In California, Proposition 4 seeks to address the importance and benefits of funding children’s hospitals. This measure would be authorizing $1.5 billion in bonds for children’s hospitals, allowing for construction, renovation, and expansion.
Proposition 4 has been pretty transparent with what the money will be used for. Those who have worked on Proposition 4 have made it a priority to inform and educate the public of California on what the money will be used for, and their supporters keep echoing their goal: to keep every child in California healthy.
People who do not support Proposition 4 believe that there should be more focus on general healthcare instead of making children the center of attention. Those against Proposition 4 also believe that granting money to children’s hospitals is not worth it because the bond will have to be repaid in the future.
As someone who has a younger brother who was born with a heart defect and had an open-heart surgery at four months old, I can 100% say that I am in support of this. Because he received specialized children’s healthcare, rather than sending him to a surgeon who performs the same surgery on much older patients, he is thriving today.
Two major groups who are in favor of Proposition 4 include children’s hospitals and the California Teachers Association. Overall, there are eight non-profit California Children’s Hospitals and five University of California Children’s Hospitals. These hospitals have supported the effort by raising money to support the ballot initiative.
If you’ve ever listened to Whitney Houston’s song “Greatest Love of All,” she sings, “I believe the children are our future.” So, why not vote for Prop 4 and give them one?