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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > December > 20 > Entry
Editorial: This is no way to land cancer center
Right before the November election, Miami Twp. officials hurriedly announced — to the surprise of a lot of people locally — that a $170 million cancer treatment center was going to be built at the Austin Pike interchange.
That could yet happen. But the township took a bow prematurely.
Optivus Proton Therapy Inc., of California, runs one of six proton therapy centers in the country. The privately owned, for-profit company is eager to expand in Ohio.
Proton therapy targets tumors more intensely and precisely than traditional radiation treatment. It can be especially useful in attacking cancers on the brain, for example, or the spinal cord. Though the therapy doesn’t have the harsh side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, it’s not routinely used because it’s so expensive.
Optivus officials want to locate at the Austin Pike development because of Dayton’s proximity to both Cincinnati and Columbus. They’re seriously looking at building there, but the hurdles are significant.
A developer recently gave up on bringing a proton treatment center to Columbus because capital is so tight. (It also didn’t help that the local hospitals opposed the project.)
Miami Twp. is ecstatic that it has the chance to court Optivus. But it’s gone about the effort all wrong. It has kept its efforts under wraps, saying Optivus has insisted on a confidentiality agreement. But c’mon.
This project is expensive and wildly complicated. If it’s really going to come together, making that happen will require partners beyond the township.
What do you want to bet that Optivus could have been persuaded that it was in the company’s interest to have more people around the table — if Miami Twp. officials were willing to recognize their own need for wider support?
Might the township also be overly concerned about keeping the deal quiet because it wants to be certain that the company locates on the land it owns at Austin Pike?
Meanwhile, there’s this: Miami Twp. Trustee Deborah Preston took a $5,000 campaign contribution from the owner of Optivus, Jon Slater. When questions were raised about why a Californian would be contributing so much to a lowly township trustee, that’s when officials went public with their important news.
Then Ms. Preston gave the money back because, she said, she didn’t want the donation to be a distraction.
Though Mr. Slater and Miami Twp. Administrator Greg Hanahan say otherwise, this deal never would have been announced so early in the process if Ms. Preston had not had to explain the campaign contribution.
The project wasn’t cooked then — and still isn’t.
Developers normally don’t want to go public with their plans until they’ve talked to all the people whose help they’re going to need and until they have their plans in place.
When they’re trying to raise money from investors, it’s bad form to create expectations that you may have to back down from later.
Ms. Preston’s willingness to take such a big donation (and Mr. Slater’s willingness to give it) is another indication that decisions weren’t thought out carefully.
Certainly, after the problem in Columbus, you’d think Optivus would be concerned about Dayton hospitals’ reaction. If they’re hostile — for competitive or other reasons — that can complicate the company’s efforts.
The more people who are consulted early on about the effort, the less chance there is for it to fall off track for the wrong reasons.
Optivus’ initiative here has implications across the state. Mr. Slater wants to raise part of the capital he needs by using Miami Twp.’s bonding authority to sell tax-free bonds. The loans would be backed by levying a tax on the treatment patients receive.
That would assure investors of a revenue stream, provided, of course, the center is able to draw patients from a wide area.
Ohio law allows developers to take this route — effectively imposing a tax on themselves — in cities, but not in townships. Some developers and local governments are lobbying the legislature to give townships the same ability.
Optivus’ Mr. Slater says this financing option would help him get the center built, but he’s committed to going forward even without the assistance.
What’s not to like?
A high-tech cancer treatment center with perhaps several hundred high-paying jobs, drawing patients from hundreds of miles?
A first-class anchor at Austin Pike, just the sort that local officials have hoped to bring to one of the best undeveloped chunks of real estate in Montgomery County?
This would all be great news if Miami Twp. were working with the very people it needs and one of its officials hadn’t tainted the effort by accepting a campaign donation that she should have known would compromise her.
There’s an opportunity here that has potentially positive region-wide implications. But, as a community, we aren’t taking a regional approach to vetting the company or making sure it gets the attention it deserves.
This is not the way to create new jobs.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Editorials, Ellen Belcher, Health Care, Local Business, Montgomery County, Ohio government, Suburban Communities
Comments
By C K
December 20, 2009 1:13 AM | Link to this
And now you see why “regional cooperation” is just hollow terminology and concept. Where have the Montgomery County officials been in playing hardball with the JEDD partners at Austin Road in seeing that true regionalism was in place here? They should have been withholding county tax dollars and project endorsement until regional revenue sharing was in place. The south suburbs consortium gets richer and the rest of the region suffers. The editorial should be taking on the county commissioners and the whole Austin Road consortium, and not just the township and Optivus.
