Letter to the Editor

Hospital tax would be investment in losing setup

Friday, August 8, 2014

To the editor:

Here we go again with another bunch of money-losing fools asking for a bailout.

Baptist Hospital System agreed to build a new hospital in Blytheville and actually started the foundation work just south of town. Their only demand was that it be the only hospital in Mississippi County, which the quorum of fools (also known as the Quorum Court) demonstrated their business acumen and refused to close the Osceola branch. If anyone has any questions about Baptist Hospital System's commitment, just go to Jonesboro and look at the new hospital they have that Blytheville doesn't. That is just one more huge asset Jonesboro has because of the stupidity and incompetence of Mississippi County politicians.

Ameris, or whatever ship of fools is operating the old Chickasawba hospital at this time, is unable to make a profit because one, they are fools; and two, Mississippi County doesn't have the population to support two hospitals. This will be just another campaign centered around some dipstick slogan like, "Let's move ahead." What they are really saying is "let's move some more Mississippi County tax dollars out of the county and into our accounts."

It is time for the quorum of fools to realize the population is dropping like a rock and it is not coming back. As long as the schools are crappy and the tax rates are ridiculous from trying to support a losing hospital setup and two county seats with buildings falling down, this county is going to be in severe decline.

I used to think Jonesboro was running a tremendous industrial development campaign, but once I investigated it closely, I found the key to their success was supporting Barry Harrison for mayor and the Mississippi County quorum of fools for re-election. These politicians have done more to reduce the population of Mississippi County than any other single factor.

Vote against the hospital tax and vote against any politician in Mississippi County with "incumbent" by his name.

Johnny Hutchinson
Blytheville

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ameris has not been involved with county hospitals since 2009. The hospitals are owned by Mississippi County. The county hired a company called QHR in 2009 to manage the hospital system.