Help preserve rapid access to life-saving care when it is needed most!
This past spring, an independent citizens’ committee circulated a petition within the Washington Township Health Care District, with the goal of qualifying a measure for the November 2025 ballot to improve local health care services and emergency medical care. Over 32,000 signatures were collected and the Emergency Medical and Trauma Initiative has qualified for the November ballot.
If approved by voters in November, Measure B will generate $12 to $14 million annually to fund a wide variety of local clinical services, including funding for our community’s Trauma Center, which provides the highest level of medical care to anyone who is critically injured.
Every penny from this measure will stay in our local community to make sure Washington Hospital and clinics are able to stay open, equipped and staffed to provide critical lifesaving medical care. No funds can be taken away by the state or used for other purposes.
Please vote YES on Measure B to ensure rapid access to the most advanced life-saving medical care when you or someone you know need it most.
Once your “official ballot” arrives in the mail, mark YES for Measure B. Use a blue or black pen.
Sign and date the back
of the envelope provided.
Place your ballot in the envelope provided and put it in the mail.
No postage necessary.
With the federal government cutting back funding and insurance companies reducing reimbursements, revenue from a parcel tax will allow Washington Hospital and local clinics to continue to provide excellent patient care by funding disaster preparedness and underwriting the cost of cutting-edge medical equipment and technology. Revenue will also be used to fund the Emergency Room and Trauma Center, ensuring that local residents receive the highest quality of care when they need it most.
Measure B will establish a modest 5 cent per square foot tax, applied to the structural improvements on a property. The average homeowner in the District would pay less than $8 per month. The tax applies to commercial properties as well as homes, so businesses like Tesla and Home Depot will pay their fair share.
In California there are 79 Hospital Districts, or healthcare districts, which were created by voters to respond to the specialized, local healthcare needs of California communities and increase access to care. Hospitals within these districts, like Washington Hospital, are owned by local residents.
Many public healthcare systems get public support. In California, most healthcare districts have already approved parcel tax measures to keep their hospitals strong – places like Sonoma Valley Health Care District and Southern Humboldt Community Healthcare District. These measures recognize and address the unique financial challenges faced by independent hospitals today.
Now, it is our turn to protect Washington Hospital by voting YES on Measure B. This parcel tax represents a critical opportunity to keep lifesaving services close to home. By approving this measure, voters will not only protect Washington Hospital today, but secure exceptional, lifesaving care for generations to come and make sure Washington Hospital stays independent so patients and community always come first.
In the past, voters approved bonds that could only be used for construction projects. While Washington Hospital has used these funds to build new, state-of-the-art facilities, they cannot be spent on staffing, equipment, or medical technology upgrades. Parcel taxes are different — they provide funding to sustain day-to-day operations. This includes purchasing critical equipment for the trauma center and emergency department, preparing for disasters and public health emergencies, hiring more doctors, nurses, and specialized staff, upgrading operating rooms with the latest technology, expanding outpatient services, and covering ongoing clinical expenses. Together, these investments help Washington Hospital continue meeting the needs of our community.
No. Unlike school districts, which can exempt seniors from paying parcel taxes, health care districts cannot offer a senior exemption.
No. By law, only property owners may be taxed.
Yes, every registered voter can vote as Washington Township Healthcare District and Washington Hospital are owned by the community. Our local Trauma Center treats everyone, Kaiser member or not. If you are injured and need emergency care, ambulances will take you to the Trauma Center.
To date, no organization has opposed Measure B. There is no argument against. Supporters of Measure B include local physicians, nurses, healthcare workers, local police, fire fighters and emergency responders.
Click on the Images below to hear what supporters of Measure B have to say!
Washington Hospital opened 67 years ago to serve 18,000 residents. Today, there are over 350,000 residents of South County and Washington Hospital has grown to include a 415-bed acute-care hospital, a Trauma Center, and state of the art facilities to provide medical care for cancer patients, victims of strokes and heart attacks, and people giving birth.
Last year, Washington Hospital became designated as a Trauma Center, the only one in the area. As a designated Trauma Center, Washington Hospital provides the highest level of medical care to critically injured patients. Studies show being treated at a Trauma Center increases patients’ chances of survival. If you are injured or have a medical emergency, ambulances will now bring you to Washington Hospital’s Trauma Center.
While most hospitals are owned by large corporations and are focused on profits, Washington Hospital is a public hospital owned by local residents of Fremont, Union City, Newark, and Sunol. All profits are reinvested to provide the best quality healthcare for the community. With the federal government pushing back funding and insurance companies reducing reimbursements, Measure B is needed to keep our local, resident-owned hospital financially stable and able to continue providing exceptional care.
Can you chip in now to help us reach voters with the critical message of why passing Measure B is so important?