August 13, 2024
Central Health Board of Managers
Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget and Tax Rate
Public Hearing
Wednesday, Aug. 14, 5:30 p.m.
Central Health Administrative Offices
1111 East Cesar Chavez St. • Austin 78702
Central Health, Travis County’s hospital district, will hold a public hearing, as required by Texas law, on Wednesday, August 14 at 5:30 pm on its proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget and tax rate of 10.7969 cents per $100/valuation. That translates into a $66 annual increase for the average homestead (valued at $504,003), and a 6.5% increase in total tax revenue for Central Health, which is less than the 8% allowed by state law without voter approval.
Members of the public may provide testimony at the public hearing in person, or by telephone or video teleconference (Zoom). The links to do so, along with more details about the tax rate proposal, can be found
in the official public notice (https://www.centralhealth.net/notice-of-public-hearing-on-tax-increase-3/) of the hearing at www.centralhealth.net . As always, the meeting will also be live-streamed at Central Health’s YouTube channel. (https://www.youtube.com/@tchealthdistrict)
Next week, on Aug. 21, the Board of Managers is slated to vote on final adoption of the FY 2025 spending plan. From there, the budget goes to the Travis County Commissioners Court, which is currently scheduled to consider Central Health’s plans in mid-September. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
Central Health is growing rapidly to implement its seven-year Healthcare Equity Plan and repair large and longstanding holes in Travis County’s healthcare safety net for people with low income. This week, the first patients are being seen at the transformed Central Health Rosewood-Zaragosa Specialty Clinic in East Austin, a hub for Central Health’s new and rapidly expanding direct specialty care (https://www.centralhealth.net/from-waitlists-to-wellness-how-central-health-is-changing-lives-with-new-specialty-care-services/) ; in fiscal year 2025, Central Health specialists are planning for a nearly ten-fold increase in patient visits throughout its network. Working alongside CommUnityCare Health Centers, the major primary care provider for the Central Health system, and its community insurer Sendero Health Plans, Central Health will invest more than $800 million in direct patient care by fiscal 2030. Much of this initial start-up funding comes from the district’s well-managed cash reserves,
reducing the burden on the taxpayer.
Also this week: The Board of Managers’ Strategic Planning Committee will receive an update on Central Health’s community engagement program for FY 2024 to date, including activities that have helped shape the FY 2025 budget proposal.
Presentations can be found in the Board of Managers section of centralhealth.net. (https://www.centralhealth.net/about-central-health/board-of-managers/)
See the Board of Managers meeting schedule and agendas (https://www.centralhealth.net/about-central-health/board-of-managers/#meetings)