A.G. Gancarski
Last week, during the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee budget review sessions, a point of controversy revolved around whether or not the Lenny Curry administration was devoting sufficient resources to UF Health.
The discussion of the hospital, referred to in the block quote as Shands, lasted about a quarter hour:
11:14 a.m.: Still on Shands. Money is needed to “show Jacksonville will continue to support us.” They want $30.2 million, up from the $26.2 million.
11:16: Mayor Lenny Curry can be seen in the Council bullpen. Sam Mousa has re-materialized.
11:17: John Crescimbeni leading the questions. Shands rep continues, arguing they are “woefully underfunded.” Bill Gulliford discussing the Miami-Dade boost from the dedicated local taxation.
11:19: Mousa: “The mayor is fully committed to UF Health” but “desires the opportunity” to conduct a workshop with stakeholders to really resolve the funding issue. Concerns of “throwing good money after bad” with the added $4 million. Not sure what would be done with this money. Spotlights the real issue as the payer mix problem. Administration does not support the extra allocation; “the community needs to get together” to resolve the core funding issue, and a “strategic plan needs to be put in place” before added appropriation.
11:22: Strategic planning session scheduled for first week in September for Shands and other issues by MLC Admin. Other things being discussed that could create “tremendous benefit to the city,” resolving “pension” and “UF Health,” and “you all know what I’m talking about,” Mousa says to council.
Whether the “community” has fully gotten together or not remains to be seen, but an Aug. 12 note from David Guzick, senior vice president of Health Affairs at the University of Florida and president of UF Health, suggests that the stakeholders are happy thus far with the Curry administration’s commitment to the facility’s long-term viability.
The note thanks Curry for “taking the time to learn more about UF Health Jacksonville, and for presenting your well-developed, stepwise processes for accessing mechanisms of support for indigent care in Jacksonville and for UF Health Jacksonville.”
“We are greatly appreciative of your efforts and stand ready to help in any way as you work through this process,” Guzick’s note concludes.
For those who subscribe to tenets of handwriting analysis, it is notable that the cursive writing on the note slants upward, and the rise of the angle increases as the note reaches its terminus.
