Broward Health likely to cut property taxes

“We want to cut it as much as we can. But we don’t want to be imprudent today about how far we can go.” Christopher Ure, Broward Health board member

The board of Broward Health voted Thursday to not raise property taxes and signaled that a substantial cut was likely.

The board approved a legal notice that establishes dates for public hearings on property taxes and sets a ceiling on the tax rate that can be established.

But Alan Goldsmith, the system’s chief financial officer, said the upcoming budget was likely to propose a “significant decrease” in taxes below that ceiling, and several board members said they would support such a reduction.

The ceiling on the tax rate approved Thursday calls for a tax of $1.1774 per $1,000 of assessed value. This rate, called the rollback rate, is slightly lower than the current rate but would bring in the same amount of revenue because of the increase in the value of taxable real estate.

Board members, who have been trying to reduce the system’s reliance on property taxes, said there would be a tax cut, with the only question being how much.

“There is cut,” board going to be a member Ray Berry said. “We reduce taxes.”

Goldsmith said the amount of the reduction would be determined as late as possible, once the system had the most complete picture of next year’s likely revenues, are going to an approach favored by board members.

“We want to cut it as much as we can,” board member Christopher Ure said. “But we don’t want to be imprudent today about how far we can go.”

Broward Health, legally known as the North Broward Hospital District, operates five hospitals and various outpatient centers that serve the northern twothirds of Broward County.

For residents of Broward County north of Griffin Road, Broward Health’s tax forms part of the property tax bill, along with taxes by Broward County, cities and the school district.

Public hearings on Broward Health’s property tax rate will take place Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale and Sept. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach.