Updated 11:18 p.m. CST
Unofficial election results released Nov. 5 indicated voters approved a sales tax increase for Travis County Emergency Services District No. 4, passing the ESD's Proposition 1.
The proposition doubles the local sales and use tax that Travis County ESD No. 4 collects, making it 2 percent. The sales tax increase will bring in an estimated $250,000 for the district annually, ESD No. 4 Chief Florencio Soliz said.
According to unofficial results from Travis County, with 100 percent of polling locations reporting, 60.98 percent of voters supported Proposition 1, while 39.02 percent opposed it. All results are unofficial until canvassed.
"I'm excited about the results," said Andrew Garcia, president of the Travis County ESD 4 Firefighters Association's Local 4848, noting the polling numbers reflect the local community's grass-roots efforts to spread the word about the proposed sales tax increase. Garcia said the ESD plans to use the revenue to add one firefighter paramedic to each of its current three-person teams, implement a "medical squad" system by adding intermediate paramedics to teams, and purchase new equipment such as a $15,000 AutoPulse device for CPR.
In addition to campaigning for the sales tax increase, the ESD also recently applied for a federal grant for small fire departments that would allow the ESD to hire more firefighters.
"We don't have all our eggs in one basket," Garcia said.
Posted 7:30 p.m. CST
