Joint Statement Concerning Prop T (RIFT)

The following statement was released by Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital and Saint John’s Health Center concerning Proposition T, the Residents Initiative to Fight Traffic (RIFT) ballot measure, to be considered by Santa Monica voters in November:

Santa Monica-UCLA and Saint John’s are long-established Santa Monica non-profit healthcare institutions. Santa Monica-UCLA was founded in 1926; Saint John’s was founded in 1942. Santa Monica-UCLA and Saint John’s are joining together to inform you about the November 2008 Santa Monica Proposition T.

This measure has far-reaching consequences not only for our respective health care missions, but also for the city itself and other businesses and organizations within the Santa Monica community. Proposition T would establish an annual, city-wide limit on all commercial development of 75,000 square feet.

Although Proposition T includes an exemption for hospitals, it does not exempt other medical providers that support hospitals, including medical offices, health clinics, medical research (including the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s), medical laboratories, and other ancillary health facilities and services.

Both Santa Monica-UCLA and Saint John’s rely heavily on an extensive network of care providers to ensure the availability of excellent and comprehensive health care services. They are key partners in providing the complete scope of healthcare services to our community.

Proposition T could severely limit the Hospitals’ ability to provide essential health services by limiting the building of medical office space. Hospitals need a network of caregivers in close proximity to ensure a full breadth of accessible services, overall quality and continuity of healthcare services, and for the convenience of patients.

Providing healthcare in a campus environment reduces traffic – the stated purpose of RIFT – by allowing patients to access necessary services without driving to multiple locations. Healthcare personnel are also able to walk, instead of drive, to and from hospital buildings and medical offices when they are in close proximity.

Proposition T does not evaluate new, non-hospital, healthcare uses on their own merits. Rather, Proposition T would force healthcare-related development to compete with new, commercial development -- new hotels, office buildings, shopping centers, car dealerships and other commercial uses – for city approval.

The public should also be aware that Proposition T does not provide an exemption for non-profit uses – including health care agencies and other non-profits that contribute to a healthy community such as Santa Monica’s outstanding organizations that serve our seniors, the disabled, and our youth.

These organizations would be forced to compete with commercial development projects to open or expand their services for the Santa Monica community, placing an
onerous burden on them and potentially limiting their ability to provide essential services to those who depend heavily on them.

Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital and Saint John’s Health Center are currently working on long-range master plans for our facilities and programs, in cooperation with the City of Santa Monica. Our institutions are committed to expanding our facilities in a community-friendly way.

For example, more than 25 percent of Santa Monica-UCLA’s new campus will be devoted to green or open spaces. The Hospitals are committed to providing sufficient parking for our campuses and reducing our traffic impacts through aggressive traffic
management and Rideshare programs.

Our two institutions have long enjoyed widespread community support. We are committed to maintaining this support by continuing to provide excellent health care that addresses the concerns of our neighbors, the community and the City.

As longstanding community health care providers, we are informing you of the potentially serious restrictions Proposition T would impose on hospitals and non-profit organizations to continue providing the excellent community healthcare and social services that Santa Monicans need and deserve.

We urge all Santa Monica voters to make an informed judgment about Proposition T. To do so, please take into account the unintended consequences it may create for Santa Monica healthcare providers, non-profit agencies, and those they serve.