Please click
here to see and
sign the
petition.
Since its
inception,
Choices has been
a solution to a
non-existent
problem.
More
appropriately,
it has been a
solution to the
wrong problem.
 Choices was
passed to
provide
healthcare
services to the
working
uninsured and
the working
poor.
Unfortunately,
the statistics
that
Commissioners
originally used
to gauge
participation in
the program
anticipated
approximately
double the newly
revised
estimate, and
tax collection
to fund choices
is also running
higher than
Commissioners
expected.
As of July,
2006, fewer than
250 people have
signed up,
participants have
started to drop
off of the
rolls, and we
have collected
about $14
million in
taxes. Due
to the low
enrollment, the
bulk of that $14
million has been
taken out of our
local economy
and is sitting
in interest
bearing
accounts.
Alachua County
is collecting
about $45,000
per month in
interest on your
money.
To add insult to
injury, the
County has
modified the
program to try
to increase
enrollment by
loosening the
qualifications.
They have
lowered their
standards for
the definition
of part-time
work and have
increased the
limits on the
income
that someone can
make before they
exceed
qualifications
for Choices.
We have started
this online
petition to ask
the Alachua
County
Commission to
put Choices up
for a recall
vote. In
addition, we are
asking them to
put it on a
General Election
ballot.
The petition is
non-binding.
It does not and
cannot force the
Alachua County
Commission to
put Choices back
up for a vote,
but it will
allow your
opinion to be
known to them.
The
Following is a
very important
set of bullet
points about
Choices.
This information
paints the
picture of a
program that has
not and,
cannot
succeed.
-
The County
Commission
placed Choices on a
primary
ballot where
turnout was
expected to
be lower
than a
general
election.
Even then,
the program
won by only
a slim
margin
(about 87
votes). If
the
Commission
had put it
on the
general
election
ballot, as
should have
been done,
the program
would never
have been
passed by
the voters.
-
The
commission
has had to
modify
Choices to
something
different
than what
the voters
approved in
order to try
to increase
enrollment.
The program
that they
have
implemented
is not the
program that
was passed.
-
In the
months of
July, 2005 to
January, 2006,
the county
has
collected an
average of
$842,990.00
per month
for CHOICES.
Three of
those months
have been
more than
$900,000. As
the economy
has
improved, we
have been
moving
closer to
the $1
million
per month mark. In
fact, in the
months of
October
through
January,
three of the
four months
were more
than
$914,000.
The lesser
month wasn't
far behind
at $887,000
and one of
the months
was just
over
$997,000.
The County
Commissioners
underestimated
the amount
of money
that would
be taken in
and over
estimated
the need for
the program.
Health
care
utilization
rates across
the county
indicate
that
almost 25%
of the
population
in the 18 or
older age
group does
not need
to visit a doctor
during a
year,
fifteen
percent
visit twice,
and 17% visit
only once.
This means
that 43% of
the
population
visit more
than twice
while about
57% of the
population
visit the
doctor twice
or less.
-
In addition,
the U.S.
Congress is
expected to
vote, this
year, on a
bill to
allow small
businesses
to pool
together to
buy
insurance
for their
employees.
Finally,
this will
give small
businesses
access to
the same
insurance
rates as
much larger
employers.
That will
take another
large bite
out of the
pool of
potential
Choices
enrollees.
Alachua
County
government
will find
itself in
the
unenviable
position of
chasing
fewer and
fewer people
as potential
enrollees
while taking
ever larger
amounts of
money out of
our local
economy.
Please click
here to see and
sign the
petition.
|
 |
|
|
 |
Failing Grade
Home Ownership (compare to state average)
|
10% Less |
Child Poverty Rate - Alachua County
|
20% |
Child Poverty Rate - Gainesville
|
24% |
Minority Business Ownership (compared to state average)
|
Half |
| Per Capita Income (compared to state average) |
$3100 Less |
Source: 2000Census
|
Paid for and
sponsored by
the Alachua
County
Republican
Executive
Committee
PO Box 358536,
Gainesville, Fl
32635 |
