University Medical Center of El Paso (UMC), the region’s only nonprofit public hospital, will receive additional funding in the coming year after El Paso County Commissioners approved a new property tax rate and budget. The move ensures continued investment in health care access, specialty services, and facilities across the community.
What the New Tax Rate Means for Residents
On August 25, County Commissioners approved a tax rate of 24 cents per $100 of property valuation, which will increase the average hospital district tax bill by about $72. For an average-value El Paso home ($221,726), that means an annual UMC tax of about $534. Property taxes account for roughly 10% of UMC’s $1.9 billion expense budget for the next fiscal year.
This tax rate includes adjustments to begin paying off debt from the $396.6 million bond package approved by voters in November 2024. That bond funds key improvements such as:
- UMC Campus Improvements
One-third of bond funds will be used to enhance UMC’s ability to meet capacity needs and add new technology to imaging and operating room facilities.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center
The first of its kind in the region, UMC will partner in building a comprehensive cancer center that will allow patients to seek treatment closer to home.
- Burn Center Development
El Paso lacks a local burn care program, and patients are often transferred out of the city for specialized care. The bond proposes to increase care capability by adding additional operating rooms, critical care beds, and enhanced burn care units.
- Expansion of Healthcare Access Points
To accommodate the growing population and increasing healthcare demands, the bond would expand access points across the region. This effort is aimed at making preventative and acute care more accessible for patients across the region.
Countywide Impact of the Property Tax Adjustment
Earlier this month, county officials also approved restoring the overall property tax rate to its 2024 level, set at $0.458889 per $100 of property value. Of that total, a $0.013597 increase in the Interest and Sinking portion directly supports repayment of the UMC bond. Commissioners emphasized that these adjustments were necessary to balance county responsibilities—including public safety, mandated services, and health care—amid financial pressures from programs like Operation Lone Star and reductions in federal support.
Looking Ahead
The newly approved tax rate takes effect October 1, 2025, marking the start of UMC’s fiscal year. A final public hearing on the property tax rate is scheduled for September 15, 2025, at the Alicia Chacon County Commissioners Courtroom, where Commissioners are expected to formally adopt the measure.
