El Paso County can not issue $346M in certificates of obligations for hospital district

EL PASO, Texas (CBS4) — The petition submitted last month against the issuance of $345 million in certificates of obligation for El Paso County Hospital District is valid.

"The county commissioners can't move forward to issue those certificates of obligation because of that 5 percent of registered voters in the county have signed on to those petitions," Christina Sanchez, an assistant county attorney, said.

The group who verified signatures completed the verification process on September 29.

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Delia Briones, El Paso County Clerk, reported to county commissioners Monday the minimum threshold was met.

A total of 36,924 signatures were reviewed, stated Briones.

A total of 4,613 signatures were rejected making 32,311 signatures valid.

"The minimum threshold of verified signatures required for the petition to prevent the issuance of a certificate of obligation was meet of 25,164," Briones said. "The petition passed the minimum threshold by 7,147."

El Paso County Commissioners Court no longer have to respond to this agenda item brought forward by the El Paso County Hospital District.

Sanchez said at the meeting that Monday's outcome doesn't automatically order an election.

University Medical Center CEO, Jacob Cintron spoke to the court following Briones' report.

"We will respect that process," Cintron said.

CBS4 asked the El Paso County elections department if UMC could put the item on the November election. Officials said the deadline to add anything to the election has passed.

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