Right now the demand is far exceeding the supply of available physicians and hospital facilities. |
The district started out at a rate of 35 cents 30 years ago, and as evaluations have changed and requirements of the district have changed, we've been able to lower our tax rate, and it's been as low as 13 cents. We're mandated to provide services like a hospital system and also to provide for the care of indigents in the county and we look at what our needs are to cover those. |
There's a true, true problem with affordable housing in this city. I'm one of the only guys around that's creating any supply of affordable new condos, and that's pretty scary. |
This is not the first time it's been lower. We're always glad when we can lower the tax rate. We set the rate to meet the medical needs of Walker County. |
This year we looked at our funds and we didn't need as much as we took in last year with the tax rate. We didn't need that same tax rate, so we reduced it a penny, which is a little bit below what the effective tax rate was. That's the way we always do our budgets. |
We tend to compliment what other medical facilities, what other physicians, and what other hospital companies do in our community. |