By the Austin Chronicle

While this five-cent hike (to 12.9 cents per $100 valuation) is hefty on a percentage basis, it would put Central Health on a more sufficient financial footing and represents Austin and Travis County’s best current chance for a greatly improved health care infrastructure: medical school, teaching hospital, and a range of new clinics and services funded by both local taxpayers and potential federal Medicaid matching funds ($1.46 to every $1). State support for health care, especially for those Austinites who most need access to health care, is not forthcoming in the near future – indeed, more cuts are the orders of the day – and we must rely on ourselves to attempt to fill the gap. This self-assessment is an important and timely step in that direction, and we urge voters to support it.