While national and state elections tend to garner the most attention, it is often the most local that will have the quickest and most dramatic impact on our daily lives.  Public board elections such as those of schools, libraries, water districts and the like can bring real change, for better or worse, to the organizations that they control.  Unfortunately, these elections draw much less attention and voters are left to simply go off of candidate statements in the voter’s guide.

This year voters in Hospital District  No. 1 of King County (Valley Medical Center) are being asked to consider the candidacy of Dr. Paul Joos.  He states in the official voters guide, in bold, that he has no financial conflicts in regard to this position. Dr. Paul Joos is an eye surgeon who does not work for Valley Medical Center. In fact, he competes directly with Valley Medical’s Ophthalmology department with his own surgicenter directly across the street known as Valley Eye and Laser Center. A position on Valley’s board would put Dr. Joos in a position to weaken the hospital’s ophthalmology program. He would also have substantial leverage to pressure staff physicians to refer their patients to his own private practice.  Despite his statement, Dr. Joos would be financially conflicted if elected to the Valley Medical Board.

Perhaps Dr. Joss’s intentions are entirely altruistic. It’s not this writer’s intention to suggest that he would take unfair advantage of his position as a board member but the facts are the facts. Now the voters must decide what is best for their hospital. Buyer Beware.

Joshua Lyons,

Citizens Against the Use of Public Office for Personal and Private Gain

Maple Valley