Local coalition collecting signatures in hopes of building a new public hospital in West Dayton

DAYTON — A local coalition is collecting signatures in hopes of building a new public hospital in west Dayton.

A lot of people became aware of the Clergy Community Coalition when they protested and tried to stop the closing and demolition of Good Samaritan Hospital at Salem and Philadelphia Avenue.

Premier moved forward with their plans, and now the coalition is moving from protesting to planning an alternative, and they’re finding some support.

As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, some Dayton residents are happy about the fact the coalition is now moving forward with a plan to address what they call a healthcare desert.

Carrie Cummings thinks it’s needed in North and West Dayton.

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“Absolutely, there’s nothing over there except for Miami Valley North and that’s still a little bit of ways to go in case there’s an emergency, so Yes we’d love to see it,” Cummings said.

John Musto is the city’s deputy law director. He told News Center 7 that the coalition’s concrete plan is also complicated. The first step is to get 1,250 valid signatures from registered voters in Dayton.

“Then a hearing is set before the commission of the City of Dayton, people can speak for and against, and then the commission has basically 30 days,” Musto said.

Musto said the commission can modify, approve, or reject the proposed tax levy. The coalition believes that the two commercial hospital chains in Dayton, Premier, parent company of Miami Valley Hospital, and Kettering Health Network, have left a void in healthcare for lower-income and uninsured patients.

“Pay a lot of taxes already, I don’t think that would really matter,” Cummings said.

The Clergy Community Coalition is hoping to get the 1,250 valid signatures by the middle of this month, then get commission approval to put the tax levy on the ballot. If they don’t get commission approval, they could still get on the ballot but would have to get another 1,250 new signatures within 20 days of the commission’s decision.

We will continue updating this story.

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