A few years after the Sequoia Hospital District sold its hospital, the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury noticed that the district continued to collect property taxes originally assessed to support the hospital. And, they were using those taxes to pursue a philanthropic role unintended by voters. It was Judge Kopp’s 2000-2001 Grand Jury which initially said in a report on the district that “…it is the responsibility of the Sequoia Healthcare District to expend its tax and other revenues for the purposes approved by voters. The grand jury finds that the Sequoia Healthcare District has not done so.” Bruce Hasenkamp foreperson of Kopp's 2001-2002 Grand Jury, which issued this report on the Sequoia Healthcare District Web Link has also endorsed the trio of Jack Hickey, Mark De Paula and John McDowell. Subsequent Grand Juries have continued to question the district's spending of those tax dollars.
The majority board members, two who are seeking re-election, have failed to bring the issue of the district’s legitimacy to the voters. They continue to grow their constituency with tax funded “charitable giving” and PR “branding“ activities. These majority board members, with only 6 regularly scheduled meetings per year, voted for benefits which reimburse directors $1,500/month for health insurance premiums. And, they created a CEO salary which is higher than that of Governor Brown! The CEO manages 1 full time and 3 part time employees. Jack Hickey, minority member on the board, alone can not get the legitimacy issue before the voters.
Challengers McDowell and DePaula have joined with Hickey to pursue the Grand Jury’s recommendation. If all three are elected, they will control the 5 member board. They have promised to bring the Sequoia Healthcare District’s legitimacy question to the voters. This can only happen if Hickey, McDowell and DePaula are all elected.
