BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Bell County voters will decide in November whether to create a hospital district, which could add a new taxing entity for property owners in the county.
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A hospital district proposal is heading to the November ballot after passing in Commissioners Court with 100 signatures. If voters approve it, the district could levy a new property tax of up to 75 cents per $100 valuation — which would make it the highest taxing entity in Bell County.
A hospital district creates hospital systems to provide hospital and medical care facilities through a taxing authority. However, County Judge David Blackburn cautioned that approving a hospital district does not mean the county would get a county hospital.
"I would just urge them to get educated on what a hospital district might be able to do, which is assess taxes, can issue debt and certainly provide services, healthcare services. But again, get educated on what hospital districts are and how they operate." Blackburn said.
Commissioner Louie Minor, who brought the hospital district idea to Commissioners Court, said it could benefit residents who use the Temple and Killeen Community Health Clinic and help bring in federal money, Through Local Provider Participation Funds, or LPPF, to offset uncompensated care.
Minor also pointed out that Bell County residents are already being taxed for indigent healthcare, through the county budget, and the district would not be in competition with local healthcare providers.
"You are already getting taxed for this. Bell County, uh, we're required by law. We put 8% of the total county budget to indigent healthcare. A lot of that money goes to our jail. Everyone in Bell County jail is, uh, indigent by, by, uh, definition." Minor said. "The county tax rate can not keep up with the need...there's just no way with the all the needs and demand of the county that we can keep up with the need, so offsetting this, creating its own taxing entity will allow it to draw down its own federal money and have a dedicated fund for indigent health care."
Not everyone sees the need for a new taxing entity. Harker Heights resident Levi Mitchell, who closely follows local government, said the county already has medical services and an indigent healthcare program in place.
"We're not lacking in hospital services or even necessarily in primary care services. We already have an indigent healthcare program that has its funding mechanisms. I don't think it's really at the top of our priority needs." Mitchell said.
Mitchell said the timing concerns him given the financial pressures many residents are already facing.
"The vast majority of Bell County residents do not want new taxes, increased cost of living, and particularly increased additional property taxes when people are already drowning in cost of living problems." Mitchell said.
There are currently 254 Texas counties that have hospital districts.
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