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Rooted in Our Past,
Growing for Our Future

Honoring our heritage. Sustaining our care. Building tomorrow.

Rooted in Our Past,
Growing for Our Future

Honoring our heritage. Sustaining our care. Building tomorrow.

KVH is a Public Hospital District

Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 1 does business as Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH).

As the only hospital serving approximately 48,000 residents in Kittitas County, KVH is essential to the health and strength of our community. Established by local citizens and dedicated to providing care for the community, KVH offers a wide range of essential healthcare services, including emergency care, hospital services, and specialized clinical support tailored to local needs. Unlike corporate healthcare entities, KVH has no shareholders or outside investors—every dollar generated is reinvested back into the community, improving care and expanding services.

Care Funded by Your Levy
Keeping Care Local
The Power Behind the Ballot
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources

KVH is a Public Hospital District

KVH is not just a healthcare provider, it is a vital community resource. As a public hospital district, every dollar invested in KVH directly benefits the residents of Kittitas County. By supporting Proposition 1, you are choosing to keep quality healthcare close to home, ensuring a healthier, stronger future for our community.

What care will my levy dollars fund?

Sustained Labor and Delivery Services for our County

KVH is committed to supporting the health of 22,000 local women, providing around-the-clock labor and delivery services. With an average of one birth per day, our community’s mothers can rely on the comfort of delivering their babies with trusted, familiar doctors. This commitment ensures that our families receive safe, compassionate, and accessible care without the need to travel far from home.

Primary Care to Specialty Care – Ready for Growth

If passed, Proposition 1 would secure primary care services while enabling the expansion of specialized healthcare options unique to our community. This growth not only enhances local healthcare access but also supports the community’s economic strength by driving job creation and retaining local talent.

Creating and Growing Careers Right at Home

Investing in KVH means investing in our healthcare workforce. By providing competitive salaries, we can attract and retain top healthcare professionals, ensuring that our community has access to experienced, skilled providers. We are also committed to staff education and professional development, which enhances the quality of care while fostering stable, long-term careers for healthcare workers in Kittitas County.

By growing and maintaining local careers, we keep talented individuals here at home—preparing for the future of Kittitas County and serving the next generation.

A Lifeline for Central Washington – Keeping Care Local

As rural labor and delivery units close across the country, many communities are becoming maternity care deserts. KVH remains committed to providing 24/7 labor and delivery services—ensuring families in Kittitas County can welcome their babies close to home, with doctors they know and trust. References

Annual Cost and Funding

This chart shows the cost to provide care, the funding gap, and how the levy helps close it.

Rise of Closures

The rise in rural labor and delivery closures highlights the urgent need for stable, locally supported funding.

Public Hospitals Districts Use Levies

Nearly all public hospital districts in Washington rely on a levy. KVH is one of only two that currently do not.

The Power Behind the Ballot

In keeping care local, it is essential that our community feels like they have a relationiship with their healthcare providers…

By supporting KVH, you help keep critical healthcare services local, ensuring a stronger, healthier future for Kittitas County. With no shareholders or outside investors, every dollar stays within the community, reinvested into improving care and expanding services


Frequently Asked Questions

Who is asking for this Levy?

The Commission of Public Hospital District No. 1, Kittitas County, Washington (Kittitas Valley Healthcare) adopted a resolution No. 05-04 concerning the districts regular property tax levy. If approved, this proposition would provide additional operating and capital funds for Kittitas Valley Healthcare to provide hospital and other healthcare services to its residents and other persons served by Kittitas Valley Healthcare. It authorizes a maximum regular property levy rate for collection in 2006 of 75 cents per $1000 of assessed value. The 2026 levy amount will be used for the purpose of computing the limitations for levies in subsequent years.

Why do we need a hospital levy?

There are 58 public healthcare districts in Washington State, 39 of which operate public hospitals.

Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 1, dba Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH), was established by local voters to ensure access to quality healthcare for residents throughout Kittitas County.

As a Public Hospital District (PHD), KVH receives a small portion of its funding, ~$10,000/year, from local property tax levy to support essential hospital operations and services.

While tax support currently makes up a small percentage overall revenue, it plays a critical role in sustaining vital services, maintaining infrastructure, and investing in the equipment and facilities needed to care for our growing community.

What will my levy dollars fund?

