State Trying to Increase Tax on Hospitals
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Mon, 02/08/2010 - 4:47pm
York Hospital official says tax hit could mean service cuts
By Deborah Mcdermott
dmcdermott@seacoastonline.com
February 08, 2010 1:34 PM
YORK, Maine — York Hospital President Jud Knox is scrambling to prevent what amounts to a $760,000 annual state tax increase on the hospital, as one of the measures Augusta is eying to make up for a $430 million budget shortfall.
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At issue is what is called the “tax and match” system among Maine hospitals. ....
This year, the state is proposing changing the formula and increasing the amount of assessment, or tax, to each hospital.
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How about a law requiring the state to pay its hospital bills in full, prior to any further taxation on hospitals? Common Sense, anybody?
According to the article, York Hospital would experience a 49% increase in taxes if this was to proceed, for one year alone. The idea is to lever more matching money out of the feds by taxing the state medical facilities at a higher percentage based on their revenues. For every dollar in hospital tax, the state gets three from the feds.
Why can't Baldaccio and his cronies stick to screwing with something less essential, like trying to gut the lottery, or sell it outright?
Just when one thinks it can't get any worse....