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Message from the Chair Hi all, First an update: the resolution supporting the creation of a public health district passed by LD on 9-25-25 and was sent to county commissioners on 9-29-25. (copy below). Also at the LD meeting, the LD voted to suspend LD rules to allow voting on endorsing 26th State Senator Deb Krishnasasan by the 23rd. The motion passed unanimously. Supporting Equitable Healthcare: Resolution in Support of Establishing a Kitsap County Public Hospital District WHEREAS, the Alliance for Equitable Healthcare (AEH) is a group of Kitsap County residents launched in December 2021 whose primary goal is to bring access to affordable, comprehensive and equitable healthcare to the county; and WHEREAS, AEH organized working groups beginning in October 2022 to explore what it would take to form a Kitsap County Public Hospital District—a community-created governmental entity authorized by state law to deliver health services beyond acute hospital care; ; (See Chapter 70.44 RCW: Public hospital districts. Revised Code of Washington), and WHEREAS, the March 2024 “Healthcare System Challenges and Opportunities in Kitsap County” report commissioned by the Kitsap Public Health Board recommended that the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners, the Kitsap Public Health Board and other stakeholders launch a formal commission within the next year to explore the feasibility of forming a public hospital district, and a Johns Hopkins School of Medicine report listed exploration of a public health district as one of eight measures to improve healthcare access in Kitsap County; (See Meyer, D., Ravi, S. J., & Veenema, T. G. (2024). Healthcare system challenges in Kitsap County. Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security), and WHEREAS, consolidation and staffing shortages have left a scarcity of primary care, prenatal, mental health and other providers in Kitsap County and problems getting healthcare are well documented; a public hospital district would create a sustainable funding mechanism to rationalize how healthcare is supported and to address local needs; and WHEREAS, public hospital districts are governmental entities established by Washington state statute; nearly half of Washington’s hospitals are part of such districts; they are authorized not only to operate hospitals but to deliver any service that helps people stay healthy—physically, socially and mentally; being owned and governed by local citizens, they tailor services to meet the unique needs of their communities; and Kitsap is one of the few counties in the West Sound region without a public hospital district; and WHEREAS, Washington has 56 public hospital districts and roughly one-quarter do not even own hospitals, using district funds for varied health services; property taxes are the main funding mechanism and levy rates typically range from 25 to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, raising about $22 million annually in Kitsap at the average levy rate of 35 cents; (See Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts. (n.d.). and Kitsap County Assessor’s Office. (n.d.)), and THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the 23rd Legislative District Democrats, support the formation of a Kitsap County Public Hospital District as a means to provide sustainable funding for expanded healthcare services—including primary care, reproductive health, mental health and other essential services—in alignment with the Washington State Democratic Party’s commitment to universal, equitable healthcare; and THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the 23rd Legislative District Democrats urges the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners to take all necessary steps to place a measure creating such a district on the November 2026 ballot for voter consideration consistent with state law; and THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the 23rd Legislative District Democrats will collaborate with the Alliance for Equitable Healthcare, labor unions, community organizations, healthcare providers and other interested parties to educate residents about the benefits of a public hospital district and to advocate for equitable, community-based healthcare funding for all Kitsap County residents.
On a completely different note, I have read about two ideas focusing on fighting back against our current authoritarian regime that I think are worthy of consideration by our members. One comes from one of our own LD, Ginny Bell:
1) In support of No Kings Day on October 18, people need to contact their personal doctor and ask that they write to Republican Senators to Insist that RFK Jr. be ousted. Have the press cover the bags of mail being delivered to the Senators’ offices on October 17. Whether we get bags of mail, the important part is to let our medical professionals know we support their legitimate medical care, not the anti-vaccine, anti-established protocols of the current administration.
The other idea is similar in action but with a different target. 2) People should contact those they know in the military/armed forces and let them know their adherence to uphold and defend the Constitution is greatly appreciated which includes prohibitions about using the military against the people of our country.
So, if you have the opportunity, please write a letter or two and share the idea with like minds. We are truly facing a constitutional crisis with the what is going on with our government. Sadly, unless two more of the Supreme Court Justices side with our current last bastions of democracy on the Court (Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson Brown), things are going to get worse, if that is possible…
But we can still ensure that what happens closer to home – at both state and local levels – support our views by keeping ourselves informed and working to make sure our state and local officials are supported in their work.
Val Torrens Chair, 23rd LD Democrats
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