Robert Pratt
Efforts to tax people and force them live under taxing districts they built homes in the country to avoid never ends.
Behind the scenes Lubbock County and City of Wolfforth officials have conjured up a plan to create a special taxing district called Emergency Services District #1 which would cover most everyone in the southwest quarter of Lubbock County outside Lubbock’s city limits.
Map of proposed taxing district for Lubbock ESD #1.
Why is the City of Wolfforth leading the effort for this new taxing effort that extends far beyond its boundaries when it already has a fire department; already can raise taxes from its residents to provide emergency services (and already does so), and; frankly shouldn’t have a say in what property owners do who don’t live within the jurisdiction of Wolfforth, Texas?
A Pratt on Texas listener actively engaged in the issue, Bryan, wrote: “It is interesting that that the group pushing this ESD is proposing to tax us at the maximum $0.10/$100 valuation as regulated by state law. I asked the [Wolfforth] city manager Darrell Newsome if they had a budget yet to justify this tax rate and he told me no, that they would have to appoint a board after the ESD was passed and that board would set the budget.”
Get it? They don’t even know what it will cost but are pushing the maximum tax rate and then they’ll figure out how to spend all the taxpayer money they force to come rolling in!
Get it? They don’t even know what it will cost but are pushing the maximum tax rate and then they’ll figure out how to spend all the taxpayer money they force to come rolling in!
Bryan followed up with: “[The city manager] Darrell stated they wanted to go ahead and pass the $0.10 tax rate as it is hard to come back and have another election if they pass a lower tax rate and then realize it is not enough. Isn’t that just like a bunch of politicians to levy the highest tax rate possible on us because it isn’t easy to raise taxes again in the future!”
Lubbock County citizens need to tell county commissioners, who have to approve calling an election for this latest money-grabbing scheme, to nix this plan — ASAP.
Don’t live in the affected area? Well note that it is named “#1” and where there is a number one for raising taxes, there will eventually be a number 2, and 3, and 4 and, you’ll be footing the bill.
Nancy Reagan started a program called “Just say no”. Politicians are addicted to their drug called “tax and spend”!
They need to consider Nancy’s slogan….
Interesting article, however, it should be noted the “officials” at Lubbock County had nothing to do with this petition. This is an effort by the City of Wolfforth and Wolfforth Fire Department to tax the citizens of southwestern Lubbock County. The county commissioners have nothing to do with this other than to place it on the ballot in November or not. And public comment will assist them in making that decision. So make your voice heard on May 3rd in the Frenship High School cafeteria at 630pm.
While I do not support the ESD, it is important to note Lubbock County Commissioners had nothing to do with this petition. They are merely responsible, by law, to proceed with the proposal as presented by the City of Wolfforth and Wolfforth Fire Department. The commissioners only make the decision to place it on the ballot or not, depending on public comment. Furthermore, the commissioners appoint a board for the ESD if in the event the measure passes a vote in November.
Exactly right and given that the Wolfforth folk are the advocates (very unlikely to change their minds) then the pressure point to stop it is the Lubbock County Commissioners’ Court.
I would hope that the citizens effected by this ESD would become educated, to make their decision, to be stewards of their community, so that the best result would be achieved.
Mr Pratt: As much as I am a Libertarian and generally agree with the no new taxes dogma, I have to take issue with you on this. I would be in favor of people who use any emergency services paying individually for the services provided, but unfortunately, that is not the way Lubbock County has chosen to do this business. And yes, it is a business, and therefore has to be able to pay for itself. You mentioned on your show that the people of Wolfforth already have emergency services, and we should pay for those emergency services, and I agree with you. What you didn’t mention is how often the citizens of southwest Lubbock county use the Wolfforth Emergency Services. I do live in Wolfforth, and I’m glad to pay for those services to know that my neighbors and I can access the service. However, there are good folks outside the city of Wolfforth that use the Wolfforth emergency services as well, and therefore, I think it only reasonable that they have some “skin in the game” as well. Why not have them pay for the services they receive? If the good folks in Lubbock County living outside the Wolfforth City limits would promise to pay for all the services that their Wolfforth neighbors are currently paying for, then by all means, let’s not have a new tax. But how realistic is that when only about 50% of the population at large have medical insurance to help them pay for it? Having said that, I agree that the tax rate applied should be based on a budget, and not just arbitrary. As hard as it is to raise taxes, it is quite impossible to lower taxes to what is needed on a budgetary basis.
Thank you for your diligence in bringing up these matters for our citizens to be aware of and debate.
Those outside Wolfforth limits do not have to be served AND they are surely charged for such services. It’s not free when you take an ambulance or call the fire trucks – as many have been shocked to learn.
The morality of this issue is that people who have chosen to build their homes outside of a taxing area shouldn’t be forced into a taxing area by others who find that doing so would dilute the cost of something they want but are not willing to pay for. (Same applies for annexation.)
County Commissioners reject proposal to create an Emergency Services District around Wolfforth – a win but it appears only because of a technicality on a defective petition.
http://www.kcbd.com/story/32209472/county-commissioners-reject-proposal-to-create-an-emergency-services-district-in-wolfforth