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Central Health Connection Leader Dialogue Kickoff
Central Health, in partnership with the Austin Area Research Organization, convened the first of its kind leader dialogue summit on health and healthcare in Central Texas on Friday, Oct. 14.
Notable figures such as State Senator Kirk Watson, Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and William M. Sage, MD, JD, Vice Provost for Health Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, among others all spoke and led interactive discussions on this incredibly important and complex issue.
The focus of this and future dialogue sessions is to engage community leaders to envision what a model healthy Central Texas looks like and how to create it. This process will include the development of priorities and action agendas. The dialogues will be an opportunity to think about how we can further collaborate across the region, leverage community assets and build on current initiatives to maximize health outcomes and other indicators of success embedded in our vision.
Serving as the foundation of this discussion was the recently released white paper entitled Health and Health Care Trends & Innovations in Central Texas, which asks and answers the question: Why care about health and health care in Central Texas?
This white paper provides a snapshot of where Central Texas presently stands on health and health care. To address the health challenges we face in Central Texas, such as high rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, requires all of us to act now. Looking ahead, there is an opportunity-and a responsibility-for everyone to take part in working to improve our region's health.
Public and private organizations in Central Texas are poised to make a greater impact with a coordinated effort focused on health and health care infrastructure development.
The leader dialogue process will culminate with a session in early 2012, focusing on the steps our communities will take together to improve health and healthcare in Central Texas. With leaders across the region, we seek to develop a collaborative vision and action plan to achieve the health and economic outcomes we all desire for Central Texas.
NOTICE OF TAX REVENUE INCREASE
This tax rate will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year's tax rate.
The tax rate will effectively be raised by 6.5 percent and will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately $5.50.
The Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health conducted public hearings on September 1, 2011 and September 7, 2011 on a proposal to increase the total tax revenues of the Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health from properties on the tax roll in the preceding year by 8.5 percent.
The total tax revenue proposed to be raised at last year’s tax rate of $0.0719 for each $100 of taxable value was $68,321,947.
The total tax revenue proposed to be raised this year at the proposed tax rate of $0.0789 for each $100 of taxable value, excluding tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year, is $73,808,614.
The total tax revenue proposed to be raised this year at the proposed tax rate of $0.0789 for each $100 of taxable value, including tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year, is $76,605,490.
The Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health Board of Managers is scheduled to vote on the tax rate that will result in that tax increase at a public meeting to be held on September 14, 2011 at 1111 East Cesar Chavez, Austin, Texas 78702 at 5:30 p.m.
Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Increase
The Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health will hold two public hearings on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 8.5 percent (percentage by which proposed tax rate exceeds lower of rollback tax rate or effective tax calculated under Chapter 26, Tax Code). Your individual tax may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted.
The first public hearing will be held on Thursday, September 1, 2011, 6:00 p.m. at Central Health Administrative Offices, 1111 East Cesar Chavez, Austin, Texas 78702.
The second public hearing will be held on Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 5:30 p.m. at Central Health Administrative Offices, 1111 East Cesar Chavez, Austin, Texas 78702.
The members of the governing body voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase as follows:
FOR: Thomas B. Coopwood, M.D., Chairperson; Rosie Mendoza, C.P.A., Vice-Chairperson; Frank Rodriguez, Treasurer; Brenda Coleman-Beattie, M.A., Secretary; Katrina Daniel, R.N., Board Member; Anthony Haley, J.D., Board Member; Clarke Heidrick, J.D., Board Member; Lynne Hudson, R.N.-C, M.P.H., Board Member; and Rebecca Lightsey, J.D., Board Member
AGAINST: None
PRESENT and not voting: None
ABSENT: None
The average taxable value of a residence homestead in the Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health last year was $217,814 (average taxable value of a residence homestead in the taxing unit for the preceding tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older). Based on last year’s tax rate of $0.0719 (preceding year’s adopted tax rate) per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed last year on the average home was $156.61 (tax on taxable value of a residence homestead in the tax unit for the preceding tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older).
The average taxable value of a residence homestead in the Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health this year is $218,345 (average taxable value of a residence homestead in the tax unit for the current tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older). If the governing body adopts the effective tax rate for this year of $0.0727 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $158.74 (tax on average taxable value of a residence homestead in the tax unit for the current tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of the age or older).
If the governing body adopts the proposed tax rate of $0.0789 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $172.27 (tax on average taxable value of a residence homestead in the tax unit for the current tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older).
Members of the public are encouraged to attend the hearings and express their views.
An advertisement explaining the impact of the tax increase is scheduled to run in the Austin American-Statesman the week of the hearings. The text from that ad is available in this PDF.
If you are with the media and would like to speak with someone at Central Health, please contact:
Christie Garbe
Chief Communications and Planning Officer
512-978-8153
For general questions or additional information about Central Health, please use the form below and someone will respond as quickly as possible.