Commissioners cut Tarrant County Hospital District tax rate to 0.165 amid JPS budget dispute

The Tarrant County Commissioners Court voted to lower the Tarrant County Hospital District tax rate for 2025 to $0.165 per $100 of assessed value, a change the court described as a 9.59% cut that will generate less property tax revenue than the previous year.

Judge Tim O'Hare moved the measure; the motion received a second and passed on a 3-1 vote. Several commissioners and members of the public debated whether the reduced rate would leave the John Peter Smith Health Network (JPS) with sufficient net income to fund planned capital projects.

The debate: Commissioners supporting the lower rate said JPS leadership had presented projected budgets and that prior years' revenues had exceeded conservative projections, arguing the hospital system could absorb the lower rate without cutting services. Commissioner Matt Krause and others cited years when JPS reported higher-than-projected net income after rate reductions.

Opponents urged caution. Speakers including public commenters and some commissioners said JPS had told the court it needed about $151,000,000 in net excess income to execute planned projects. Speaker remarks noted the district's budget and capital plan include a $35,000,000 line item to demolish the old hospital building and discussed rising construction costs.

Public comment emphasized risk: "Cutting its budget in these uncertain times is short-sighted and harmful," Dionne Sims told the court, referencing JPS's trauma and safety-net role for frontline responders and uninsured residents.

Outcome and next steps: The court recorded the tax-rate adoption as passing 3 to 1. Commissioners requested improved document delivery from JPS and the county staff said they will draft a resolution in the coming 30 to 60 days setting deadlines for financial document submission and review so the court can examine JPS budgets in advance of votes.