Some say that you have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how to cut health care taxes while improving quality.

Rocket scientist Jim Grossnickle is stepping up to that task and running to be the next hospital commissioner for King County Public Hospital District No. 1 (Valley Medical Center).

Grossnickle, eye surgeon and businessman Paul Joos and Renton School District Superintendent Mary Alice Heuschel will vie in the Aug. 16 primary election.

“Out of control health care costs are hurting every family,” Grossnickle said. “With Valley’s affiliation with University of Washington, we have a chance to improve local services while controlling Valley’s high administrative costs. To do that you need to elect a strong, independent reformer as your next commissioner.  I am that candidate. I’m independent of the Valley political establishment and have no financial ties to Valley. I will be independent in all of my decisions – my primary allegiance will be to you – the hospital district’s taxpayers and patients.”

Grossnickle pledges to put patient and taxpayer’s interests first.

“Many of you saw the recent KING 5 investigative report on large salaries paid to Valley’s Administrators. Those must be brought under control,” Grossnickle said. “Valley should be famous for its outstanding health care and not for its administrators being the highest paid public employees in Washington. I’ll bring fiscal responsibility to the commission, and I will always remember it is your hard-earned tax dollars that are being spent.

“Most people don’t realize it, but if you live in Valley’s taxing district the property tax you pay” to Valley Medical Center is about the same as you pay to the Port of Seattle, Emergency Medical Services, Flood Control and Ferry Districts combined,” he said. “I know my neighbors are concerned about that return on their taxes, and we need to start electing people who will think for themselves. The era of decisions being made behind closed doors, by insiders and for insiders needs to stop with this election.”

With a PhD in plasma physics from the University of Washington, Grossnickle now works as an engineer at Boeing.

Grossnickle, his wife, and three children are engaged in the community. He is a PTSA volunteer at Hazelwood Elementary and Renton PTSA Council, coaches Newcastle Baseball Club youth teams and is on the Renton School District Budget Committee.

VMC is a public hospital district that includes about 450,000 people including all or most of Renton, Kent and Covington. It also includes portions of Bellevue, Newcastle, Tukwila, Auburn, Black Diamond, Maple Valley and Seatac.

For more information see www.JimGrossnickle.org.