Philip Cassady’s letter of May 3 questions the rationale behind the Snoqualmie Valley School District superintendent’s salary. He expressed he was concerned over how large his tax bill has become, and rightfully so. Other salaries bloated beyond reason also appear on local tax bills, for the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District’s (SVHD) superintendent and senior staff.

SVHD is referred to as a hospital but in reality it’s a rehab facility with 25 beds. They have no ICU or CCU, no operating room, no maternity, no pediatric services nor do they have specialized personnel or accommodations for same. They have emergency services that provide limited, basic care. Many patients must be transported to full service hospitals for appropriate care, at additional cost to the patient and their insurance provider.

Astoundingly, some board members have said in conversation that they don’t use the hospital or its clinics.

The new facility is poorly designed. Due to lack of space, their finance department is located in a leased storefront on the Ridge.

In addition to that, they’ve operated at a loss virtually every year. Current debt load on us, the taxpayers, is $105 million. The superintendent, Tom Parker, and his second in command, Kim Witkop, MD, the Medical Affairs Director, together, earn nearly half a million dollars a year in combined salary and benefits.

The in-house attorney, has been a no-show for over four months, receiving salary and benefits from SVHD while he’s in Olympia, pulling down an additional salary as a state representative.

Add this to your list of concerns when your October tax bill arrives.

Sue Mackey

Snoqualmie