Finance
The Central Health system strives to provide access to high-quality and affordable health care to the Travis County residents who need it most. The system is reliant on taxpayer funds to achieve this goal, which makes accountability and transparency with the public very important.
The Central Health Finance Department oversees budgeting, financial planning, accounting, and reporting to ensure decision-making is based on responsible use of taxpayer funds. This is part of the Finance Department’s commitment to using resources wisely and maximizing every dollar to support patient care and community health.
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Fiscal Year 2026 approved and Fiscal Year 2027 proposed Budgets and Tax Rates
Tax RateSources Summary – Attachment AUses Summary – Attachment B
FY26 and FY27 Tax Info
FY26 |
FY27 Proposed |
FY27 Proposed |
FY27 Proposed |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Adopted |
NNR |
6% |
8% |
|
Maintenance & Operations (M&O) Rate |
11.3569 |
11.6607 |
12.3603 |
12.5935 |
Debt Service Rate |
0.4454 |
0.926 |
0.926 |
0.926 |
Tax Rate |
11.8023 |
12.5867 |
13.2863 |
13.5195 |
Median Taxable Homestead Value |
$390,086 |
$372,638 |
$372,638 |
$372,638 |
Maintenance & Operations Amount |
$443 |
$435 |
$461 |
$469 |
Debt Service Amount |
$17 |
$35 |
$35 |
$35 |
Total Tax Amount |
$460 |
$470 |
$496 |
$504 |
Annual Increase to the Median Homestead Taxpayer |
$10 |
$36 |
$44 |
|
Homestead Exemption |
65 & Older |
Disability |
||
20% (maximum allowable by state law) |
$197,000 |
$197,000 |
FY 2027 Proposed Budget and Uses Summary – Attachment A
DESCRIPTION |
FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET 6% 9/2/26 |
FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET 6% + Reductions 9/2/26 |
Staff Recommended Reductions |
FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET NNR 8/12/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TAX RATE |
.132863 |
.132863 |
.125867 |
|
FTEs |
1197 |
1197 |
– |
1128 |
Beginning Balance (Contingency Reserve) |
437,446,142 |
437,446,142 |
– |
437,446,142 |
UNRESTRICTED REVENUE |
||||
Property Taxes |
420,020,251 |
420,020,251 |
– |
397,903,773 |
Lease Revenue |
10,999,906 |
10,999,906 |
– |
10,999,906 |
Tobacco Litigation Settlement |
7,000,000 |
7,000,000 |
– |
7,000,000 |
Patient Revenue |
3,000,000 |
3,000,000 |
– |
3,000,000 |
Other |
26,640,000 |
26,640,000 |
– |
26,640,000 |
Other Financing Sources |
91,000,000 |
91,000,000 |
– |
91,000,000 |
TOTAL UNRESTRICTED REVENUE |
568,660,157 |
568,660,157 |
– |
568,660,157 |
RESTRICTED REVENUE |
||||
Available Restricted Funds |
734,581 |
734,581 |
– |
734,581 |
TOTAL ALL REVENUE |
559,394,738 |
559,394,738 |
– |
537,278,260 |
Available Resources |
996,840,880 |
996,840,880 |
– |
974,724,402 |
UNRESTRICTED EXPENSE |
||||
Healthcare Delivery |
538,187,422 |
532,765,748 |
(5,421,674) |
499,894,216 |
Administration |
45,904,062 |
43,981,352 |
(1,922,710) |
39,817,049 |
UT Affiliation Agreement |
35,000,000 |
35,000,000 |
– |
35,000,000 |
Other Financing Uses |
13,902,218 |
13,902,218 |
– |
7,549,578 |
TOTAL UNRESTRICTED EXPENSES |
632,993,702 |
625,649,318 |
(7,344,384) |
582,260,843 |
RESTRICTED EXPENSE |
||||
All Restricted Expenses |
734,581 |
734,581 |
– |
734,581 |
TOTAL ALL EXPENSES |
633,728,283 |
626,383,899 |
(7,344,384) |
582,995,424 |
Appropriated Contingency Reserve Budget |
363,112,597 |
370,456,981 |
7,344,384 |
391,728,978 |
