VERO BEACH — The Indian River County Hospital District board voted to trim its property tax rate slightly, dropping it from a proposed 76.5 cents per $1,000 of taxable value to 74.5 cents, even as overall home values continue to climb and push bills higher for many residents.
The decision was made during the district’s final budget hearing on September 18, as the move follows a narrow 4-3 vote the previous day at a chairman’s roundtable meeting. Trustees opted against several new spending proposals.
Despite the rate cut, the approved budget calls for $23.7 million in tax revenue and $25.37 million in operating expenses — a 17% jump from the prior year’s $21.7 million budget. Officials plan to cover the gap with investment interest and by dipping into reserves for key priorities, including $2 million set aside for sustaining maternity services at a local hospital.
Board Chairman Dr. Bill Cooney, who had pushed for maintaining the higher rate, argued that the district’s mission requires investment in services for the uninsured and low-income residents. Cooney said the district does not best serve the community by holding property taxes to the lowest possible level, but rather fulfills its mission by investing in an innovative and integrated healthcare network that delivers essential services.
Trustees rejected 11 new grant requests and shelved $350,000 in proposed internal initiatives. They also scaled back funding for some existing programs, such as phasing out support for the Meals on Wheels program, run by the Senior Resource Association, over a three-year period. That organization, led by Trustee Karen Deigl, had sought $1.4 million but will receive $982,000.
The rate reduction means the district won’t add more than $1 million to reserves for flexible spending outside regular cycles, but officials say reserves remain solid. Rising property valuations across the county are expected to offset the lower rate for the district’s coffers, though individual taxpayers may see modest increases on their bills.
The seven-member board oversees funding for indigent care and community health programs in Indian River County. The district’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
