RICHMOND, TX (Covering Katy News)— When Fort Bend County voters head to the polls on November 5, 2024, they might be asked to decide whether to increase taxes to fund a county-operated hospital district.
The Commissioners Court will discuss and likely vote on placing this issue on the ballot during their August 13 meeting. Per the Texas Secretary of State, the court must call an election by August 19 to include the proposal in the November 2024 ballot, prompting supporters to expedite the process.
County Auditor Ed Sturdivant stated that the Fort Bend County commissioners would determine the tax rate annually. If approved by voters, the hospital district will have a tax rate of $0.0106 per $100 valuation or about $32 for a $300,000 home. This estimate, however, varies significantly compared to what taxpayers in other counties pay for their hospital districts. According to Community Impact, Harris County residents pay $272 yearly, Dallas County residents $539 annually, and El Paso County residents $1,185 per year.
"Many residents struggle to access medical care. Our current funding mechanisms are insufficient to meet the demands of our rapidly growing population," said Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Director Dr. Letosha Gale-Lowe during the August 1 Commissioners Court meeting. "We must act now to ensure residents have access to quality health care regardless of their financial situation."
While the majority Democratic court members seem to favor the proposal, Republicans Andy Meyers and Vincent Morales have reservations.
The plan was first introduced on August 1, and two weeks later, commissioners are being asked to place the issue on the November ballot. Morales feels that timeline is too fast to educate voters on the issue.
"If we're going to do this, we need to examine all aspects to ensure taxpayers truly see value in this," Morales said. "I don't see you being able to market this properly.... between now and the November election."
Despite the proposal's recent introduction to the Commissioners Court, County Judge KP George knew months ago that he wanted the issue on the ballot. He spoke about his desire for a hospital district during a WFFA TV interview seven months ago.
"Fort Bend County does not have a hospital system like Harris or many other counties have," George said. "This is a conversation we are going to have, and obviously we are working on that," he said.
According to Gale-Lowe and Sturdivant, establishing the hospital district will cost $12.5 million. Still, they say it will save $101.5 million annually by reducing expenditures on emergency room visits, mental health crisis management in jails, and other related costs.
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The owner of Covering Katy News, Dennis Spellman, is employed by the Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner's Office.