Ending Contingency Reserve Balance |
– |
– |
||
TOTAL USES WITH ENDING BALANCE |
996,840,880 |
996,840,880 |
– |
974,724,402 |
NEW MENTAL HEALTH DESIGNATED RESERVE |
||||
Psychiatric Inpatient Beds & Emergency Department |
25,100,000 |
25,100,000 |
– |
– |
Mental Health Crisis Center |
11,000,000 |
11,000,000 |
– |
– |
New Mental Health Services |
4,500,000 |
4,500,000 |
– |
– |
Total Designated Reserve |
40,600,000 |
40,600,000 |
– |
– |
RESERVES Balances |
||||
Public Health Center Reserve |
12,000,000 |
12,000,000 |
– |
12,000,000 |
Emergency Reserves |
81,154,650 |
81,154,650 |
– |
74,801,810 |
Contingency Reserves |
322,512,597 |
329,856,981 |
7,344,384 |
391,728,978 |
FY 2026 Approved Budget and FY 2027 Proposed Budget Sources and Uses Summary – Attachment B
DESCRIPTION |
FY 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET 6% 9/2/26 |
FY 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET 6% + Reductions 9/2/26 |
Staff Recommended Reductions |
FY 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET NNR 9/2/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
HEALTH CARE DELIVERY |
||||
Network Health Care Services |
||||
Primary Care: Medical, Dental, & Behavioral Health |
125,128,410 |
124,628,410 |
(500,000) |
113,528,410 |
Specialty Care: including Specialty Dental |
36,857,000 |
35,857,000 |
(1,000,000) |
34,657,000 |
Behavioral Health |
42,671,750 |
42,671,750 |
– |
41,471,750 |
Post Acute Care |
12,485,000 |
10,985,000 |
(1,500,000) |
9,685,000 |
Pharmacy |
21,268,000 |
21,268,000 |
– |
21,268,000 |
Community Health Care Initiatives Fund |
1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
– |
1,000,000 |
Purchased Health Care Services |
239,410,160 |
236,410,160 |
(3,000,000) |
221,610,160 |
Direct Health Care Services |
||||
Therapy and Counseling |
2,479,527 |
2,479,527 |
– |
2,354,032 |
Psychiatry & Addiction Care |
4,112,166 |
4,112,166 |
– |
2,537,786 |
Cardiology |
3,158,187 |
3,158,187 |
– |
3,158,187 |
Endocrinology |
1,228,845 |
1,228,845 |
– |
1,173,122 |
Gastroenterology |
5,245,100 |
5,245,100 |
– |
5,044,845 |
Nephrology |
1,917,511 |
1,917,511 |
– |
1,917,511 |
Neurology |
1,235,174 |
1,235,174 |
– |
1,235,174 |
Podiatry |
3,296,207 |
3,296,207 |
– |
3,296,207 |
Pulmonology |
1,123,647 |
1,123,647 |
– |
1,123,647 |
Rheumatology |
1,451,215 |
1,451,215 |
– |
1,185,528 |
Palliative Care |
899,732 |
899,732 |
– |
900,169 |
Pharmacy |
1,783,337 |
1,783,337 |
– |
1,783,337 |
Physical Medicine & Rehab |
1,375,320 |
1,375,320 |
– |
1,375,320 |
Transitions of Care |
15,155,152 |
14,455,152 |
(700,000) |
9,565,888 |
Medical Respite |
13,397,921 |
13,397,921 |
– |
12,108,633 |
Diagnostics and Other services |
13,621,843 |
13,121,839 |
(500,000) |
12,479,058 |
Patient Navigation |
9,006,055 |
9,006,055 |
– |
8,644,418 |
Clinical Support |
15,624,926 |
15,624,926 |
– |
15,497,552 |
Direct Health Care Services Total |
96,111,865 |
94,911,861 |
(1,200,004) |
85,380,414 |
Total Health Care Services |
335,522,025 |
331,322,021 |
(4,200,004) |
306,990,574 |
Health Care Operations & Support |
||||
Salary and Benefits |
47,986,591 |
47,986,591 |
– |
42,698,127 |
ACA Healthcare Premium Assistance Programs |
19,452,516 |
19,452,516 |
– |
15,552,516 |
Consulting |
1,841,000 |
1,218,000 |
(623,000) |
1,841,000 |
Purchased Services |
6,536,328 |
6,286,328 |
(250,000) |
6,536,328 |
Outreach and Education |
4,614,992 |
4,288,992 |
(326,000) |
4,068,592 |
