Pullman Regional Hospital District boundary remains unchanged

PULLMAN — Voters rejected the Pullman Regional Hospital District annexation resolution.

The “no” vote means no change for the hospital’s taxing district. It continues to end at the Pullman city limits, according to Alison Weigley, director of external relations.

“We were presented with feedback from our community during our last bond campaign to pursue expanding the hospital’s taxing district. The last step in pursuing this option was to hear from the voters,” said Jeff Elbracht, Pullman Regional Hospital Board of Commissioners president.

The expansion would have included approximately 1,670 voters in the Pullman School District boundary who were not in the hospital’s current taxing district. Only the school district residents were eligible to vote on the measure. The county auditor indicated 861 people voted with 53.7% voting no.

If the measure passed, property owners would have added a tax obligation of 30 cents per $1,000 assessed property value for the hospital’s maintenance and operations levy. It was approved by voters in 2013. It is the same rate as property owners in the current hospital district.