> If the health department owns a city centre hospital outright (with no mortgage, and paying no rent) whom do you think is paying the difference?
The tax-payers that invested in real estate in a city centre land x time ago.
The tax-payers that invested in real estate in a city centre land x time ago.
Obviously there's an opportunity cost from not closing the hospital - close the hospital and you could save on the running costs /and/ sell the building! But "Government finances can be improved by cutting public services" isn't a new or surprising idea.