Small Hudson Minority Kills Emergency Services District
A tiny minority of voters in Hudson has voted down a measure that would have created Angelina County’s first emergency services district. The proposition got 341 votes against and 132 in favor of it.
That's less than ten percent of Hudson's population of around 4500.
The proposed Hudson ESD would have had the authority to levy and collect a property tax for the purpose of providing fire protection and first responder funding, inside the boundaries of Hudson ISD, but not the part that's inside the Lufkin city limits.
The small tax of a few cents per hundred dollars assessed value would have added a few dollars a year to the average property owner's tax bill.
The Hudson Volunteer Department campaigned for the ESD, saying it would allowed them to upgrade their old worn out equipment, expand their facilities, and beef up training.
They say it would have enabled them to provide better and more far-ranging fire protection and emergency rescue services for Hudson residents.
Lt. Caleb Ramsey of the Hudson VFD says he's disappointed it didn't pass, but the department will keep on doing its job and and look for other sources of funding.
“A lot of what we have now is from grants, and with cutbacks in the federal, state and local governments, a lot of those grants are drying up, but we’re still going to do our job.”
Volunteer fire departments have to pay their own way "hand to mouth" out of their own pockets and with grants and donations if they don't have the benefit of an Emergency Services District.
Hudson VFD Chief Marcial Foisie says no matter what, Hudson residents can depend on them to be there whenever and wherever they're needed.
via Hudson Fire Chief.
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