Politics & Government

Tony Santos Urges Recall If City Council Subsidizes San Leandro Hospital

Former mayor says it's not a good deal for taxpayers and pledges to form a commitee to oust the council majority unless they reverse themselves.

 

As San Leandro voters go to the polls today, a recall is being threatened over a City Council decision Monday night to spend $1 million a year for the next three years to join Alameda County officials in a bid to save San Leandro Hospital.

Details of the possible rescue must still be worked out with Sutter Health, which owns the hospital. Monday night's 6-1 vote by the council only directed city staff to create a concrete deal to bring back for final approval.

Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Former Mayor Tony Santos circulated an email Tuesday arguing that the subsidy is not good for the city. Unless the council majority reverses itself, he said he will help organize a recall.

"We should not be subsidizing the facility as suggested," Santos wrote. "First of all, the City has no jurisdiction over the hospital; second the hospital is owned by Sutter Health, a private organization; and third, over 50 percent of patients using the facility come from Oakland and Oakland is not being asked to contribute toward keeping the facility open."

Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Santos said there are other reasons to oppose the proposed subsidy. Unless the council reverses course he wrote, "I recommend that we, as citizens of San Leandro, start recall proceedings against the majority who voted to move in this direction."

He volunteered to start a committee to get such a recall underway.

Read more about the rescue plan here. You might also want to read an earlier story about the planning meeting that laid the groundwork for Monday night's council decision.

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