district supports:

Peace Island Medical Center (provides a financial subsidy for clinical and 24/7emergency services).

San Juan Island EMS (emergency, life-saving, transport, and community Paramedicine).

Village at the Harbor (senior living community for people 65 years or older).

Village at Home (in-home care to island residents, supporting their independence and well-being).

Planned Parenthood (subsidized women’s health services in Friday Harbor).

Friday Harbor Youth Coalition (supports healthy, responsible youth and adult behaviors).

The public hospital district has worked diligently and intelligently with the community to balance needs, services and costs to provide healthcare security to our population. The district is currently funded by a tax levy of $.51 per $1000 assessed property value. In light of federal and state spending cuts, inflation and contractual subsidy increases to the hospital, the district is prudently proposing a $.20 increase to a rate of $.71.

Please join me in voting yes for the lid lift, Proposition 1, and preserving the on-island healthcare we all depend upon.

Bill Williams

Friday Harbor