FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Vote Yes on Measure N

What is Measure N?

Measure N is a general obligation bond measure that will renovate Watsonville Community Hospital and improve services to our community. Measure N will provide locally controlled funding to renovate and improve our local hospital, provide better care to patients and purchase the hospital property, saving $3 million a year in rent payments, which will then be used to support nurses, doctors and better community healthcare.

What challenges does Pajaro Valley Health Care District face?

Although Watsonville Community Hospital has been well maintained over the years, the facilities are old and need to be upgraded in order to maintain and improve healthcare in our community. The hospital needs major infrastructure improvements to continue to provide quality services to our residents. The hospital does not currently own the building and the land on which it sits. Thanks to community fundraising and emergency legislation the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District was formed and the hospital was saved. Measure N would allow the District to purchase the hospital building and land, ensuring local control, resulting in savings that would be spent on improving services and hospital modernizations.

What would Measure N fund?

Measure N provides locally controlled funding that will be used to:

Expand and renovate the emergency room to provide better emergency care and shorter wait times, and meet the growing needs of our community
Upgrade imaging systems including X-rays, MRI, and CT scanners
Purchase the hospital property, ensuring local control and saving $3 million a year in rent payments, which could then be used to support nurses, doctors, and better healthcare
Repair, replace, or upgrade aging and deteriorated roofs, wiring, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
Modernize the hospital to provide additional local healthcare services, so patients don’t have to travel to other hospitals to get the care they need

Could the State cut or take away funding from Measure N?

No. By law, all Measure N funds must be spent locally and could not be taken by the State. Funds can only be spent on healthcare facilities and not on salaries of staff or administrators.

How will Measure N impact our community?

Measure N will modernize and upgrade our community hospital to better serve our community.

What will Measure N cost?

Measure N would generate $116 million in bonds at a rate of $24 per $100,000 of annual assessed (not market) value or approximately $2 a month.

What is the difference between assessed value and market value?

The cost of bond measures is based on the assessed value of properties. The assessed value of a property is based on the original purchase price and may not increase by more than 2% a year while the market value tends to grow at a much faster rate based on market conditions. Thus, the assessed value is usually much lower than the market value, especially if a property was purchased long ago at a much lower price than it could be purchased for today. It is this lower assessed value upon which the cost of a bond measure is based.

Has Pajaro Valley Health Care District passed measures previously?

No. Measure N is the first request ever made by the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District.

When will Measure N be on the ballot?

Measure N will be on the March 5 th , 2024 ballot. Ballot will be mailed to voters the first week in February.

How can I learn more about voting?

For more information about voting, contact the Santa Cruz County Registrar of Voters at votescount.santacruzcountyca.gov or 831-454-2060 or the Monterey County Registrar of voters at montereycountyelections.us or 831-796-1499.