Wimberley Fire asks for 1% of sales taxes

Sometimes the language on an election ballot can be a bit confusing, and that seems to be the case as the Wimberley Fire Department is requesting a portion of sales taxes to boost their bottom line.

Proposition A on the ballot:

“The adoption of a local sales and use tax in Hays County Emergency Services District No. 4 at a rate not to exceed one percent (1%) in any location in the District.”

The state of Texas allows up a sales tax of up to 8.25 percent. The state automatically takes up 6.25 percent and the remaining two percent is left up to local jurisdictions. Certain areas in the Wimberley Valley, mainly within the city limits of Wimberley and Woodcreek, are already at the 8.25 percent max. But, there are other areas that still have a bit of wiggle room.

The Wimberley Fire Department’s jurisdiction runs from around The Junction to the area of FM 150 near Hays City Store and stretches seven miles north down Ranch Road 12 and to the intersection of Mount Sharp Road and FM 2325. If the proposition is approved, any area within that jurisdiction that does not reach the 8.25 percent sales-tax maximum will have their sales tax increased up to one percent more. The extra money raised would go to the Wimberley Fire Department.

“We have kept our property taxes so low for so long that we don’t have excess funds,” Wimberley Fire Chief Carroll Czichos said. “Instead of raising our property taxes, we thought we could tap into the sales tax and try and bring in some money from the tourist too instead of just increasing the burden on local property owners.”

The Wimberley Fire Department, which is represented by Hays County ESD No. 4, has a property tax rate of 3.94 cents per $100 of taxable property value. They have the right to raise that number as high as five cents.

Czichos said there are a number of things the department needs, but the largest is fire engines.

“My newest engine is 15 years old,” Czichos said. “We are trying to start a new station out on Winter’s Mill. It is going to give us another source of income that we can dedicate that back to purchases of trucks and land.”

Czichos said he believes every other fire district in Hays County receives a portion of sales tax allocations. He hopes that, if approved, the tax would result in about $10,000 a month in additional income.

“Most of the businesses are located within city limits, so it won’t reach those,” Czichos said. “This is for the more rural areas of our part of the county.”