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Thread: ECMC Public Benefit Corporation Dissolve?

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    ECMC Public Benefit Corporation Dissolve?

    In his state of the County Address, the County Executive called for the Public Benefit Corporation that is ECMC to be dissolved, and for a full asset merger to take place with Kaleida.

    The same day that the County Executive was pontificating about this pie in the sky wish of his, ECMC was releasing their 2007 financial data.

    They reported a $17 million dollar surplus, and announced that they would not need an operating subsidy from the County for 2008. This is despite the fact that expenses increased and less federal and state revenues came through than in past years. This is also despite that fact that Joel Giambria cooked up some ridiculous deal for ECMC to sell itself to itself, so he could soak some money out of it to cover the deficits that he created during his tenure.

    So, ECMC went into a boat load of debt to bail out County operations, and jsut a few years later, they are reporting record surpluses, and turning down a multi million dollar operating subsidy from the County that put them into debt? Seems to me that the incredible performance of ECMC is bailing out the County of Erie, and not the reverse.

    Collins's pie in the sky wish would hurt the taxpayers of Erie County, and furthermore would hurt the health care needs of this region. The ship has sailed, and a merger between ECMC and Kaleida will not happen. County Executive, give it a rest. You're a day late and a dollar short on this one.

  2. #2
    Member sneakers77's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocksimm
    In his state of the County Address, the County Executive called for the Public Benefit Corporation that is ECMC to be dissolved, and for a full asset merger to take place with Kaleida.

    The same day that the County Executive was pontificating about this pie in the sky wish of his, ECMC was releasing their 2007 financial data.

    They reported a $17 million dollar surplus, and announced that they would not need an operating subsidy from the County for 2008. This is despite the fact that expenses increased and less federal and state revenues came through than in past years. This is also despite that fact that Joel Giambria cooked up some ridiculous deal for ECMC to sell itself to itself, so he could soak some money out of it to cover the deficits that he created during his tenure.

    So, ECMC went into a boat load of debt to bail out County operations, and jsut a few years later, they are reporting record surpluses, and turning down a multi million dollar operating subsidy from the County that put them into debt? Seems to me that the incredible performance of ECMC is bailing out the County of Erie, and not the reverse.

    Collins's pie in the sky wish would hurt the taxpayers of Erie County, and furthermore would hurt the health care needs of this region. The ship has sailed, and a merger between ECMC and Kaleida will not happen. County Executive, give it a rest. You're a day late and a dollar short on this one.
    Would it be politically correct to state that county employees that belong to a union had a hand with this corporation turning a $17 million dollar surplus?
    I never said I had no idea about most of the things you said I said I had no idea about.

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    Member JustRetired's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sneakers77
    Would it be politically correct to state that county employees that belong to a union had a hand with this corporation turning a $17 million dollar surplus?
    Yes, it would be fair, but they won't get any credit for it.
    If it weren't for the United States Military, there would be NO United States of America !

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    Quote Originally Posted by sneakers77
    Would it be politically correct to state that county employees that belong to a union had a hand with this corporation turning a $17 million dollar surplus?
    County employees had nothing at all to do with the $17 million dollar surplus. Are you kidding me? It had EVERYTHING to do with CEO Michael YOung!

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by buffy
    County employees had nothing at all to do with the $17 million dollar surplus. Are you kidding me? It had EVERYTHING to do with CEO Michael YOung!
    Operating procedure was changed by Young. It was still the same employees that were there before correct?

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    If the employees initiated cost cutting procedures, they deserve some credit. All kinds of savings can go on though, but those savings mean nothing unless they are managed in the proper way to leverage savings into profits. Doing things more efficiently does not automatically translate into profits. It takes both employees and management imho.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident
    Operating procedure was changed by Young. It was still the same employees that were there before correct?
    Yes, you are correct. There has been no wholesale change in the workforce. Which proves that the employees of ECMC were never the problem. Instead, financial stunts like Giambra's selling ECMC to itself have been the problem.

