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East Bay Mayors Press Governor To Save Doctors Medical Center

SAN PABLO (KCBS) — State Senator Loni Hancock authored the legislation for SB-644 to give Doctors Medical Center San Pablo borrowing power and to protect investors who loan the money.

Political pressure is mounting on Governor Jerry Brown to sign the bill, and now mayors from Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, San Pablo and El Cerrito have all sent letters to the governor encouraging him to protect the East Bay hospital for the poor and uninsured.

KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:

The hospital needs as much as $20 million to remain financially solvent through 2012.

The facility has the largest emergency room in the area for this patient population.

Several of those mayors from the affected areas had personal experiences in which the hospital has been instrumental in saving the lives of a neighbor or loved one, according to Hancock.

Doctors Medical Center went into bankruptcy in 2006 and then later came out of it.

"This bill is essential to save the only emergency room serving a very low-income part of Contra Costa County in the East Bay within 24 miles," Hancock said.

Voters will be asked to approve a parcel tax in November that would generate about $5 million annually for the hospital.

Governor Brown has until October 9th to act on Hancock's measure.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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