The West Volusia Hospital Authority unanimously approved a 14.4% decrease in its final tax rate, but the board members still did not finalize a hospital contract.

The WVHA, during a teleconference meeting Thursday night, voted to adopt the final tax rate of $1.50 per $1,000 taxable dollars, which is a 14.4% decrease from the rolled-back tax rate of $1.75. 

Now, instead of collecting just under $20 million, the WVHA will bring in a total of $16.4 million.

The authority’s operating budget for fiscal year 2021 will be $18.4 million because members are taking $2 million out of reserves to fund one-time expenses associated with opening WVHA-owned health clinics — and for the possibility of extra expenses associated with COVID-19.

“We want to be proactive and have money in the budget in case more people apply for the health card for services,” authority member