    I also agree that Michael Young has proven to be a very effective administrator, and deserves alot of credit for turning the hospital around. He has the advantage of employing a committed effective workforce, who can carry out his initiatives.

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    Quote Originally Posted by buffy
    County employees had nothing at all to do with the $17 million dollar surplus. Are you kidding me? It had EVERYTHING to do with CEO Michael YOung!

    It's not an either/or proposition. Both parties deserve alot of credit for this turn around. And both parties need each other to sustain this high level of efficiency and growth.

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    He's asking the wrong guy

    So, I did a little research on the issue of the Public Benefit Corporation that is ECMC, and the law that created it contians a very specific procedure for dissovling or changing the PBC.

    First, the County Legislature has to pass a home rule asking the State Legislature to make that change. Then someone in the Leg has to introduce a bill supporting the home rule, and both houses of the leg have to pass the bill, and the governor has to sign it.

    Collins said in the newspaper that he asked the new Governor to support dissolving the public benefit corporation. He's starting in the wrong place!!!

    The State can do nothing on the subject until and unless the County Leg passed a home rule seeking the disolution of the PBC.

    Maybe Collins needs some better advisors on government affairs, and state law. I guess that's what you get when you surround yourself with people who have know understanding of muncipal law (County attorney with no municipal law experience).

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    County Leg has already sent a home rule

    Just did a little more research on the subject, and found that the County leg already sent a home rule message to the State leg on January 25th.

    It said exactly the opposite of what Mr. Collins is advocating for!!

    It fully supported the continuance of the public benefit corporation instead of asking to dissolve it.

    Why is Collins asking the governor to do something that he cannot do? The issue has already been decided, because the County Leg already stated their position on the issue.

    Talk about barking up the wrong tree!!

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    Thumbs down

    EXACTLY!!! Couldn't have said it better myself Rocksimm. This is just the beginning! Things are only going to get worse from Ms. Workmans' Comp specialist & it's going to cost us taxpayers lots & lots of money, in addition to the flunky County Attorney's salary.
    The Legislature did the right thing at their March 6th meeting, but that was only because of something that appeared on the Illuzzi Letter on 3/5/08 regarding Green. However, when push came to shove, the Legislature, particularly the Democratic Majority, fell flat on their faces by not only confirming Cheryl Green, but also by giving her a $30,000 raise. Then again, I watched Lynn Marinelli & especially Michelle Iannello at last week's State of the County Address & believe me, Chris Collins will get whatever he wants from this Democratic Majority. There's bipartisanship & doing what's right for the taxpayers, but these 2 Legislators are ridiculous with Collins. They're like a couple of High School girls. Cheryl Green was NOT the right decision for the taxpayers & not what/who the taxpayers wanted. It's just a matter of time before we're all wishing Joel Giambra was still around.

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Cheryl Green was NOT the right decision for the taxpayers & not what/who the taxpayers wanted. It's just a matter of time before we're all wishing Joel Giambra was still around.
    Why is she wrong? Her field is in an area where the cost is high for the tax payers of Erie County.

    Do you think Chris was just one day handed a bunch of money and was in business? No matter how he made it, he made it. Either way he was successful with the choices he made.

    So as long as he's being somewhat truthful. Says he's going to do what is best for the taxpayer. Why are you whining about his choice for lawyer?

    Even if it's only a $30,000 mistake out of a BILLION dollar bloated budget I would be willing to take a chance on Collins decision.

    Joel Giambra. You make me laugh. Never met the guy. Gotta give the guy credit for being elected as CE but otherwise lets be realistic here. I would say he knew "politics" and knew them well enough to smooze and get elected. But that's about it.






