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Firefighters ask voters to approve new sales tax
The Georgetown Fire Department said it's concerned about not being able to respond to emergencies fast enough anymore, especially for residents living just outside of city limits. On the ballot, they are asking for a new sales tax that would help them pay to expand services to areas with longer wait times.
GEORGETOWN, Texas - The Georgetown Fire Department said it's concerned about not being able to respond to emergencies fast enough anymore, especially for residents living just outside city limits.
On the ballot, they are asking for a new sales tax that would help them pay to expand services to areas with longer wait times.
Georgetown is growing so fast that its fire chief worries the department is struggling to keep up with calls in some areas outside the city limits.
Calls for help have become more common by the year in Georgetown.
"Just over 10 years ago, we responded to about 6,000 calls per year," said John Sullivan, Georgetown’s fire chief. "This year we’ll probably end up at about 17,000 plus."
MORE: Pflugerville Prop A would reduce firefighter funding by half
Sullivan is now issuing his own call for help from voters as he plans ahead for the department’s next decade.
"We can't wait for all that to happen before we prepare for the demand for service," said Sullivan.
Voters in ESD 8, an area that falls just outside Georgetown city limits, will get the final say on implementing a 2 percent sales and use tax.
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What is Pflugerville Prop A?
Pflugerville residents will decide in the November election whether to roll back a sales tax that is collected by the local emergency services district.
"What we’re asking is for the ability to have some of the sales tax dollars remain local so that it can be used for the enhancement of emergency services," said Sullivan.
ESD 8 already has a 6.25 percent sales tax, but it all goes to the state. This extra two percent would instead go solely to the fire department, generating an extra $4 million.
Ideally, that would shave off emergency response times.
"Brain death starts to occur and becomes irreversible after 8 minutes," said Sullivan.
The Georgetown Fire Department tries to arrive in 10 minutes or less, but right now that goal isn’t usually met.
"Development is going further and further away from our current fire stations," said Sullivan.
"What we’re finding is that it’s now taking us 14, sometimes 17 minutes to get there, and when you have an extended response time that does impact the outcomes of both fires as well as life itself."
The $4 million would build three new fire stations and bring on more firefighters over the next decade.
"This applies to everyone because really when it comes to emergencies, it’s non-discriminatory," said Sullivan.
But voters have turned down the proposed sales tax before.
This election is try number two.
"We’re coming back this year, and we’re asking them, providing more education information and then based upon the decision that’s going to then provide what level of service we can provide," said Sullivan.
Sullivan believes the last proposal failed because of low voter turnout and a general lack of knowledge about what the sales tax would be used for.
If it does pass, it will likely get added to the sales tax in the first or second quarter of 2025.
According to state law, it can’t go any higher than 8.25 percent.