If approved, levy dollars will support strategic investments in KVH’s facilities, services, workforce, and technology to preserve and grow access to care in Kittitas County. These include:

Sustained Labor and Delivery Services for our County

  • Caring for 22,000 local women, with an average of one birth per day.
  • KVH maintains 24/7 labor and delivery services there when you need it most.
  • Delivering your baby with a doctor you know!

Primary Care to Specialty Care – Ready for Growth

  • Securing primary care for you and your family.
  • Expanding specialty services unique to our community right at home.
  • Expanding healthcare services strengthens the community’s well-being, local economy, and drives job growth.

Creating and Growing Careers Right at Home

  • Funding helps ensure wages at KVH are aligned with those offered in larger markets (e.g., Seattle, Yakima, Wenatchee), supporting staff recruitment and retention.
  • Investing in staff growth opportunities like education and professional development that improves care.
  • Attracting and retaining skilled staff helps KVH build a stable, strong healthcare workforce for the future of Kittitas County.

By supporting KVH, you help keep critical healthcare services local, ensuring a stronger, healthier future for Kittitas County.

How will the levy benefit the community?

  • We all benefit from having strong, sustainable healthcare services right here at home. In addition, the levy funds enhanced primary care and specialty care services, labor and delivery, and builds careers locally.
  • It ensures access to quality care.
  • It supports families and small businesses.
  • Keeps care close to home.
  • Ensures high quality, stable services into the future.

What are the levy details?

  • The levy rate will be set at 75¢ in 2026 based on the assessed property values. The levy does not expire, but it can only be increased by a maximum 1% per year regardless of property values without going out to district residents for a vote. The levy does not increase with assessed property values.
  • Taxing districts with a population of 10,000 or more may not increase the total levy amount collected from current assessed valuation by more than 1% annually or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. However, if the inflation rate is below 1%, these jurisdictions may adopt resolutions of “substantial need” to increase the levy up to 1 percent. 
  • The 2026 levy amount will be used for the purpose of computing the limitations for the District’s levies in subsequent years. This means that regardless of the increase in property values, the basis for the 2027 total levy amount is the 2026 dollar amount, not the millage rate. The Commissioners, in future years, can request a 1% increase in the levy dollar amount. For example, if the 2026 levy totals $5,000,000, the 2027 levy could be $5,000,000 x 1.01 = $5,050,000.

The levy proposes a total rate of 75¢ per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Based on the average property value of ($400,000), the levy would be an additional 82¢/day ($300/year).
For more detailed information, please refer to the official resolution adopted by the KVH Board of Commissioners. www.co.kittitas.wa.us

Why did KVH just expand if it’s now asking the community for a levy?

Kittitas Valley Healthcare’s recent expansion was a strategic investment to meet today’s patient demand and position our community hospital for tomorrow’s growth. While the project added a vital operating room, advanced imaging, and modernized outpatient space, it did not cover the ongoing costs of recruiting top-quality clinicians, maintaining modern equipment, and keeping care local as medical needs evolve.

How do I find out if I qualify for a tax exemption or deferral?

Senior citizens or persons with disabilities in Kittitas County may qualify for tax exemptions or deferrals. To find out if you qualify, contact the Kittitas County Assessor’s office at 509.962.7502 or visit their website at www.co.kittitas.wa.us/assessor

Scheduled Presentations & Events

Kittitas City Council

July 8, 2025 at 6:00 pm – 9:00 pmcalendar-day

Rotary Club of Upper County

July 9, 2025 at 7:00 am – 8:00 amcalendar-day

Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue

July 10, 2025 at 7:00 pm – 8:00 pmcalendar-day

Kittitas Cafe – Cody Bartels

July 12, 2025 at 5:00 pm – 8:00 pmcalendar-day

Rotary Club of Ellensburg

July 16, 2025 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pmcalendar-day

Farmers Market

July 19, 2025 at 9:00 am – 1:00 pmcalendar-day

Resources

  • Rural Hospital Virtual Tour | WHSA
  • 10 Things to Know About Rural Hospitals
  • Meeting Essential Health Services and Reimagining Obstetrics in a Rural Community
  • What is a Public Hospital District?
  • Presentation: Levy Education

Contact

If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to reach out to us via email at questions@kvhealthcare.org. We’re here to help and provide any additional details you may need.

References

  • Maternity Care Deserts – Washington / March of Dimes (English pdf) (Spanish pdf)
  • Stopping the Loss of Rural Maternity Care / chqpr.org (pdf version)
  • Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) – Rural Health Data

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