Voters in the Buda area gave the green light for Emergency Service District 2 (ESD2) to raise its tax rate to $.10, up from the $.03 where it’s been for several years. The ESD 2 Board of Directors said prior to the election that it would not need the full ten cents per $100 home valuation right away.
Chief Clay Huckaby of the Buda Fire Department said the ESD 2 board budgeted for a five-cent tax for at least two years, but asked for the total amount allowed by law. He said it was more economically responsible to hold one election now since each one costs several thousand dollars.
However, he said the plan is to maintain the five cents for as long as possible.
“Our projections are to not raise the taxes unless it becomes absolutely necessary,” he wrote in an email Monday. “Currently the Commissioners of Hays County ESD #2 are confident that we will be able to fully fund EMS services for many years without raising the taxes higher than five cents per $100 valuation.”
What’s the first priorVoters in the Buda area gave the green light for Emergency Service District 2 (ESD2) to raise its tax rate to $.10, up from the $.03 where it’s been for several years. The ESD 2 Board of Directors said prior to the election that it would not need the full ten cents per $100 home valuation right away.
Chief Clay Huckaby of the Buda Fire Department said the ESD 2 board budgeted for a five-cent tax for at least two years, but asked for the total amount allowed by law. He said it was more economically responsible to hold one election now since each one costs several thousand dollars.
However, he said the plan is to maintain the five cents for as long as possible.
“Our projections are to not raise the taxes unless it becomes absolutely necessary,” he wrote in an email Monday. “Currently the Commissioners of Hays County ESD #2 are confident that we will be able to fully fund EMS services for many years without raising the taxes higher than five cents per $100 valuation.”
What’s the first priority?
“The tax increase rate will not go into effect until the 2016 Tax Year,” Huckaby said. “Our ultimate goal is to purchase and staff a 3rd full time EMS unit. We are currently looking at fiscal year 2017-2018 to expand these services.”
Less than 360 voters, put of the 14,701 who are registered voters in ESD2, participated in the election for Proposition 1.
The final outcome was 215 votes for and 145 against.
Huckaby thanked the community for the vote.
“Buda Fire & EMS is honored to have the support of our community. Understanding that raising taxes are never a popular choice, we are pleased that the voters approved the proposition which will allow for us to improve the quality of EMS service that we provide to the Buda area,” he wrote.
$.10 tax increase from $.03
For Against Total
215 145 360
