Solutions must be found to health care problems

Analysis by Bill Phelan

Leon County’s Community Health Care Plan earned 40 percent of the votes cast in the Nov. 7 referendum. While that was not enough votes to put the plan in place, the number is heartening to those county residents who are concerned about health care for the uninsured in our community.

The obstacles that the plan faced were daunting: unclear ballot language; disadvantageous ballot position; a divided and vacillating board of county commissioners; an energetic disinformation campaign waged against the plan; and widespread voter sentiment against taxes in general.

Despite the obstacles, Leon County staff and Tallahassee Equality Action Ministry (TEAM) succeeded in bringing to voters’ attention the facts that uninsured people live and work in our community, that they have significant health problems as a result of being uninsured, and that this is a community problem that affects all of us. And through the educational efforts of TEAM and the county staff, nearly 35,000 of the approximately 87,000 county residents who voted on the measure chose to implement a half-cent tax in order to get lifesaving health care to our uninsured neighbors.

Having brought the issue to the community’s attention, we now have to find other solutions. The problem, unfortunately, is not going away.

Bill Phelan is recording secretary for the Tallahassee Equality Action Ministry, an organization of 20 diverse faith-based groups that work together to address concerns affecting low-income people.