History of Sequoia Hospital District

In 1946, a petition pursuant to The Local Hospital District Law circa 1945, led to an election which established the Sequoia Hospital  District.  Excerpt from petition:  "The nature of the proposed project …is for the purpose of establishing … a local or district hospital … supported in part by revenues derived from patients …supplemented when necessary by taxation…" 

Q & A from campaign literature:
14. Will a Sequoia district hospital be self-supporting?
A. It should be. Palo Alto hospital’s annual profit has ranged from $20,000 to nearly $50,000.
20.  Would residents of this district get lower rates than outsiders?
A. The hospital committee's intention has been that residents of the district would be given a preferential rate similar to that in effect in Palo Alto Hospital.

In 1996, the Sequoia Hospital District called an election to effect a bailout sale of the hospital (after hospital CEO Art Faro incurred a $29,000,000 loss). 

Measure H was overwhelmingly approved by voters.  Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) included in the measure,  CHW essentially took controlling interest and operation of Sequoia Hospital through Sequoia Health Services, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation.  The Sequoia Healthcare District's continued collection of property taxes appears to be based upon a "Tax Revenues" agreement buried on page 2 of a Membership Agreement included in the MOU, which states:

"District shall on an ongoing basis retain one hundred percent (100%) of its Tax Revenues, and shall utilize those funds, net of District's operating expenses, in furtherance of its purposes as a California hospital district (District Purposes"), through:
a. Programs and other activities provided or operated by Corporation and approved by District;
b. Programs and other activities provided or operated by other parties and approved by District; or,
c. Programs and other activities provided or operated by District;
provided, however, that no such programs or other activities funded by District's Tax Revenues shall be programs or other activities that duplicate the programs, activities or services of the Hospital."

The decision for such retention of Tax Revenues by the District should be made by voters, and should have been made clear in the primary election material.

Sequoia Hospital District morphs into Sequoia Healthcare District

7/11/97 - Unidentified Document entitled "History of Sequoia Healthcare District",  apparently prepared from an Art Faro guidance memo, refers to Sequoia Healthcare District.  Nothing in the 1996 election material informed voters of the name change or newly assumed role of the District, nor the continued collection of hospital taxes which that document suggests. 

In November 1998,  the Sequoia Hospital District held an election to fill 3 seats on it's Board of Directors.

In November 2000,  the Sequoia Healthcare District held an election to fill 2 seats on it's Board of Directors.

2000-2001 & 2001-2002 Grand Juries
Question Assumed Philanthropic Role of District
and call it inappropriate for the District to continue collecting property taxes
for a hospital it no longer owns.

In November 2002 the Sequoia Healthcare District held an election to fill 3 seats on it's Board of Directors.
In spite of a glossy CHW mailing, Jack Hickey was elected! 

In early 2003, the political power brokers were on a fast track to relocate Sequoia Hospital.  Jack Hickey submitted a Referendum petition to voters, collecting > 4,000 signatures.  His campaign signs sent a powerful message.  The relocation plan was derailed, and Sequoia Hospital is being upgraded on its historic site.

In November 2004,  the Sequoia Healthcare District held an election to fill 2 regular seats and one appointed seat on it's Board of Directors.  Jack Hickey's Citizen Advocates for Private Philanthropy sponsored 3 candidates.  The candidate (Merrilee Gibson) for the appointed seat held by John Oblak was denied a place on the ballot when Oblak filed for the wrong seat and justice was denied by an association of "good old boy" legal club members.  Citizen Advocates for Private Philanthropy spent $2,000 in vain to file a Writ of Mandate.
The election was "stolen" by the incumbents, when a glossy mailing funded by a $20,000 contribution from Colorado Corporation CH2M Hill apparently filtered via Jon Rubin's Peninsula Coalition PenPac to their PencoPac .

In November 2006 the Sequoia Healthcare District held an election to fill 3 seats on it's Board of Directors.

In November 2007 CHW becomes sole owner of Sequoia Hospital http://www.almanacnews.com/print/story/2007/12/05/no-more-public-oversight-for-sequoia-hospital

In November 2008,  the Sequoia Healthcare District held an election to fill 2 regular seats on it's Board of Directors.

In November 2010 the Sequoia Healthcare District held an election to fill 3 seats on it's Board of Directors.

A Memo from District counsel Mark Hudak challenges my claims (Almanac Town Square Forum) and attempts to justify the District's actions.  He offers his "... opinion that the District is properly organized as a healthcare district and is acting within its powers when it makes grants for the provision of health care within the communities served by the District."   I am not a lawyer but I understand the English language far better than most.  I have read his memo, and I have a different opinion.  I ask other legal minds to peruse the information contained on this website and invite you to engage in productive discourse.   

In November 2012,  the Sequoia Healthcare District held an election to fill 2 regular seats on it's Board of Directors.  This election was intended to be a poll of voter support
A vote for Kane and Griffin would be a vote to keep the District, while a vote for John J. "Jack" Hickey would be a vote to dissolve the District.