REDUCTION IN AD VALOREM TAX RATE BY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY

(a) This section applies only to a district created in a county with a population of more than 1.2 million that was not included in the boundaries of a hospital district before September 1, 2003. (b) The commissioners court of the county and the governing body of the municipality with the largest population in the county, in determining the ad valorem tax rate of the county or municipality, as appropriate, for the first year in which the district imposes ad valorem taxes on property in the district, shall: (1) take into account the decrease in the amount the county or municipality will spend for health care purposes in that year because the district is providing health care services previously provided or paid for by the county or municipality; and (2) reduce the ad valorem tax rate adopted for the county or municipality, as appropriate, in accordance with the amount of the decrease. (c) The commissioners court of the county and the governing body of the municipality with the largest population in the county shall retain an independent auditor to verify that the ad valorem tax rate of the county or municipality, as appropriate, has been reduced as required by Subsection (b).