Petition to to block the sale of the St. Vincent's

News broke recently that St. Vincent's Hospital wasted over $25 million paying the people in charge of bankrupting the 160 year old institution instead of simply running a hospital.

In fact, according to a Crain's New York Business, St. Vincent's paid its representatives $8 million to secure a $7 million loan from the state pre-bankruptcy and then almost immediately filed bankruptcy so it didn't have to pay any of it back.

Recently, the Rudin Organization proposed a plan to turn the hospital campus into luxury condominiums. Only a small portion of one of the eight buildings would include a "stand alone" emergency room - a far cry from the hospital our community needs.  This scheme violates the obligation to continue St. Vincent's charitable mission.  Further, there are serious risks associated with such a facility, which would be the fist of its kind allowed in New York State.

A hospital, properly run, would bring revenues into the state and create thousands of much needed jobs.  Yet despite all this, and our community's clear need of a hospital, the same bankruptcy court that allowed the scandalous payouts to St. Vincent's executives and consultants, has given the Rudin's the green light to proceed.

Thankfully there are mechanisms in place for accountability, and many hurdles yet between The Rudin Organization and their condos. The Coalition for a New Village Hospital will be at every one of these steps, demanding a hospital.

In the next step in this process, the Rudin plan must go before our New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. Luckily, Eric Schneiderman has made very clear that he supports our community's efforts for a hospital. 

But he will not act if we do not ask him to.  Please take a moment and sign this petition calling on our Attorney General to stop this sale and ensure safe and adequate public health for the people of the Lower West Side of Manhattan.

WE THE UNDERSIGNED call upon Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman to use his authority including New York State N-PCL Section 511(a)-(b) and Section 511(a)(4) to block the sale of the former St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center of Manhattan to the Rudin Organization in the absence of the inclusion of a full service hospital with an emergency room in compliance with NY State law and the needs of the lower West Side of Manhattan, and New York State.

In specific, under New York State N-PCL Section 511(a)-(b) St. Vincent's is required to serve you with notice of the sale transaction, and under Section 511(a)(4) must show the disposition of substantially all assets is for consideration that is fair and reasonable and that the sale is in the best interests of the community.

We also believe that this sale does not comply with the provisions of 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code in that this sale and the proposed Rudin plan does not continue the charitable mission of St. Vincent's as it is required to, namely a full service hospital.

Last year, Mr. Schneiderman, you said "The closure of St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center was a tragic blow for Greenwich Village, Chelsea and the entire West Side of Manhattan. Unless a 24-hour acute care hospital with an emergency room opens in this neighborhood, entire communities of New Yorkers will go without the adequate health services they deserve." and "The bottom line is: the west side of Manhattan both deserves and needs an acute care hospital with an emergency room. Anything and everything should be done to make certain that becomes a reality."

This is your opportunity to in fact ensure that reality and fulfill your campaign promise. We call upon you to block this sale pending the inclusion of a full service hospital and compliance with all relevant state and other applicable laws. 

Thank you.
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