Liberty County ESD 1 calling election May 1

The Liberty County Emergency Service District # 1 for the Kenefick area is calling an election on May 1, 2021, for a sales tax adoption of $0.01 for the unincorporated areas of the district. This is for all voters except those within the city of Kenefick. This sales tax increase will allow the district to lower the property taxes the citizens pay by instituting a $15,000 homestead exemption to help switch the tax burden away from property owners. 

“With the growth of Liberty County and projected growth for our area, your ESD1 commissioners are working hard to be in a position to be proactive with the growth and not reactive,” said ESD #1 President Guillermo Gomez (Memo). “ESD #1 and your Kenefick Volunteer fire department conservatively and efficiently use every cent that we receive and make sure that it is all invested right back in the communities we serve. The ESD Commissioners and all members of the Kenefick Volunteer Fire Department are 100 percent Volunteer.” 

This new sales tax switch will capture sales tax from those who pass through the area and not rely solely on the property owners of ESD #1. This will allow the district to buy down property taxes with the addition of the homestead exemption. 

Most of this new revenue will help fund current fire and emergency medical responder services as well as facilitate a future sub-station in the North of the tracks for the surrounding community. After years of playing catch-up, your Kenefick Volunteer Fire Department is getting better trained and better equipment to save lives, structures and properties. We are working to lower the homeowner’s insurance rates district-wide. ESD # 1 is leading Liberty County in fire service and planning for the future of our communities. 

ESD 1 currently receives $0.03 per $100 of assessed value in property tax revenue. Voting “yes” in this election will not raise property taxes at all. 

This election will raise the sales tax to the same rate as you pay at Walmart in 

Liberty. This election should set up the district to not have to ask the taxpayers for any new revenues for decades to come. This sales tax election will help pave the way to eventually hire paid staff to respond to 911 calls while our volunteers are at work. The projected revenue will increase due to the positive growth of economic activity in our area.  

The ESD 1 district includes from FM 1008 south (Bowie Creek) to the North all the way Luce Bayou River. The district goes west on CR 676 and east to the Trinity River. It also includes our mutual Aid Agreement with our neighboring Volunteer Fire Department. All totaled, the district takes in about 35 square miles of Liberty County, including 30 miles of river frontage properties. 

Sale Tax Basics

In Texas, the sales tax on covered items cannot exceed 8.25 percent. Of that, 6.25 percent goes to the State of Texas. The remaining two percent is reserved for local governments, such as ESDs.  Currently, in our area, consumers pay 8.25 percent in sales tax – 6.25 percent goes to Liberty County. 

0.05 percent and the City of Kenefick pay 1.5 percent.  Outside of the City of Kenefick, the consumers do not pay 2.5 percent. It will come from businesses like AT&T, Verizon cell phones, Amazon deliveries, pipelines, telecommunication lines, satellite dishes and other types of businesses. Our Stakeholders are used to paying 8.25 percent because much of their shopping is in Liberty, Baytown, and Houston, which are already at the maximum. Sales tax reduces the reliance on property tax to fund ESD1’s firefighting and emergency medical first responder through Kenefick Volunteer Fire Department. When a visitor – driving along FM 1008, say – purchases a taxable item during the trip through ESD1, the sales tax helps reduce the burden on property taxpayers if the visitor needs emergency assistance. 

Thank you, Please help us and say Yes to Liberty County ESD 1 Proposition A