UPDATE: JPS Health Network 'honored' and 'grateful' to Tarrant County voters in favor of bond proposal
Updated 9:09 p.m.: Voting results indicated more than 80 percent of voters in favor of the $800 million bond proposition for the John Peter Smith Health Network. On Tuesday night JPS President and CEO Robert Earley thanked Tarrant County voters in a news release for their approval of "the largest bond in county history."
"We are honored and grateful to serve a community that appreciates the healthcare JPS has provided for more than 110 years," he said in the statement. "We remain committed to making lives better for our patients and our community—today and for decades to come."
Two hours after polls closed, 326,762 votes, or 81.83 percent of votes, were cast in favor of the bond. Votes cast against the measure totaled 72,562, or 18.17 percent.
This is the first bond for the hospital district in 33 years. Earley said in the coming days the board of manager, in conjunction with the Tarrant County Commissioners Court and JPS administration, will meet to prioritize the recommendations made by the Citizens Blue Ribbon Committee.
The hospital district has up to 10 years to use part or all of the bond funds.
UPDATE: First round of Election Day results indicate voters in favor of $800M bond for JPS Hospital District
Updated 8:50 p.m.: With 41 of 704 precincts reporting, 305,784 votes have been cast in favor of Tarrant County's John Peter Smith Hospital District's bond election, comprising 81.78 percent of the votes. Votes cast against the proposition totaled 68,104 votes or 18.22 percent.
Early voting results indicate voters in favor of $800M bond for JPS Hospital District
Originally posted 7:32 p.m., Nov. 6
On Nov. 6 early voting results showed voters in favor of the $800 million bond proposition for the John Peter Smith Hospital District.
81.75 percent of voters, or 277,543 votes, were in favor of the bond proposal for the JPS Health Network and Hospital. A total of 61,835 votes, or 18.22 percent of voters, opposed the measure.
The $800 million is earmarked for funding an identified $1.2 billion worth of improvements to the Tarrant County Hospital District. These projects include construction of a new mental and behavioral health facility, improvements to the main JPS Hospital patient tower, ambulatory and cancer care facilities, and the building of four new community care clinics.
This bond was not expected to increase the Tarrant County tax rate, according to county officials.
Tarrant County Precinct 3 Commissioner Gary Fickes, whose precinct includes Grapevine, Colleyville and Southlake, said while the bond proposal is for up to $800 million, that does not mean the county will have to spend that amount of money. He said there are opportunities to use the private sector to help with the bond projects instead.
County officials said the bond would be issued during the course of the next 10 years.
