The most controversial issue on Tuesday’s ballot in Arizona was whether a new hospital in Flagstaff should be approved, and as the unofficial results first came in at 8 p.m., voters were saying no by a large margin. As of 8:05 p.m., “No” is up 72% to 28%, with just over 3,300 votes counted.
The Flagstaff City Council approved in June the plan from Northern Arizona Healthcare (pictured: current facility) to move its hospital from downtown Flagstaff to about 7 miles further south near Fort Tuthill. But the proposal got on the ballot after a group called Flagstaff Community First gathered enough signatures to create Proposition 480.
NAH said the current hospital is only the Level I trauma center north of Phoenix, and a new facility would provide better health care to northern Arizona’s growing population. The first phase would cost $800 million, and NAH would foot the bill, CBS 5 reports. Read more.
