DELTONA, Fla. — Halifax Health is looking to build a hospital in Deltona, even though it already has a facility in Daytona Beach.
Officials said the hospital will be built using private funding, but some residents don't think it's a good idea.
Residents are concerned that Halifax won't have to pay property taxes on the 30-acre area, which they said could cost them millions.
"Why Halifax wants to move out of their taxing district and come over here and build a hospital is questionable," resident Jeffrey Ault said.
According to the property appraiser's website, Halifax collected $13.3 million in tax revenue last year. Halifax's website said that money pays for indigent care in its district and that no district tax revenue would be used to fund the Deltona hospital.
"That's false on its premise because when you buy 30 acres of land (and) take that off of the property tax roll, because they don't pay taxes, taxpayers subsidize them every single year," Ault said.
Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk said he's highly supportive of the new emergency department.
"Competition breeds, really, better quality service and probably a lessening of health care costs," Masiarczyk said.
"It would have been nice for the city of Deltona to have public meetings on the future of health care in this area and bring all of the players together," Ault said.
Halifax Health has not yet responded to Channel 9's questions.
Cox Media Group
