PONDERINGS

Unfortunately I was unable to get a clear image of the copy of the 2006 Solaris officers’ compensation provided yesterday by the “Needler”. However I find elements of Mr. McGee’s $652,000, not including perks most interesting.

60% came from the “The Community Hospital Group, DBA (?) JFK Medical Center’’ I assume it is the parent organization that includes not only the not profit hospital, but also the free standing surgery center, the imaging center, the rehab units and buildings on the other side of James St. etc.

30% comes from the “Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center.” I am not sure if the very profitable Surgery Center in Watchung is included or what other for profit components falls under this umbrella. Certainly the greatest portion of this reimbursement is from the operation of the money losing hospital. How much is attributed to the Nursing and technical schools, as well as rent for the dialysis facility.

About 9% is from the separate for profit facilities such as “assisted living”, the Harwick Nursing Homes Inc, etc.

It would be interesting to know the complete breakdown of Solaris’s balance sheet and of each of its components. I hope they are available before the Commissioner of Health issues the need certificate.

I also wonder if Hartwick in Plainfield is tax exempt. I would think that as a profit enterprise it should be paying its fair share for the access to the community’s facilities.

While I am on that subject, Plainfield for over 3 decades has been the site of most of Union County’s “half way houses” and handicapped residencies. They are not tax payers. Yet use Plainfield resources such as fire protection, police, emergency etc. If like the AARP residency on Knollwood where the fire department seems to respond to at least once a month, they are a drain onn our already strained resources.

Who compensates the city for these costs? Has anyone reviewed the tax exempt or relief rolls for appropriateness in recent years?