Health & Wellness Services |
713,000 |
713,000 |
– |
713,000 |
Information Technology & Services |
18,918,250 |
18,895,580 |
(22,670) |
18,895,580 |
Leases, Utilities, Security, and Maintenance |
15,815,131 |
15,815,131 |
– |
15,815,131 |
Travel, training, and professional development |
1,096,204 |
1,096,204 |
– |
1,091,984 |
Other operating expenses |
970,829 |
970,829 |
– |
970,829 |
Debt service – principal retirement |
11,240,000 |
11,240,000 |
– |
11,240,000 |
Debt service – interest |
18,480,556 |
18,480,556 |
– |
18,480,556 |
Transfer to Sendero Risk-Based Capital |
55,000,000 |
55,000,000 |
– |
55,000,000 |
Total Healthcare Operations & Support |
202,665,397 |
201,443,727 |
(1,221,670) |
192,903,642 |
Total Healthcare Delivery |
538,187,422 |
532,765,748 |
(541,674) |
499,894,216 |
ADMINISTRATION |
||||
Salary and Benefits |
27,283,249 |
27,230,999 |
(52,250) |
24,541,722 |
Legal |
5,026,500 |
4,899,500 |
(127,000) |
4,616,500 |
Consulting |
3,817,285 |
2,905,075 |
(912,210) |
2,098,075 |
Purchased Services |
982,324 |
961,824 |
(20,500) |
961,824 |
Outreach and Education |
200,815 |
199,815 |
(1,000) |
199,815 |
Information Technology & Services |
2,234,913 |
1,795,913 |
(439,000) |
1,730,888 |
Leases, Utilities, Security, and Maintenance |
390,531 |
390,531 |
– |
390,531 |
Travel, training and professional development |
1,546,438 |
1,193,163 |
(353,275) |
1,193,163 |
Other operating expenses |
1,018,838 |
1,001,363 |
(17,475) |
681,363 |
Appraisal District Svcs |
2,130,984 |
2,130,984 |
– |
2,130,984 |
Tax Collection Expense |
1,272,185 |
1,272,185 |
– |
1,272,185 |
Total Administration |
45,904,060 |
43,981,352 |
(1,922,710) |
39,817,049 |
UT Affiliation Agreement |
35,000,000 |
35,000,000 |
35,000,000 |
35,000,000 |
OTHER FINANCING USES |
||||
Transfer to capital projects |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Transfer to Public Health Center Reserve |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Transfer to emergency reserve |
12,989,418 |
12,989,418 |
– |
6,636,778 |
Transfer to Foundation |
912,800 |
912,800 |
– |
912,800 |
TOTAL UNRESTRICTED EXPENSES |
632,993,702 |
625,649,318 |
(7,344,384) |
582,260,843 |
RESTRICTED USES |
||||
All Restricted Expenses |
734,581 |
734,581 |
– |
734,581 |
TOTAL ALL EXPENSES |
633,728,283 |
626,383,899 |
(7,344,384) |
582,995,424 |
RESERVES |
||||
Contingency Reserves |
363,112,597 |
370,456,981 |
7,344,384 |
391,728,978 |
TOTAL EXPENSES |
996,840,880 |
996,840,880 |
– |
974,724,402 |
In accordance with the settlement agreement and Senate Bill 1827, 87h Texas Legislature, uses are restricted to projects to remediate the opioid crisis.
Departmental information
Purchasing
Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health (“Central Health”) contracts and purchases goods and services that are necessary to provide for the health care needs of those we serve.
To become a vendor to Central Health, visit our Purchasing page, then register with BidNet Direct at no charge to be electronically notified of potential procurements and to submit proposals in response to requests.
Meet our Chief Financial Officer: Jeff Knodel
Jeff Knodel serves as the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Central Health. Jeff originally came to Central Health as the Regional Healthcare Partnership Director, directing the role of Central Health as the anchor entity for Regional Healthcare Partnership 7 of the 1115 Medicaid Waiver in Texas.
