Electeds Hope New LICH Bill Will Prevent Future Hospital Closings

By on December 17, 2014 6:54 am in Government

From the lemons to lemonade department comes word of an effort by our local electeds to prevent future hospital closings in the wake of the LICH closing:

Brooklyn Eagle: In response to the community’s unsuccessful efforts to keep LICH open, State Sen. Daniel Squadron and Assemblymember-elect Jo Anne Simon are sponsoring a bill that would give residents and local officials a say and require a community needs assessment before a hospital is closed. The measure was built around an earlier proposal by city Comptroller Scott Stringer.

“This bill would ensure that there’s never another situation like we have experienced at LICH,” Sen. Squadron told a crowd gathered on Henry Street. “Today, there is no confidence for communities that medical needs are taken care of when a hospital closure is threatened.”

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  • Roberto Gautier

    Before we “move on,” the actual history of the closing and selling of LICH was preceded by a needs assessment that clearly found that the hospital was indeed essential to the health of the community. Yes, a needs assessment should be required for the future, but there was one in the past.

  • Heights Observer

    Too little too late!

  • Doug Biviano

    Smoke and mirrors. If Simon and Squadron really want to stop the next LICH from falling lets see them create legislation to strip political parties, i.e. the Democratic Party, the power to nominate — or in the case of NYC — to anoint judges.

    If our electeds really wanted to save LICH they could have easily embarrassed Cuomo in an election year by throwing down some political capital but all they had was some empty words for the cameras, nothing of substance. Now comes a little something after the fact that really doesn’t matter because as we found out Cuomo and McCall hired the same people who run the courts with their nominees for judge seats — Frank Carone and Kings County Democratic Party Boss Frank Seddio (both were law partners), recently lavished with praise by Jo Anne Simon on this very blog to be sure.

    Of course Squadron and Simon could have fleshed out this corrupt little circle and how it works to the press and made it untenable for Cuomo but politicians never really work for the people do they?

    A great case in point to see how this all works, is how Gary Tilzer, my political consultant, helped Sharon Clarke beat Seddio’s nominee in this September primary for Civil Court. Seddio backed a white candidate in a black district and so did his District Leader lackeys. When this happens, candidates not anointed by County often run to Tilzer to beat the machine. Yet once victorious, the outside judge-elects run right into the hands of whomever controls the machine — in this case Seddio — because they know where their next nomination ticket for higher court will be stamped. Seddio spoke at her ceremony as did the very District Leaders working against Clarke. No press covered this odd bit of irony nor do the politicians speaks of this twisted corrupting relationship with the County Dem. Party that hang a dark cloud over the fairness of our courts.

    Rewind over the last year with LICH and watch Cuomo and McCall hire from the County Party swamp — that being Frank Carone — for access and influence (Dem Party County nominated the judges). We never had a chance with Carone on Cuomo’s payroll but not a peep from Squadron or Simon about this conflicted relationship — see how it works?

    Frankly, what is left in the wake of this corruption and silence of the press and political class is road kill. Community members’ lives get offered up to the highest bidder when their hospitals are closed and no relief whatsoever is given to the community by the courts. Guys like Gary Tilzer, blogger and political consultant get black balled. In fact, Gary himself is up against the ropes these days. Help support the reform and truth he has fought for over the decades. Gary actually helped save the election when the very same County Dem Party tried to steal an election from the Honorable Major Owens.

    So now in this time of giving, I ask you to help support Gary so he can continue to post the truth about all this harmful corruption destroying lives and our communities. Please send Gary a contribution so he can continue to fight for us all with his blog True News from Change NYC (click on the Donate button):

    http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/

    Wishing all of you a happy and healthy holiday season.

  • Doug Biviano