Galveston County Daily News, July 12, 2009
Heber Taylor, editor of the Galveston paper, writes that a vote this November on whether to create a hospital taxing district could very well decide whether UTMB remains a major institution on the island. "A lot of people have decided this is a plan to take care of illegal aliens. The medical branch does treat illegal immigrants. But those who argue the district is a plan to expand that care are wrong. The district is to fund care to eligible county residents, meaning U.S. citizens, who do not have insurance. Most people who are dirt poor have insurance - Medicaid. But there are probably 15,000 people in the county who work at jobs that don't offer health insurance; waitresses, busboys, hotel maids, construction crews. Many of those folks work hard. But when they end up at the hospital, state taxpayers cover the cost."