By greene
December 20, 2009 7:04 AM | Link to this
Who wrote this editorial? Where does that person live? Sounds like a ‘regional’ bias to me. ccgreene
By greene
December 20, 2009 7:06 AM | Link to this
Who wrote this editorial? Where does that person live? Sounds like a ‘regional’ bias to me. ccgreene
By greene
December 20, 2009 7:07 AM | Link to this
Who wrote this editorial? Where does that person live? Sounds like a ‘regional’ bias to me. ccgreene
By Thomas
December 20, 2009 7:54 AM | Link to this
This editorial was written by the Dayton daily news as they are very concerned about the Dayton area and entire county! A bit ironic for a newspaper that relocated to Warren county to be questioning don’t you think?
By TomBob
December 20, 2009 10:54 AM | Link to this
Don’t worry, everything will be okay once shamed Chief Deputy Mike Nolan is sworn in as the “NEW” Miami Twp. Trustee, let the fun begin, literally.
By South Dayton Resident
December 20, 2009 12:14 PM | Link to this
If only the DDN did this type of investigative reporting on other local officials and local governments (cities, school districts, and other officials…) I know there are much more shady dealings going on than what is described in this article.
By what??
December 20, 2009 12:43 PM | Link to this
“Developers don’t want to go public”? There were at least half a dozen articles the DDN has published in the last year about potential development deals that haven’t taken place, or were allowed to die without a business obituary. Ellen, You don’t like the fact that you, Martin, the county administrator and commissioners were left out of the loop on this one. There is much about this intersection and the players that might be newsworthy,beside this. One can not blame Miami Twp. officials for holding their cards close to the vest.
By Jim
December 20, 2009 1:36 PM | Link to this
Nice Piece today. Real Journalism like this is what belongs on the front page of the paper, NOT Wizard of Oz Christmas ornaments.
By Jim
December 20, 2009 1:39 PM | Link to this
Nice Piece today. Real Journalism like this is what belongs on the front page of the paper, NOT Wizard of Oz Christmas ornaments.
By Rob
December 21, 2009 8:50 AM | Link to this
Of course, there is no mention that Preston was in fear for her seat when the announcement was made…Remember, there was an election just after the announcement…She had to show some good news if she was going to survive and it was presented as a done deal in this very paper.
By tommyv
December 21, 2009 9:52 AM | Link to this
Ellen: You are the last person on earth to be commenting on the free enterprise system and what you call “creating jobs.” You and Martin are upset because the DDN has become a meaningless component of the process. I believe that each township and each community should doggedly pursue any economic opportunity they wish. After all, these are our and their communities. You just want to see some huge bureaucratic “planning process” that just may involve the DDN. Face it, Ellen, you are irrelevant!
By RAW
December 23, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this
So exactly what is the right way to go about creating jobs? This sounds to me like the township is doing exeactly what it needs to do. They are offering incentives, marketing the property in such a way as to take advantage of the proximity to another major regional market in Cincinnati, as well as courting high tech and service-based industry. These industries usually provide good compensation packages which means better tax revenue for the local government. So why exactly is the author upset? Does it matter who brokers the deal so long as the jobs are created? Montgomery county will benefit in taxes the same as the township. Why the upset? It was never made clear by the article. The campaign contribution is a red herring. Ultimatley it was returned. No harm, no foul in this case. I would bet most residents never heard about the contribution until this article, myself included. Perhaps the upset is centered on the efforts of the Dayton Development Coalition, the DDN has put their full weight behind the DDC. The last thing they want os for it to flounder in the face of better competition, therefore its lack of involvement in this deal has likely ruffed a few local feathers. This type of development does not fit their model because it does not serve WPAFB. Let us be honest, the DDC is placing their eggs fully in that basket, mistakenly, I might add. WPAFB is a significant contributor to recovery, but is only a piece. Companies that are for profit and do not live off of the taxpayers are the real source of recovery. Companies like Optivus that can provide a service or product for sale are going to be the key, and Miami township is sitting on the best opportunity for that kind of develpment in the region.