Tax increase concerns return as Pflugerville, Travis Co. ESD 2 work to strike deal for ambulance services
Tax increase concerns return as Pflugerville, Travis Co. ESD 2 work to strike deal for ambulance services KVUE It's still $2.7 million to provide the number of ambulances needed within the city," said April Griffin. As negotiations between Pflugerville and Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 kick off, ESD 2 is asking for the same amount – about $2.8 million – that residents voted down in 2021. Nguyen and Melody Ryan are just two of those Pflugerville taxpayers who decided against spending $2.8 million to use ESD 2 ambulance service during a 2021 election. "They've had an influx of property tax and sales tax to support the EMS and fire department services," said Ryan. "When you think about $300 a year on a $300,000 house for a high quality of services, what is that, less than $30 a month?" explained Griffin. While Griffin said the cost is low for taxpayers, some don't want to pay more at all with taxes already on the rise.
Published : 2 years ago by Daranesha Herron (KVUE) in
"The price is the price. It's still $2.7 million to provide the number of ambulances needed within the city," said April Griffin.
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PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — As negotiations between Pflugerville and Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 kick off, ESD 2 is asking for the same amount – about $2.8 million – that residents voted down in 2021.
Nguyen and Melody Ryan are just two of those Pflugerville taxpayers who decided against spending $2.8 million to use ESD 2 ambulance service during a 2021 election.
"They've had an influx of property tax and sales tax to support the EMS and fire department services," said Ryan. "So we felt they had sufficient revenue."
"So, the price is the price," said Griffin. "It's still $2.7 million to provide the number of ambulances needed within the city. However, we probably will have some negotiations to see how we can co-fund that, a portion of it at least."
"You need to make sure that they're not wiped out," said Griffin. "They're not tired. I don't want someone showing up at my door tired and not capable of providing me the proper quality, high level of medical services."
"When you think about $300 a year on a $300,000 house for a high quality of services, what is that, less than $30 a month?" explained Griffin.
While Griffin said the cost is low for taxpayers, some don't want to pay more at all with taxes already on the rise.
"We got our approvals and my house went up, 58% homesteaded, but if you're a renter, commercial property owner, you are struggling," said Nguyen.
"My concern is that ESD 2 is not transparent with their expenses," said Ryan. "They co-mingle the expenses of their EMS line of business with their fire line of business. Even though they separate the costs for other types of services, they provide it into different funds."
As Travis County ESD.2 enters negotiations with the city of Pflugerville, the fear of a tax increase is back for some residents.
An ESD.2 Commissioner said their about $2.8 million request is still the cost even though residents said no to a tax increase last year. @KVUE pic.twitter.com/MrIwIIdRBE — Daranesha Herron (@Daraneshatv) May 17, 2022
"We're ISO certified," said Griffin. "So that means that there's auditing, a tracking and we submit our numbers and our audits to the county. So we're held accountable by the County and the county officials, our elected officials – they appoint us."