Commentary: It's Time to Take the Fight for King Hospital Off the Street and into the Legislature
Assemblymember Mervyn M. Dymally
Los Angeles Sentinel 8-23-07 A6, A16
The decision by the Federal Government to not renew the medical funding of the King Hospital has sent shockwaves through our community. We know that if there was ever a community that needed an accessible hospital, it's South Los Angeles.
But now we are faced with the challenge of how to save some if not all of the services at King Hospital so that our seniors and families don't find themselves unable to get the immediate medical attention they need, thus creating another crisis in our community on top of our current health care issues.
To that end, I have introduced Assembly Bill 55 in the State's Legislature to create a hospital authority patterned after the successful Denver, Colorado model to try and keep some of the most vital services in our community but without real community support, the bill is not going to anywhere.
The time has come for our community to do what other communities have been doing for years and that's taking our grassroots street corner activism to Sacramento, something we have not been too good at.
While it's great to get together and protest the Los Angeles Times and stand in front of the hospital, neither the Times nor the hospital staff can do anything at this point to keep it open, that's a job that is for lawmakers and you don't reach lawmakers on the street comer, you reach them in the Capitol.
There's never been a doubt about the loyalty of myself and colleagues when it comes to King Hospital, however we are but nine people and to make anything happen we need to have the support of our colleagues in Sacramento. In , order for us to persuade them on your behalf, we need for you to come to Sacramento and lobby not only us, but other Members as well on this very critical issue.
Between Southwest and. JetBlue airlines, there are constant flights between Los Angeles and Sacramento. You need to book yourself on one with 100 of your closest friends and come and, make your voices heard where exhaust all options available to us : they will really count.
AB 55 could very well be the last line of defense in keeping vital services at King Hospital, but I can't go it alone and if the community really cares about the hospital, it will make sure that its opinion is heard loud and clear in Sacramento.
Bill information is always available via the Internet or by calling your local State Assemblymember's office. It's time that we look at this fight from a legislative point of view and exhaust all opitions available to us instead of depending on the local evening news to do it for us.
I hope you will join me in Sacramento to support AB 55.
Assemblymember Mervyn M Dymally represents the culturally diverse 52nd Assembly District which includes Compton, Watts, Willowbrook, Paramount, North Long Beach, and South Los Angeles. He is Chair of both the Assembly Health Committee and the Legislative Black Caucus, He will discuss his bill AB 55 Saturday, August 18,2007 at 10:00 am, at the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable located in Leimert Park at 3351 West 43rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90008.
[delicious]MLK+english[/delicious]