For the second time, Dayton’s City Council has rejected a proposed property tax for a public hospital. It would have gone onto the Spring 2025 ballot.
Ohio law allows a city to impose up to 1 millage in property tax for a public hospital. In Dayton, this would generate $2 million per year over 10 years. Revenue from the proposed levy would have help fund the construction of a public hospital in west and northwest Dayton, which supporters said would have replaced the closed Good Samaritan Hospital.
"I don't deny that there are health disparities in West Dayton. Unfortunately, this is not how to solve for that. So that's the reason why I won't be able to support it," said Councilman Chris Shaw during the Feb. 5 city council meeting.
In a 3-2 vote, Shaw voted against adding the proposed property tax levy to the ballot this spring. Councilman Matt Joseph and Mayor Jeffrey Mims, Jr. also voted no.
“There is a high cost of ownership for a public hospital of this size."
Council members Darryl Fairchild and Shanese Turner-Sloss abstained.
The three who voted against the measure cited the required number of valid signatures was not submitted. According to Ohio’s charter, the petition must have 1,250 valid signatures from Dayton residents who are also registered voters. The Montgomery County Board of Elections certified only 869 signatures as valid.
The councilmen also pointed to the high cost of building and maintaining a public hospital based on the city’s feasibility assessment.
“There is a high cost of ownership for a public hospital of this size," said Deputy City Manager LaShea Lofton, while overviewing the cost of MetroHealth in Cleveland. "The estimated total cost over 40 years for a new 300 bed facility is $21.5 billion dollars. Which is annualized to $536 million every year.”
Long-time advocate and head of the Clergy Community Coalition Bishop Richard Cox disputed using this example.
"This is not what we envisioned for a public hospital," Cox said. "We never said that we were pattering our request for a public hospital after MetroHealth Cleveland. That fits Cleveland. That would not fit Dayton nor Montgomery County."
Ivy Young is with The West Dayton Hospital Ballot Initiative. He lives off North Main Street and for decades used Good Sam’s services.
Young said the group wants a health facility similar to what Premier has already built in predominately white suburbs.
After Good Samaritan closed, Premier did build a new medical center and an urgent care where Good Sam used to be. It's part of a broader campus with a YMCA and other services.
Five Rivers Health Centers also operates a medical center across from the site.
The group wants an emergency department, an Intensive Care Unit, mental health programs, a diagnostic laboratory, an imaging center, a birthing center and outpatient speciality services.
"You have to get sick in a certain time for urgent care," said Young. "You get sick in a few hours on Saturday and Sunday, you in trouble. So urgent care is not the answer."
Coalition members say they will continue working to bring the measure before Dayton residents for a vote.
Attorney Mike Lodenslager is with the legal aid nonprofit Advocates for Basic Legal Equality and works with the coalition. He stressed a public hospital would provide vital medical care to thousands of low income residents in West and Northwest Dayton.
"I think what needs to be done is to possibly engage the city council in a conversation to find out what can be done," Lodenslager said after the council's decision. "They don't like this plan. My question to them was, what's their solution? Because I'm not hearing a definite solution, But I think there are solutions out there."
The group pointed out the many medical centers in Dayton's predominantly white suburbs similar to what they would like to see serving the area.
Activists also emphasized when compared to the suburbs, infant mortality is greater in west and northwest Dayton. The life expectancy in this community is also lower — 70 years compared to 82 years in the suburbs.
Supporter Charlene Bayless believes it’s because of the disparity of health resources.
"At the recent Martin Luther King honoring banquet at the Dayton Arcade, Mayor Mims spoke, ‘When the suburbs get a cold our people get pneumonia,’" said Bayless. "The destruction of Good Sam was a mistake."
Ebony Hastings lives off Salem Avenue. She says the hospital should also be on a major bus line for easy access.
"We have individuals that don't have transportation. We have individuals that are suffering from mental health. We have homeless individuals we are in dire need. And it's a right to have access to health care," stressed Hastings.
Cox urged the council to meet the citizens group half-way.
"Let's work together and see what we can do to eradicate this health care desert in this community," he pled. "We want to work with you and see that it can be a reality in bringing a public hospital to West Dayton."
Councilman Matt Joseph echoed a consensus by the council to work with the coalition in exploring other options.
"Like my colleagues, I'm more than happy to work in dialogue to try to build on the things we've already built in that community to try to alleviate these difficulties," said Joseph.
Last fall, the city council rejected a similar petition, stopping it from getting onto November’s ballot.
Coalition members say they will continue working to bring the measure before Dayton residents for a vote.
