DAYTON — The effort to put a tax initiative for a public hospital on the ballot has hit a roadblock.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, the Clergy Community Coalition has been working to develop a new public hospital since Premier Health announced that the Good Samaritan Hospital would close.
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However, the City of Dayton said the group failed to include required financial disclosure documents with their application.
The hurdle is creating frustration for everyone involved.
After three tries, the coalition did reach its required number of signatures to earn the public hearing.
“You are opting to shut the whole thing down,” Clergy Community Coalition member Nancy Kiehl said.
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This member of the coalition became so upset at the commission’s position, she refused to sit down after her 3 minutes of speaking time were up.
Her microphone was eventually shut off and a Dayton police officer had to escort her back to her seat.
“Have some compassion, have some love, have a conscience, think about the people that don’t have adequate health care,” Bishop Richard Cox said.
He told commissioners that the coalition believes city residents should have the right to decide whether they want to invest in a public hospital.
“There are opportunities for us to balance the playing field in that, but it’s going to take compassion, it’s going to take empathy,” Cox said.
City representatives also spoke at the public hearing, but they had a much different view.
They believe a 10-year tax, if approved, would raise about $2 million a year and would fall very short of funding a hospital.
“New construction costs are estimated at $460 million,” Assistant Dayton City Manager Joe Parlette said.
Parlette shared financial estimates from a study the city asked a local engineering firm to complete.
“Building a new hospital with public funds and management is inefficient and ineffective,” Parlette said.
City commissioners tabled this item and are waiting for an opinion from the city law department on the dispute over financial forms.
Once the law department gives them a recommendation, they will vote on whether or not the item should be on the ballot.
Even if the commissioners vote against the item, the coalition has the option to gather enough signatures to force it onto the ballot.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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