The group Citizens for an Accountable Mega-Hospital Planning Process or CAMPP says it has serious concerns about the timing of Windsor's budget deliberations.
CAMPP says city council has denied repeated requests to be heard on the planning process for the new Windsor-Essex Hospital Systems Plan, so spokeswoman Philippa von Ziegenweidt was shocked to find out an item regarding the process was slipped into the list of delegations speaking during budget deliberations Monday afternoon.
"It's diminishing," she says. "We've been hearing things like, 'Oh, obviously not everybody will be happy with the location.' This isn't about being unhappy with it, or wanting it in my backyard. It's about, 'Is this the right thing for the region?'"
Von Ziegenweidt is also critical of the time budget deliberations are being heard.
"It's going to be difficult for a lot of people to attend," says von Ziegenweidt.
Hospital Steering Committee co-chairs Dave Cooke and Windsor Regional Hospital CEO David Musyj, along with Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare CEO Janice Kaffer will ask council for formal support for the plan, which includes the proposed new acute care hospital.
Right now, Windsor's budget calls for a 1.75% increase in the property tax rate. To bring that down to 0%, council will have to cut $3.3-million in spending.
Follow along with BlackburnNews.com's Maureen Revait who is reporting from Windsor City Hall:
