ESD Tax Increase - Part II

In my previous post on this subject I stated some clear facts, but a letter to the editor in today's Cleburne Times-Review with some inaccuracies requires that I publish some additional and clarifying information.

Bryan Jamison, Chief of the Briaroaks Fire Department and President of the Johnson County Emergency Services Association stated in today's paper that "Revenue from the ESD tax is the primary source of funding for all 12 volunteer fire departments in the county."  He goes on to say that "It is also a significant source of funding for paid and volunteer departments in Alvarado and Keene."  The fact is that Joshua is one of the 12 volunteer departments in the county, but our primary source of funding is property taxes paid by the citizens of Joshua.  For the latest complete budget year, 2008-2009, the Joshua fire department budget was $320,720.79 of which the ESD contributed $111,282.84 or 34.6% - not in any way a "primary source".  As for Alvarado and Keene the ESD provided 17% and 14% respectively so you can be the judge as to whether that is a "significant source".  Even when you take the salary costs out of the Alvarado and Keene budgets the ESD only contributed 40% and 29% respectively.

You can look at the ESD budget and decide for yourself if your money has been spent wisely.  For me personally I'm not so sure it has so I'm not sure yet which way I'll vote.  They've built a new dispatch center, but 911 calls will still go the Sheriff's Office dispatch and then be forwarded to the ESD dispatch.  If the ESD instead worked with the Sheriff's office they could have saved a lot of money and remained under one roof where the calls come in.

Nothing I've pointed out in anything I've written on this subject should be taken as me being unwilling to support our fire fighters.  On the contrary I want every penny our department has coming to it.  Our debt to the courageous men and women who choose to selflessly put themselves in harm's way to protect our lives and property can never be repaid and most of them in Johnson County do it for free.  This tax increase will not amount to much money for most people, but all tax money should be spent wisely before asking people for more.  Besides that I was elected to represent the people of Joshua and I'll continue to work to make sure the tax money from the people of my city is used to its greatest extent and that the Joshua Fire Department is able to get what it needs to allow them to do their best and safest work.

A.J.