ESD3 Town Halls Focus on Tax Increase

Comal County Emergency Services District No. 3 (ESD3) will host three town hall meetings in October to explain why it is asking voters on Nov. 5 to approve an increase in the maximum permissible tax rate from eight cents to 10 cents per $100 of property value.

ESD3 said in a newsletter it does not foresee the need to go above the current maximum rate of eight cents in the near future, adding the increase would “add flexibility if conditions change.”

On Sept. 9, after hosting two public hearings that no citizens attended, ESD3 commissioners approved a 2020 budget and adopted an order to levy a $.0175/$100 valuation rate for Interest and Sinking and a $0.0625/$100 valuation tax rate for Maintenance and Operations, totaling $.08/$100 valuation for ESD’s 2019 tax rate.

At 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, ESD3 will hold a special meeting and pre-construction workshop at Canyon Lake Fire/EMS Station 51 to discuss construction of Station 56.

District No. 3 operates Canyon Lake Fire/EMS, which provides fire protection and, through a contract with Comal County ESD No. 2, emergency medical response for some 250 square miles in the northern portion of Comal County, including and around Canyon Lake.

Currently serving as commissioners — who live and pay taxes in ESD3 — are Don Wagner, president; Jane Bowen, vice president; Susan Shirley-Menzel, secretary; Holly Gill, assistant treasurer; and Alan Stahlman, treasurer.

Meeting Schedule

Town Hall Meeting
6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10
1250 Via Principale
Vintage Oaks

Annual Open House & Town Hall Meeting
11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19
Station No. 51
1074 Scissortail, Canyon City (Canyon Lake)

Town Hall Meeting
7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29
436 River Chase Way
River Chase

For more information, visit canyonlakefire-ems.org.