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John Kromko sees a sweetheart deal for University Physicians Healthcare in the proposed bonds for psychiatric facilities on the Kino Hospital campus.

At a debate Thursday hosted by the Council of Senior Citizen Organizations, Kromko urged people to vote no on questions three and four, even though he agrees those with mental illness need more services.

The $54 million bond package on Tuesday's ballot calls for an $18 million psychiatric urgent-care center and $36 million to go toward an 80- to 100-bed psychiatric inpatient facility. Another $12 million, from a 2004 bond package, also would be used for the inpatient hospital.

The Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, the region's behavioral-health authority, would run the urgent-care center, while UPH, which took over operation of the hospital from the county in 2004, would run the inpatient facility.

Larry Hecker, arguing for the plan, said it would reduce wait times at area emergency rooms and help people who now go to jail get the treatment they need.

He told about his neighbor, who waited nine hours and went home without seeing a doctor after going to the ER with heart problems. He watched people escorted by police officers go ahead of him.

Kromko said we should build the hospital but not assume it should be built at Kino.

"All I want is for the county to bid it out," Kromko said.

County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry says the management of the facilities will be bid out, but he doubts that will change the provider.

"They are providing mental- health services today, and it is more than likely they will continue to do so," he said.

Huckelberry said UPH was the only bidder when the hospital was privatized.

Kromko asked why taxpayers were being asked for more after approving $12 million for expanded psychiatric facilities just two years ago.

That money was to have added a second story to an existing psychiatric ward that housed patients two to a room. UPH administrators have said they don't want to just expand facilities they don't think are ideal.

In a master plan prepared with the county after UPH took over, they conceived the new facility, which would have more beds and allow patients to have their own rooms, reducing behavioral problems.

Huckelberry said a study showed the facility envisioned in 2004 would have had to be replaced within a few years.

"This is astounding — $12 million for a hospital that would have to be torn down," Kromko said. "Someone should get fired. I want to know why you couldn't see two years ahead of time."

Kromko's arguments brought some gasps from the audience, but many said they would support the facilities.

"Having had experience with mental illness in my own family, we definitely need this," said Susie Hatton.