Three Travis County taxpayers filed suit against Central Health in 2017, claiming that the health care district did not have authority to transfer $35 million a year to the University of Texas’ Dell Medical School for education, research and administration. Attorneys for the three taxpayers will be in court today, along with the attorneys for Central Health and CEO Patrick Lee. Central Health’s attorneys will argue that the plaintiffs do not have standing to file the suit and that as a governmental entity, Central Health is immune from such claims. Plaintiffs’ major contention is that the $35 million in taxpayer money transferred to the medical school each year should be spent on health care for low-income people. The suit was filed on behalf of Rebecca Birch, Richard Franklin III and Esther Govea. The original lead counsel on the suit was Phil Durst, a well-known attorney who died in 2019. Attorney and activist Fred Lewis and Manuel Quinto-Pozos are representing the plaintiffs, and Beverly Reeves, Sinead O’Carroll, Daniel Richards and Clark Richards are representing Central Health. The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the new Travis County Civil and Family Courthouse, 1700 Lavaca St., in the 201st District Court courtroom.
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor. More by Jo Clifton