The motion was considered and approved by the Roanoke Valley Chamber Monday and received support from Chamber Board members, HRMC said in a statement
“The Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce appreciates the investment and leadership in the community by Halifax Regional, along with the over 1,200 full-time-equivalent jobs created and the quality of life we enjoy because we have a world-class hospital in our region,” said Allen Purser, the chamber's president and CEO.
The support comes as the North Carolina Senate “continues to jeopardize the economic and community benefit of community hospitals,” HRMC President Will Mahone said in the statement. “In an attempt to eliminate the tax exempt status of non-profit organizations, community hospitals risk their ability to provide charity care, prepare for unexpected emergencies, and continue to be the strong economic engines in their respective communities.”
The chamber's statement of support says, “The Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce recognizes the economic value of Halifax Regional Medical Center and its 2014 economic impact analysis by UNC-Chapel Hill. This analysis identified that Halifax Regional is responsible for $152 million of the regional economy every year and 1,252 jobs in our community.”
Support by the chamber board, according to the statement, “Also recognizes that Halifax Regional receives approximately $712,000 each year in state sales tax refunds with respect to approximately $14,425,000 in charity care, uncompensated care, and bad debt that Halifax Regional experiences, every year, by its mission and provision of high quality health care”.
In summation, the statement said, “The Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce supports the continued tax exempt status of Halifax Regional after 105 years of charitable service to its community and asks the NC State Legislature to repeal the cap on sales tax refunds for hospitals and other non-profit organizations enabling them to continue to provide important economic and community benefits.”
Mahone, who is a member of the chamber board, abstained from the vote.
