Broward County hospital districts cutting taxes

Property owners in Broward County are in for a surprise when they get their tax bills this fall. The county’s two hospital districts are cutting taxes.

The North Broward Hospital District operates the Broward Health brand. It operates public hospitals in the northern two- thirds of the county, including Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.

Meeting thisweek, the district’s commissioners voted to impose a tax of $ 1.76 for every $ 1,000 of property value. That works out to $ 263 for the owner of a home valued at $ 200,000 with a $ 50,000 homestead exemption.

The district’s tax rate this year is $ 1.86. The lower tax rate and higher property values combine to give it total tax revenue of $ 146.5 million in the new fiscal year, said district spokeswoman Trish Power. That represents a decrease of 2.2 percent.

The South Broward Hospital District, which uses the Memorial Healthcare System brand, serves the southern third of the county. Its flagship is Memorial Regional Hospital inHollywood. Commissioners voted thisweek to set a tax rate of 40 cents for every $ 1,000 of property value.

The South Broward district’s tax rate works out to $ 60 for the owner of a home valued at$ 200,000 who has a $ 50,000 homestead exemption.

The district’s previous rate was 60 cents. The lower tax rate combined with higher property values will give it total tax revenue of $ 15.5 million, said Kerting Baldwin, the director of corporate communications. That represents a decrease of 34 percent.

Every Broward property owner pays taxes to support one of the two districts, which operate dozens of health facilities. The governing boards are appointed by the governor.