04/17/2025
As a local business owner and healthcare provider in Eastland County, I feel compelled to voice my concerns regarding the upcoming Hospital District election on May 3, 2025, which proposes the expansion of Eastland Memorial Hospital — specifically the development of a new Rural Health Clinic in Cisco.
While I fully support the mission to improve access to healthcare in our community, I am deeply concerned about the financial burden this expansion could place on local residents and small business owners like myself. The proposed hospital district formation and associated tax increase would result in higher property taxes on my home as well as the three businesses I operate in Eastland County. This additional financial strain could jeopardize the viability of my privately owned clinic — a facility that has long served the community with accessible and personalized care, without government subsidies.
What’s most concerning is that I — and others like me — will be footing the bill through increased property taxes on my home and my businesses in Eastland County. In effect, I’m being asked to fund the very clinic that could put me out of business. That’s not fair competition — it’s being pushed out by public funding.
I wasn’t alone in my concern. Prior to the announcement, a doctor who currently serves on the hospital board personally approached me to ask how this expansion might affect my clinic. He expressed concern about the impact on private healthcare providers and told me he planned to bring it to the board’s attention. Unfortunately, it seems that concern was dismissed. No one from the board ever reached out to me directly, and it appears the decision was made without meaningful input from those of us who will be directly affected.
Healthcare expansion should not come at the cost of local, independent providers — especially when we are expected to fund a project that could threaten our livelihood. I urge the public and county officials to take a hard look at the long-term consequences this hospital district could have on small businesses, property owners, and the diversity of care options available in our community.
Before we commit to a path that could significantly impact local entrepreneurs, residents, and healthcare professionals, I urge county officials and voters to consider alternative solutions — ones that prioritize collaboration, fiscal responsibility, and long-term sustainability without undermining existing private practices.
