Don’t let Valley bully Ridgewood
Cathy Benson
Ridgewood, June 11
At this week’s Ridgewood Planning Board meeting, representatives of The Valley Hospital made clear that the village of Ridgewood is its opponent. The gloves are off. Valley’s attorney, Jon Drill, attempted to deliver blow after blow.The opening salvo was Drill’s attempt at intimidation by reminding the Planning Board of its loss in court to Valley back in 1985. This was followed up by his threat that Ridgewood would lose $1.7 million in property taxes from properties owned by Valley due to conversion to non-profit status and that the hospital would withhold money for improvements at the intersection of Van Dien and Linwood avenues despite the fact that Valley is a major contributor of traffic, if the amendment is not approved.
Next was his assertion that the single bus line stopping in front of Valley (20 trips a day, no service on Sunday) carries the full significance of “access to public transportation.”
If in fact Ridgewood ‘loses’ 1.7m in property taxes due to properties being ‘converted’, I’d suggest that its time for a lawsuit, that many other municipalities would join, questioning ‘tax exempt status’ as follows:
Do you provide charity care, and how much (if my insurance does not pay the bill, does the ‘non-profit’ eat the rest, or does it go to ‘collections’?
Are ’employees’ *doctors* earning income that exceeds $100,000 per year?
Are executives of the ‘non-profit’ paid more than $100,000 per year?
Just these three examples show that ‘non-profit’ is pure bullshit and tax exempt status should be revoked.
This would apply to every hospital in the state and would help lower the property tax burden of every homeowner.
*and I’m not against a modernization, I’m just not in favor of ‘hardball’ tactics.
Planning Board,
Don’t give in to a bully. If you do, not only will that bully come back for more, but more will come. Valley Hospital is showing its true colors and they are not the colors of a good neighbor. Fight fire with fire. Valley Hospital threatens Ridgewood, then Ridgewood should let Valley Hospital know what Ridgewood can do to it. Be a good example and stand strong against the bully that is Valley Hospital.
Totally agree that Valley’s tax exempt status should be challenged.
I agree, but the easier way to accomplish this is to get together with other municipalities that host these ‘tax exempt’ institutions and change the law.
Since these other towns could use the tax revenues, Englewood, Hackensack, Morristown and a few others could join in the ‘legal battle’ and share the costs.
Its absurd to call it a ‘non-profit’ with the executive salaries paid, and big earnings for physicians.
If you have a portion of your bill not covered by insurance, you must pay it or you will hear from a collection agency. (is that the action of a true non-profit organization?)
If these hospitals have a clue, they should be offering payments in lieu of taxes before the ‘Pandora’s box’ is opened.