Dear Editor,

My name is Carolyn Price. My husband, Tony, and I have called Fairfield home since 1985 when we moved here with our three little girls. We have been a part of this community and county in many ways, including the school, church, community sports, county Extension office, county fair, city council, Main Street, hospital district, golf club, etc. We are proud of this community and all that it has to offer new residents and businesses that choose to locate here.
One of the most important things available in this area is the medical service. The Clinic, Hospital, Lab, Emergency Room, X-ray and EMS all make up Freestone Medical Center. Each department feeds off of and supports the other. We have wonderful, modernized low-friction wires, medical instruments and facilities. Health care providers at the Medical Center are professional and compassionate, taking care of many of our children, adult and senior needs.
During the past years I have had need for doctor visits and lab tests. I have utilized the radiology department for early detection of breast cancer. I have been treated in the emergency room and admitted to the hospital. The convenience and comfort of having local health care cannot be overstated.
We all pay taxes. We pay our school taxes to help fund the best education and opportunity for our children. We pay our city taxes to assist with funding of our streets, water services, police department and fire department. We pay our county taxes to maintain the surface and safety of our county roads.
And, we pay our hospital district taxes to help provide health services and peace of mind to residents of our community and surrounding area. With the proposed tax increase for the hospital district, our tax rate will still be below the state average.
It would be a shame to lose our readily available medical care because of a few dollars! Just how far will those “few dollars” go toward the cost of your time and travel when you have to go elsewhere for health care needs for yourself or your loved ones?

Carolyn Price
Fairfield, Texas