Hospital Ends Tax Levy

Giving their own hospital a clean financial bill of health, Kootenai Medical Center’s board of directors voted unanimously Monday to not levy taxes next year.

The move will save the average taxpayer $7.33 per year.

The hospital will lose $442,429, out of a $52 million budget. Joe Morris, the hospital’s chief executive officer, said Monday that KMC expects revenue next year to increase 4 percent, more than offsetting the tax loss, which is less than 1 percent of the hospital’s budget. Most of the hospital’s revenue comes from patient billing.

Given KMC’s current financial picture, Morris said he didn’t foresee the hospital renewing the levy anytime soon.

“We wouldn’t do it in future years unless there’s some financial need,” he said.

, DataTimes