A community group is turning in signatures today, aiming to add a measure to the ballot this November, with the goal of building a new public hospital in West Dayton.
The Clergy Community Coalition is leading the signature collection and previously advocated against the closing of Good Samaritan Hospital.
They’re plugging into a part of the Ohio Revised Code that allows cities to create a public hospital through a tax levy.
Though some members of the community, including the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, don't think this is a realistic goal.
Bishop Richard Cox, president of the group said they are turning in signatures from Dayton voters to put a one (1) mil property tax on the Nov. 5 ballot, to help fund the creation of a public hospital.
"A public hospital is a hospital designed for people who are poor, people who are underserved, people who are indigent," Cox said.
Sarah Hackenbracht, the president and CEO of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, said land acquisition along with construction and facility costs require deep pockets. And projects often incur delays and extra costs, she said.
"I think it would be very difficult to construct a new hospital in the current economic climate," she said.
The coalition wants the hospital to provide emergency care, mental health programs, labs and a birthing center. Cox says they’re modeling their effort on MetroHealth in Cleveland.
"MetroHealth in Cleveland has been around about 200 years now. They survived not being taken over. And it's one of the largest health networks in the city of Cleveland," he said.
The coalition’s proposed levy would generate a little more than $2 million dollars annually, costing the owners of a $100,000 home about $35 a year.
But, Hackenbracht said $2 million a year won’t be enough money.
"MetroHealth, an entity has a $1.9 billion operating budget. They have a tax levy for health and human services in Cuyahoga County, and $32.4 million of that tax levy supports Metro Health's operations every single year," she said.
On Thursday, July 18, the group is presenting at least 1,250 signatures from Dayton voters to the city clerk. That person will work with the Montgomery County Board of Elections to verify the signatures. If they’re good, the group will defend their proposal in-person before the entire city commission.
Cox argues a public hospital will benefit everyone.
"This would be a win-win situation for the city of Dayton and for the residents of Dayton," he said.
But Hackenbracht said the success of a public hospital is also linked to how well the community can pay for these services.
"What we see in this community is that Medicare and Medicaid do not fully cover the cost of operating and providing services. And so the shift of those costs to individuals who have private insurance," she said. "But if we don't have a good balance of individuals who receive insurance from Medicare, who receive coverage and insurance from Medicaid, and who have private insurance, then you're going to be operating at a loss every single year."
Dayton’s city commission has 30 days to decide the fate of the coalition’s proposal; if approved, it will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot. Only Dayton residents would vote on it. If rejected, the coalition has 20 days to collect 1,250 new signatures from registered Dayton voters. If the county board of elections validates them, then the levy lands on the November ballot.
