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Health Care Center special election now under way
Election results for Health Care Center due next week

<br>Patrick Whitehurst/WGCN<br>
Cindy Christman, Williams Health Care Center manager, speaks with Medical Assistant Christine Porr.

<br>Patrick Whitehurst/WGCN<br> Cindy Christman, Williams Health Care Center manager, speaks with Medical Assistant Christine Porr.

WILLIAMS - Officials with the Williams Health Care Center got one step closer to their special election, after members of the House of Representatives passed HB 2155, following a landmark decision to pass the bill by the Arizona Senate, one of the only non-budget bills to be passed by the Senate. The special election will be held next Tuesday, June 23, according to Cindy Christman, manager of the Williams Health Care Center. Hospital officials will now ask for taxpayer support for the health care center, following the approval of the special election by state officials. Gov. Jan Brewer is expected to sign the bill some time this week.

Christman said a number of ballots have already been returned by voters in the area when it comes to the special election.

"Last time I spoke with Patty Hanson, who is the elections administrator, there were over 600 mail ballots returned," Christman said. "This vote is for a continuation of an existing tax. This is not a new tax."

According to Christman, there are a number of ways in which voters can return their ballot to the elections office.

"If they need a replacement ballot they can go to the city. If they spoil the ballot or make a mistake, they can go to the city office. They can also return their ballots to the city office if they don't get it in the mail by the 23rd," Christman said.

In a recent e-mail message, Christman called the recent passage of the bill a "huge accomplishment."

"Our legislation is one of the few non-budget items considered so far this session by either house of the Legislature," Christman said. "We are extremely grateful to Rep. Lucy Mason, Rep. Andy Tobin and Senator Steve Pierce, as well as to Jason Bezozo, Banner Health's senior program director for government relations, for their efforts in getting the Legislature to allow voters to have their say about local health care. We would never have done it without their support."

Christman also thanked the community in Williams for their support in helping move the special election along.

"Williams is a great little town filled with wonderful, caring, supportive people," Christman said. "I work with an awesome group and what we do here everyday really does make a difference in people's lives."

According to WHCC officials, new legislation prevented hospital officials from holding a regular election in May. No one knew of the legislative change, however, until attorneys for the WHCC prepared for the upcoming election. In order to continue services uninterrupted, hospital officials were forced to seek approval for a special election. The request passed quickly in the House of Representatives, but stalled out in the Senate. Without the Senate's approval to hold a special election, WHCC officials faced cutting many of the programs offered at the Health Care Center for roughly one year, until a regularly scheduled election could be held. Health care officials prepared for the election prior to the Senate approval in the hopes that a decision would be made. Officials with the Senate passed the bill in late May.


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