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By TODD FLORY

Salina Journal

OSBORNE -- When it was first approved, it was thought that the issue had been resolved.

But three years later, a continuation of a 1 percent increase in a countywide sales tax for health care services for the Osborne County Memorial Hospital is back on the ballot for Tuesday's primary election.

Kiley Floyd, administrator at the Osborne hospital, said the continuation of the sales tax for five years, would "help us recruit (and support) new physicians to the community."

The hospital is a critical-access and Medicare hospital, and Floyd said its goal is to break even with Medicare each year, since Medicare pays the hospital allowable costs.

"Of course," she said, "what they think is allowable and what I think is allowable are two different things."

After the sales tax was approved three years ago, the hospital hired a physician in January 2006 and a physician's assistant in January 2007.

The physician left in October 2007, but the physician's assistant remains. There is a private-practice physician with two physician assistants, but Floyd believes the hospital needs another physician to meet the county's needs.

"It's very, very important," she said. "We just absolutely have to have more physicians. You can't expect one doctor to carry the full load for an extended period of time."

The sales tax is scheduled to end Sept. 30.

Osborne County Clerk Vienna Janis wasn't sure the sales tax was going to pass the first time.

"It passed with a good majority, except for one of our locations (which didn't use the hospital much)," she said.

She hesitated to give a prediction for Tuesday.

"I've quit predicting elections, because I never get them right," she said.

Economy weighing heavily

Floyd thinks that if the question passes, it will go a long way toward the hospital hiring another physician. Over the past three years, she said, the increased sales tax provided the hospital $30,000 a month on average.

"I actually expect that to go down because of the economy, but that's still sufficient," Floyd said. "I think, all in all, the community is very supportive. (But) I think the economy is weighing heavily on everyone's mind right now. I can't even begin to guess how this will go."

Aquatic center vote

In Rawlins County, voters will decide whether the Rawlins County Public Building Commission should build an aquatic center in Atwood. The commission would issue up to $1.3 million in revenue bonds to be paid off through a 15-year, 0.75 percent countywide sales tax.

Last year, Atwood and Rawlins County met their bonding limitations, and the county commissioners were approached about forming a public building commission to get out from under the bonding cap, said Terry Ballard, Rawlins County appraiser.

The Public Building Commission has the authority to issue bonds, Ballard said, and it can be used for other community issues.

If the sales tax passes, Ballard said, the county will sublease the aquatic center to Atwood, which would be responsible for its construction.

"If there was going to be a pool constructed, the most fair (way to pay for it) would be a sales tax, because everybody would pay for it," Ballard said.

Ballard said he's not sure how the vote will go.

"I really don't have a grasp of what the perception is -- in particular the rural voters," he said. "I guess we'll find out come Tuesday."

Another pool question

One of Washington County's two special questions pertains to a pool, as well. Voters will decide whether to authorize a 1.2 percent citywide sales tax. The revenue would go toward construction of a swimming pool and street and other public infrastructure projects in Washington.

The other question involves the continuation of a countywide 1 percent sales tax for four years for construction of bridges, culverts and low-water crossings.

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