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    Quote Originally Posted by WB_2004
    EXACTLY!!! Couldn't have said it better myself Rocksimm. This is just the beginning! Things are only going to get worse from Ms. Workmans' Comp specialist & it's going to cost us taxpayers lots & lots of money, in addition to the flunky County Attorney's salary.
    The Legislature did the right thing at their March 6th meeting, but that was only because of something that appeared on the Illuzzi Letter on 3/5/08 regarding Green. However, when push came to shove, the Legislature, particularly the Democratic Majority, fell flat on their faces by not only confirming Cheryl Green, but also by giving her a $30,000 raise. Then again, I watched Lynn Marinelli & especially Michelle Iannello at last week's State of the County Address & believe me, Chris Collins will get whatever he wants from this Democratic Majority. There's bipartisanship & doing what's right for the taxpayers, but these 2 Legislators are ridiculous with Collins. They're like a couple of High School girls. Cheryl Green was NOT the right decision for the taxpayers & not what/who the taxpayers wanted. It's just a matter of time before we're all wishing Joel Giambra was still around.
    While Collins is receiving faulty legal advise, he and the so-called NEWCO board are holding up ECMC's proposed $125 million expansion on the East Side of Buffalo.

    How often do you here about a $125 million dollar project on the East Side of Buffalo? It is exactly the type of project that this community needs.

    It will bring good paying construction jobs immediately, and ultimatley good paying jobs in the health care field to a community that so desperately needs an economic shot in the arm.

    Meanwhile, Collins and his workers comp attorney fiddle faddle around on his position that is a loser, the NEWCO Board meets and discusses some type of joint venture that will never happen, and ECMC, who wants to invest over $125 million into OUR community, is held up because these politicians want to listen to themselves speak.

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    Cannot in any way shape or form blame Michael Young for continuing in his plans to move ECMC forward. He knows who he works for, and who knows how long it will take NYS money to materialize. the big picture is not Kalaida (al qu'aida)! It is supposed to be a NEW ENTITY. Michael YOung does not get nearly the recognition he deserves for the "mission accomplished" black ink ECMC is enjoying. That said, we all understand that the "surplus" the "black ink" is a budgetary goal that was met and does not include the entire DEBT.

    The problem is not who gets the credit for ECMC's annual successes in meeting or exceeding it's projections. It's that while unions dig in their heels at ECMC, refusing to negotiate down to a level that is, uhh, level w/everybody else, select services WILL move over to the prefered site - the downtown site- the site that SUNY & John Simpson is dedicated to - the site that the State is behind- in other words, the new entity will absorb the selct services anyways. What does this mean? That ECMC doesn't have it's money makers anylonger. It means that no matter HOW well those county workers do their jobs, the revenue just isn;t there to meet the labor costs. That means ECMC no longer operates in the black. That means that ECMC fails and when ECMC fails, the taxpayer REALLY pays.

    Sorry guys, I'm as big a fan of ECMC as anyone else, but the writing has been on the wall before and it just won't go away. ECMC was a mistake that should never had happen. ECMC should never have become a county public hospital. UB needed to address this problem 30 years ago.

    Time to stop special interest fighting and face facts. UB needs to step up and it appears that it has. Now we just need NYS $$$ and I know the shape NYS is in. If something solid & sound doesn't happen soon, I'm outta here! Seriously, enough of this BS, who needs it?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocksimm
    Just did a little more research on the subject, and found that the County leg already sent a home rule message to the State leg on January 25th.

    It said exactly the opposite of what Mr. Collins is advocating for!!

    It fully supported the continuance of the public benefit corporation instead of asking to dissolve it.

    Why is Collins asking the governor to do something that he cannot do? The issue has already been decided, because the County Leg already stated their position on the issue.

    Talk about barking up the wrong tree!!
    Rocko,
    Your research is outstanding.... I love it
    This is just one of the facts that screams that Satish Collins wants to show the public that he is doing something, but road blocks are being constructed to block him at every turn. The cold hard truth is, he doesn't have a clue on how to run County government and he refuses to consult with the people in the know.
    Life, Liberty and the Pursuit Of All That Threaten It
    What if the Hokey-Pokey IS what it's all about?

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