Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2007 - (Page 14)

Emergency LIKE ANY GOVERNMENT ENTITY, FUNDING IS PARAMOUNT In the end, retaining taxable property is an important factor for all ESDs. After all, ESDs are just like any other form of government in that service is a direct reflection of the funds available. By Fire Chief Ken Bailey Background or the last four years, I have worked for an emergency service district (ESD) in Travis County, and in my dealings with various fire and political officials from around the state, it has been interesting to see how little is known about ESDs. At first glance, you might think there are few ESDs to know about, but the Office of Rural Community Affairs shows more than 256 ESDs operating in more than 80 Texas counties. ESDs have a long history, but you may be more familiar with their predecessors, rural fire prevention districts, which began in 1957, when the state of Texas enacted legislation under the old Vernon’s Texas Civil Statutes to provide counties and rural communities some options to finance their fire-protection needs. At that time, RFPDs could levy a tax of not more than 3 cents per 14 What is an F $100 of property value in their given area to be applied toward fire, EMS or other related services. Harris County found the need for more funds and later had legislation passed to allow RFPDs in Harris County to levy up to 5 cents per $100. Between 1957 and 2002, 64 counties created 174 RFPDs that subsidized over 200 volunteer and paid fire departments. In 1989, the state changed 2351a6, VTCS (the statute that allows for the creation of RFPDs) to the new Health and Safety Code as Chapter 794, retaining the concept of RFPDs. However, a new addition was created that year mirroring much of the RFPD in Chapter 775 of the Health and Safety Code and calling them ESDs. It was at this time that each RFPD was given the option of converting into an ESD. In 2003, Chapter 794 was repealed, and the option to convert from an RFPD to an ESD was not longer an option at all, but a mandate. All RFPDs were converted to ESDs. This change from RFPDs to ESDs was relatively transparent in most communiTEXAS FIRE CHIEF Fall/Winter 2007

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2007

Contents Executive Director’s Report Fire Chief of the Year What is an Emergency Service District (ESD)? Tax-Exempt Financing 101 The Benefits of Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) Southwest Fire Rescue 2008 Preview Membership Application ‘Courage to be Safe’ Program Aims to Save Lives Red Truck, Green Building Index to Advertisers

Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2007

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