News from
FREEHOLDERS JIM CURCIO
& FRANK GIORDANO
RELEASE:
Immediate,
CONTACT:
Atlantic County
Jan. 1,
2009
Republican Hdqs.
609-677-0707
CURCIO AND GIORDANO
CALL ON CORZINE TO BRING
EMERGENCY HOSPITAL
FUNDING TO SOUTH JERSEY
Atlantic County
Freeholders Jim Curcio and Frank Giordano called on
Governor Jon Corzine to reallocate funds from a $44
million dollar aid package designed to help
financially struggling hospitals survive the recent
economic downturn to Kessler Memorial Hospital in
Hammonton.
Curcio and
Giordano pointed out that almost 98% of the
emergency hospital funds have been allocated to
medical centers in just five North Jersey cities
which happen to be overwhelmingly Democratic and
political strongholds for Corzine, who plans to run
for reelection in 2009.
“Governor
Corzine seems to be preoccupied with his friends up
north in the allocation of these emergency hospital
funds,” Giordano said. “He ought to reallocate
these funds to provide at least the $2.1 million
that Kessler has applied for to stay in operation
beyond January 15th.
Freeholder Curcio has even
invited the Governor to join him in touring
Kessler Hospital next week, so he can see first hand
the dedication and professionalism of its employees
and the
essential care being provided there.
“If Governor Corzine
sits back and forces Kessler Memorial Hospital to
permanently close its doors, tens of thousands of
residents who live within 20 miles that depend on
the hospital will see the dramatic increases in the
time it takes to receive emergency medical
treatment,” said Curcio. “People’s lives may very
well hang in the balance.”
A large part of
Kessler’s struggles have come about as the result of
unfunded state mandates including unreimbursed
charity care, which has cost the hospital millions
of dollars to provide over the last several years.
The legislature created the $44 million dollar aid
package for community hospitals in exactly the
position that Kessler now finds itself.
“It is very unfortunate
that an administration that continues to waste
billions of dollars a year and has either created or
dramatically increased more than one hundred taxes
on working class families, cannot come up with the
money needed to maintain our healthcare system in
South Jersey.” said Curcio. “Corzine should stop
politicizing these emergency funds and dedicate them
to a vital hospital in South Jersey that needs
help.”
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Paid for by
Curcio for Freeholder