Politics & Government

District to Put $394M Bond on Nov. 5 Ballot to Rebuild Marin General Hospital

Property owners would pay about $20 per $100,000 of the assessed valuation of their property, partially funding a massive, $500 million overhaul of the hospital's campus.





The Marin Healthcare District's board of directors unanimously voted this week to place a $394 million general obligation bond measure on the Nov. 5 election ballot, hoping to use the money to pay part of the cost to rebuild and modernize Marin General Hospital.

The district would tax property owners who reside within its boundaries, which encompass all of Marin County except Novato and part of West Marin, to pay for the 30-year bonds. Property owners would pay about $20 per $100,000 of the assessed valuation of their property, according to a district spokesperson.

The $394 million would be used to rebuild and modernize Marin General’s emergency room, intensive care and critical care units and patient and nursing areas. It will also pay for the "latest lifesaving medical technologies for treating trauma, heart disease, stroke, cancer and other diseases, reduce ER wait times and ensure compliance with seismic safety standards designed to keep Marin General Hospital open in the event of earthquakes," according to the district.

“More than 60 years ago, Marin voters passed a (general obligation bond) which paid for the construction of Marin General Hospital," Jennifer Rienks, chair of the district's board, said in a statement. "It is now time to build a new Marin General Hospital and this generation of Marinites will be asked to support a bond measure so that we can continue to have a full service acute care hospital in our community."

More than anything, the massive overhaul of the hospital's campus, estimated at $500 million, would allow Marin General to makes its facilities earthquake safe, which it must do by 2030 under state law.

“We believe that making the hospital seismically safe and insuring that life-saving, up-to-date medical technology is available to citizens—especially in the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake—is a critical part of our mission,” Lee Domanico, the hospital's CEO said in a statement.

“The hospital is showing its age,” nurse Helen Principe said. “Without a doubt it’s the best it can be within the confines of the existing structure, but as nurses we encounter its limitations daily. Whether it’s the ability to fit needed equipment into a patient room or simply insure patient privacy as required, the current hospital presents many challenges that a new hospital will address.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here