Proposition B could raise taxes 36% over 8 years, city of Round Rock staff say

City staff and the Round Rock Professional Firefighters Association shared opposing views of what the financial impact of Proposition B could be to the city's taxpayers in April.

In a nutshell

A city analysis shared April 10 of a ballot measure to increase fire department staffing and funding could increase Round Rock property taxes by about 36%.

However, representatives of the Round Rock Professional Firefighters Association said the plan could be achieved for much less.

What they're saying

To meet the requirements of Proposition B, city of Round Rock staff estimate that property taxes would need to increase by 11.6 cents from $0.372 per $100 of valuation to $0.488 per $100 of valuation by the 2034 budget year, to generate $179.5 million in cumulative annual operating expenses for the department.

This would be in addition to seeking $48.7 million in capital expenses to build additional fire stations to meet the standards outlined by the NFPA 1710, a national standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association that sets benchmarks for fire department staffing and response times.

Kevin Klosterboer, the city's chief financial officer, said the cost of servicing the debt required to make these capital expenses is wrapped into the increased tax rate, and that the level of increase needed to meet the staffing requirements could require tax rate elections, as they might exceed how much the city is legally allowed to raise its property tax rate in a single year.

Bill Clifton, secretary of the Round Rock Professional Firefighters Association, told Community Impact via email that the city of Round Rock receives roughly $6 million in sales tax revenue from Emergency Services District No. 9, and that these funds are currently added to the city's general fund instead of being allocated directly to the fire department. This amount is expected to increase to $7.5 million in 2027, he said.

Clifton said the funding for staffing increases needed to bring the fire department up to standard is closer to $4.4 million.

The details

The city's financial impact analysis shows it would need six on-duty members per company to comply with NFPA 1710 based on population and the number of tall buildings in the city. This would require 207 additional firefighter positions and eight additional fire stations to be hired and built within about eight years.

Clifton said the association has a gradual proposal for meeting standards. The plan includes adding five firefighters by Jan. 1, 2027, for ladder and truck companies; 15 more firefighters by Jan. 1, 2029 for specialty stations such as hazmat and wildland; and 17 firefighers by Jan. 1, 2031 for all remaining engine companies. Capital projects, such as additional fire stations, could be paid for using the city's self-financed construction fund. This city fund is largely made up of sales tax revenue.

The debate

Per city staff, the proposal suggested by Clifton would not meet the staffing requirements set out by the NFPA, which is what the petition behind Proposition B calls for. These would require the full 207 firefighters, as opposed to the 37 suggested in Clifton's response to Community Impact. This is based on the city's population density and high-hazard occupancies, such as hospitals and large commercial buildings, and would require six-man staffing for fire companies, as well as meeting NFPA benchmarks for alarm answering, processing, turnout and travel times.

"That is substantially below what is required to meet minimum staffing levels alone under the petition, and it does not align with the full scope of requirements in the proposed charter amendment," Sara Bustilloz, communications and marketing manager for the city of Round Rock said in an email. "The City’s analysis reflects the need for 24/7 operations, which requires multiple personnel per position to account for shift coverage, leave, training and other factors."

The financial analysis provided by the city accounts for the staffing and facilities needed to meet these requirements, she said.

Regarding funding, Bustilloz said there might be some "confusion" about how ESD funds are used. The city is anticipating about $4.8 million in fire protection fee revenues this year, which are used to offset the cost of providing fire services outside city limits.

"These funds are not separate or unused; they are already part of the overall funding structure supporting the fire department’s $40.7 million operational budget (which does not include support services or capital investments in new equipment or facilities)," Bustilloz said. "Even with future projected growth from the ESD 9 sales tax allocation, those revenues would not be sufficient on their own to meet the full staffing and response requirements outlined in the petition."

How we got here

As previously reported by Community Impact, voters will weigh in on two ballot measures in the May 2 election.

Proposition A would allow electronic billboards in limited areas of the city, primarily along I-35 and SH 45. The current city charter prohibits digital billboards, and a similar petition effort in the past did not gather enough signatures to reach the ballot.

Proposition B would require the Round Rock Fire Department to meet national staffing and emergency response benchmarks and incorporate those requirements into the city charter.

By the numbers

According to data published by the city, the fire department has 186 firefighters, including 154 who staff fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

In 2024, the fire department responded to more than 15,000 calls for service, according to the city. About 35 were structure fires making up roughly 0.3% of all calls compared to the 3.9% national average, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

The Firefighters Association also disputed some of the city’s fire statistics, arguing official counts of structure fires exclude incidents such as cooking fires or burning furniture inside homes.

Previously, Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said the city has increased funding for the fire department in recent years and several units are already staffed with four firefighters. However, he warned that anchoring the requirements in the charter could limit the city’s ability to manage its budget.

Police and fire services already account for roughly 70% of the city’s budget, he said, and mandated staffing levels could force cuts elsewhere.

He added that the city has already increased investment in fire services, citing new stations, additional hiring and a 46% increase in the department’s operating budget since 2022.