County discusses cost of Children’s bankruptcy

county judge veronica escobar says el paso children’s hospital needs to face reality. she said that at a special budget meeting this afternoon. the county has until september 28th to approve university medical center’s budget for fiscal year 2016, and much of that budget is dependent on the unknowable outcome of children’s bankruptcy. abc-7’s ashlie rodriguez is live with the latest from the el paso county courthouse … escobar said she doesn’t want taxpayers paying children’s bills — anymore. umc began absorbing the cost of children’s service contracts last year– about $1 million per month. umc was willing to do this, because the theory was that children’s was going to work out a plan to get itself out of the hole. but after a year of multiple failed mediations and now a lengthy bankruptcy case the county judge says she does not want taxpayers subsidizing children’s while its in bankruptcy. she says much of children’s money is being spent on outside consultants and attorney fees, including the salary and travel expenses of ceo mark herbers, who has rejected every plan umc has put on the table. she says children’s will be out of money by thanksgiving: veronica escobar: “children’s needs to face reality, the board needs to face reality…you’re gonna shut your doors because you’re going to run out of money …and that’s not going to happen.” umc has offered to bring children’s under its wing, providing a safety net. but children’s has rejected that plan. it has until september 15th to come up with it’s own. if the county and umc decides to not pay children’s bills in a budget meeting, september 21st, children’s will be on its own. ashlie, thank you. and although the item was not on the budget hearing agenda — a handful of umc support staff spoke at the special meeting, asking for a $15 dollar an hour “living wage.” right now mos janitors, nursing assistants and cleaning staff employees make just under $10-dollars. county judge veronica escobar says their request is under consideration.