Not So Fast, Buster!

Is another taxing entity the answer?

A lead article in the weekend Daily Times proclaims that newly re-elected Commissioner Buster Baldwin wants to pursue a new taxing entity, an Emergency Services District, to fund and direct emergency medical services in Kerr County outside of Kerrville.  It states that emergency services are already funded by city residents in Kerrville, and by separate ESDs for Ingram and Mountain Home.

New taxes = bad.  ESD = good.  What's a voter to do?  The newspaper article raises several questions.

First, popular support.  Baldwin, a long time ESD supporter, considers his re-election to be a confirmation of public will to create an ESD.  Post hoc, ergo propter hoc:  after the fact, therefore the cause of it.  Not so fast, I say.  There are plenty of reasons for an incumbent to be re-elected, and I doubt that the majority of primary voters were even aware of the ESD issue.  So I doubt that Baldwin's re-election indicates a groundswell of support for a new tax district.

Second, coordination.  How would a new district coordinate with the other authorities such as the City of Kerrville and the already existing West Kerr County districts?  Would there be one "super district", or a total of four separate ones?

Without coordination, confusion.  It's not explained how the districts would work together, or how money would be saved or provided.   How would the new tax money be used?

Is voter approval in November likely?  With the current appetite for austerity in Texas government, approval of a new district doesn't seem likely, especially in this county.  The commissioners should have their work cut out for them in explaining the advantages and mechanism of a new Emergency Services District.