DAYTON — The plan to build a new hospital in Dayton is facing a huge road block after organizers failed to get the necessary signatures to put the issue on the fall ballot.
People who support the plan said they are not discouraged. Those supporters went to the steps of city hall and are asking people on Wednesday night to go tell city commissioners they want them to put the issue on the ballot anyway, even though the commissioners do not have the responsibility to support a public hospital in Dayton.
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30, Clery Community Coalition insists it’s badly needed.
“Health care is needed, babies can not be born on the west side of Dayton, we have no emergency services,” said Bishop Richard Cox.
The coaltion believes too many city residents are part of the 26 million Americans that have no health insurance.
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They believe a public hospital would ensure they received care.
“Public hospitals help poor people, indigent people, underserved people, people with insurance, people without insurnace,” Cox said.
The group worked to put a one mill tax levy on the fall ballot that would raise $2 million a year.
News Center 7 btained a letter Dayton Mayor Jeff Mims sent to many community leaders.
He said he had, “Significant concerns about our capacity to build a state-of-the-art quality hospital with just two million a year. It is without question that the city does not have the financial ability to annually subsidize a public hospital without defunding existing programs or services”.
The coalition insisted the made it clear all along that the $2 million is just seed money to attract other stakeholders and investors.
“We want the city to know, it’s not costing you a dime. You ain’t got to reduce no services,” Cox said.
The coalition has been fighting to expand health care in west Dayton since 2017 when Premier closed and demolished Good Samaritan Hospital.
They’re disappointed but not about to give up.
“We definitely have the support of the city on this and I think the City Commission and the Mayor need to know that,” said Nancy Kiehl, Clergy Coalition Board Member.
Coalition members may pack commission chambers Wednesday but they don’t have much leverage to force a vote to be on the ballot after missing the required petititon signatures.
If they fail Wednesday, they told News Center 7 they will definitely move forward and likely try to gather required signatures again next spring.