We don’t have to be reminded of the need. We’ve glimpsed the present of T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, and we’ve seen the vision of the future. Children in the Chattanooga metro area would benefit from a more up-to-date health care facility than the one that presently exists on Third Street.
And we’re happy for Erlanger’s fund-raising campaign for that hospital that the city of Chattanooga – at least Mayor Andy Berke, so far – has decided to give the hospital $1 million over the next four years.
The statement from the mayor that it would be given “to honor the victims of the Woodmore bus crash” is also hard to argue with. Who would be against honoring the innocent victims of the November tragedy who lost their life while they were simply riding home from elementary school?
However, we believe the public deserves to have a few more answers about the money, which must be approved yearly by the City Council.
At this point, we know very little.