Editor’s Note: A guest post from Dwight Hudson, Republican candidate for Baton Rouge Metro Council
It was disappointing to see politics trump progress at last week’s Metro Council meeting concerning the proposed Health Care District. The council passed a motion to defer voting on the district for 90 days. The district has the opportunity to bring world class preventative care, research, and educational opportunities to the entire Capital Region. This important project is a positive step for our area and has the ability to improve health outcomes for our entire community. We must come together as a community and compel our elected officials to move forward. Please click here to read more about the proposed Health Care District.
Opponents of this effort have honorable intentions. They want to see a hospital and, more importantly, emergency medical care in the northern part of East Baton Rouge parish. That is certainly a goal that we must continue to strive for as our neighbors in this area are under served in that regard. It’s important to remember, however, that blocking this district does nothing to move us closer to bringing health care options to northern part of the parish. Rather, blocking of the district only serves to negatively affect the entire region by stifling our health officials ability to collaborate in bringing top researchers, doctors, and students to the area. Failure to pass the district may also hinder our ability to relieve traffic on Essen Lane which is arguably one of the most congested roads in our entire parish.
I hope that you will join me in asking the metro-council to put the health and well being of the entire region ahead of misguided, although honorable, political agendas. Urge them to vote yes on the proposed Health District.
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