Worth Repeating

By Colleen Anagnostakis
October 19. 2014 4:00PM

My View: Don't mask the truth behind Valley View sale

The Buddha once said, "Three things cannot be long hidden: The sun, the moon, and the truth." The saga of our county nursing home, the Valley View for Nursing Care and Rehabilitation, proves this statement correct. Finally, citizens of Orange County can see the truth.
During the last decade, many in elected office turned a blind eye to, or even facilitated, the purposeful mismanagement of the facility, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in increased taxpayer costs. Scheme after scheme was constantly pushed to dispose the facility. Those tactics were often deceptive, untruthful, and sometimes illegal. Anything to get rid of Valley View!
A courageous few fought for the truth. They fought to stop corruption and mismanagement. They helped implement changes - with my husband, Legislator Mike Anagnostakis, I'm proud to say, leading the effort - reducing costs by about $10 million yearly.
Now that the facility costs little to keep, the story has changed: Valley View is now a county jewel that profiteers want to acquire and give us $30 million for. Seems the county needs money because other spending, and departmental costs, are so high.
Why not cut spending? No, the answer is always to sell Valley View, but keep spending on golf courses, a county airport, and of course a brand new county government center! And, now you hear an added justification. According to them, the care is better at private facilities anyway.
If privatizing things is so positive, I wonder why some states, including New York, enacted laws banning privatizing corrections facilities. That bill stated, among other things, that lower staff salaries and staff levels at private facilities may lead to lower levels of inmate care. Studies of private facilities in other states found these concerns are valid. So, even though counties in other states are selling jails for $50 million, $60 million, or even as high as $80 million, we in New York value prisoner care above cold hard cash.
Yet, for our senior citizens it's just the opposite. In our state, about 10 years ago, a few high-powered individuals got the idea they could profit by selling county nursing homes. Their latest scheme: care is better at the privates. Pay people less, have less staff and high staff turnover, and get better care - now that's an amazing formula. Talk to thousands of people in Orange County, like my husband and I have, who had friends or relatives in the county home. They only have praise for Valley View.
So, if those looking to privatize now insist on telling us care in Valley View is sub-standard, while care in the privates is superior, well, they may be laughed out of the county. Ultimately, they may yet dispose of Valley View - getting a large lump sum to spend on other departments and pet projects.
But, do me a favor: If you want to balance your spending problems on the backs of seniors, by selling their county service, at least have the decency to tell them the truth.
Colleen Anagnostakis is the wife of Orange County Legislator Mike Anagnostakis and resides in Newburgh.