EvergreenHealth Monroe seeks $382 million bond for new hospital

EvergreenHealth Monroe is asking voters to approve a bond for a replacement hospital estimated at $382 million. The proposed tax rate is 43.7 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. For a home assessed at $745,000, that amounts to approximately $27 per month in the first year. Collection on the bond would begin in 2028.

The hospital district currently operates as the only full-service facility between Wenatchee and Everett. It provides 24/7 emergency and inpatient care, Level IV trauma services, surgery, imaging, and lab work. The Emergency Department contains 14 treatment rooms and treats an average of 60 to 80 patients daily. Patient volume within the district has increased from 30,000 in 2022 to 45,000 in 2025.

Lisa LaPlante, the chief administrative officer for Snohomish County Public Hospital District No. 1, stated that the board considered three options: renovate, expand, or replace. The current campus has undergone eight major additions. Many patient rooms were built to older standards, and key building systems have run for decades. The site is bordered by railroad tracks and neighboring property, which limits expansion potential.

The new hospital would be built on the parking area next to the current building. It would feature 48 inpatient beds, compared to the current 26. The Emergency Department would expand to 22 rooms, including behavioral health spaces. Surgical capacity would more than double. The existing hospital and Emergency Department would remain open during construction without service interruptions.

LaPlante noted that the district’s operating revenue covers patient care, daily operations, and planned investments of more than $65 million for upkeep and growth. A replacement hospital exceeds what annual budgets or short-term loans can support. The district’s financial analysis identified voter-approved bonds as the least expensive payment method. Every bond dollar must go toward building the replacement hospital, and the district cannot borrow more than voters approve.

The measure returned to the ballot after an August vote where it received 24% of the turnout. That result fell short of the 60% supermajority required for passage. The November measure is unchanged from the August version, maintaining the same amount and purpose. Voters must drop off their ballots before 8 p.m. on November 3.