Mercy Health Love County - Content

Tax Support

The citizens of Love County take seriously their responsibility for keeping the hospital open and operating for the benefit of all. As residents of Love County, the citizens own the hospital and clinic. Through public funding, in 1972, they built the hospital and they raised among themselves (from 500 donors) $75,000 for initial operating capital. The peoples’ elected officials, the Board of Commissioners, appoint only local residents to the Hospital Board, giving citizens the control of the hospital and clinic funds and expenditures.

Since 1989, voters have passed and renewed a one-cent countywide sales tax to subsidize operations. The tax provides about one month’s income in the hospital’s annual budget. On a year-to-year basis, it is critical to breaking even or minimizing operating losses.