Bexar County commissioners this week heard a presentation about next year’s University Health System budget that leaves its property tax rate unchanged.
The annual budget for the county’s system of public hospitals and clinics has weighed in around $3 billion, about the same as the county’s entire total budget.
Commissioners will likely formally adopt a property tax rate of little more than 27 cents per $100 valuation.
UH President and CEO Ed Banos briefed commissioners on the budget and said new county hospitals near Retama Park, on the Northeast Side, and Palo Alto College, on the South Side, remain on schedule to open in 2027.
“Other than the rain we’ve had, we are on time,” he said.
The head of UH said there are financial challenges this year for the public hospital system. Medicare changes, staffing and supply costs, and repairs to aging infrastructure will cost the system $150 million in the coming year.
Hospital district property taxpayers will benefit from homestead tax exemptions this coming year.
“With the 20% homestead tax exemption in place this year, that will save $68 million in taxes for the taxpayers, about $172 per average home,” said Reed Hurley, the chief financial officer of UH, told commissioners. “We also have the over 65 homestead exemption in place, still at $30,000. That’s about a $12 million total savings for the taxpayer, or about $83 per year for the average home.”
Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the hospital district tax rate following a public hearing at their Sept. 10 meeting at the county courthouse.
