last couple of speakers to help us understand this, the first is alan schafer from the center of policy analysis. i'm going to ask her to limit her remarks to no more than five minutes if possible. >> i am the co-director of the equal health network, a project of the center for policy -- center for policy analysis. i appreciate the chance to explain consolidation and competition in the next five minutes, so i will do my best. i want to say a couple of things. the proposed expansion would drive up the cost of health care and divert services away from the health-care needs of san franciscans. i want to say the consolidation will certainly concentrate bargaining power in the hands of mega hospitals. but it's also important to recognize the value of having capacity south of market and making sure at this time of transition that we don't make big decisions that will limit our future options. i am speaking at the invitation of the california nurses association, and i am making my way remarks in concert -- a more balanced division of beds would not only address many of the serious environmenta