Election Information

An Emergency Services District (ESD) is a political subdivision established pursuant to Chapter 775 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. An ESD is a grass-roots government entity created by voters in an area to fund fire protection, emergency medical services, or both. More than 300 districts are operating in Texas, and more are added at almost every uniform election date.

Formed in 2004, BCESD No. 3 is the local government entity that collects property tax to provide fire suppression and emergency medical services to a large portion of Brazoria County. The District provides these services in part by running its own EMS and fire departments and by contracting to provide financial support to ten (10) municipal and non-profit departments which provide fire suppression and emergency medical services to the residents of the District. The District provides these services within unincorporated areas of Brazoria County, as well as within a number of cities in the County. These property taxes fund stations, apparatus, and equipment that the departments utilize to provide fire protection and EMS services for the community. In turn, the volunteer fire and EMS departments provide the personnel to staff most of the stations and operate vehicles. The District also directly employs EMS staff serving the Manvel area. These services are all supported by property tax revenue.

Alvin Fire Department

Alvin EMS

Angleton Area Emergency Medical Corps

Angleton Fire Department

Danbury Volunteer Fire Department

Danbury EMS

Demi John Volunteer Fire Department 

Iowa Colony Volunteer Fire Department 

Manvel Volunteer Fire Department

Rosharon Volunteer Fire Department

BCESD No. 3 is currently funded through property taxes paid by property owners within the District. The District’s 2022 tax rate is $0.097254/$100 valuation of taxable property. Texas State laws allows for voters to approve a property tax rate up to $0.10/$100 valuation for emergency services districts. The District’s emergency medical services providers also receive funding by billing patients for emergency ambulance services.

Through sound fiscal management and good stewardship, the Board of Commissioners of BCESD No. 3 has been able to purchase and maintain the current facilities, apparatus, equipment, and training to protect the community up to this point within the limitations of its budget. However, there are five major issues facing the District which require additional funding in order to maintain or improve service levels: (1) population growth within and directly adjacent to the service area, (2) aging apparatus and station needs, (3) recruitment and retention of firefighters and medics, (4) aging emergency communications infrastructure, and (5) rising costs. As the Board considers the next 10 years of growth, long-term strategic goals have been drafted to highlight the next steps in anticipating the needs of the District.

BCESD No. 3 is situated in, and surrounded by, high-growth areas and population of the District has increased by 18% in the last 10 years. Over the next 20 years, population growth in Brazoria County is expected to continue in this same trend with surrounding counties like Fort Bend increasing in population by over 70%. Volunteerism in fire protection is down locally and nationwide and recruiting new firefighters has been challenging. The District's emergency response vehicles, equipment, and apparatus are aging and need to be replaced in phases. Emergency communication equipment also needs to be replaced and supplemented. New stations will need to be built and existing ones rehabilitated. To address these issues, additional funding sources must be considered.

The Board of Commissioners of BCESD No. 3 has worked with the administration, staff, and membership of the fire and EMS departments to address the issues facing the District to develop a strategic plan. Information was gathered through a population growth and economic development study, studies of fire and EMS operations, and a listening tour. With this data, the Long-range Planning Committee produced the Long-Range Plan. The four overarching needs outlined in this Plan are:

• Apparatus/vehicles

• Stations

• Equipment    

• Recruitment and retention of first responders

A sales and use tax will provide additional revenue to help the District fund these goals.

By levying a sales and use tax, BCESD No. 3 would be shifting a portion of the funding for emergency services from property owners to anyone buying taxable goods and services in the District.

Currently, the District funds fire suppression, EMS and rescue services through property taxes paid only by property owners within the District. However, the fire and EMS departments respond to calls that involve and support a greater community of individuals and families traveling through or visiting the District. A sales and use tax places some of the funding for emergency response upon non-residents and non-property owners, who may also use local emergency services.

In Texas, the State captures $0.0625 (6.25%) on every dollar spent on taxable sales and allows local government entities to capture up to an additional $0.02 (2%) to support local government services. Brazoria County imposes a sales and use tax of one-half percent (0.5%), leaving up to 1.5% available to other local governments within the County. If the District levied an up to one and a half percent (1.5%) sales tax, it could supplement the existing funding of emergency services which are currently funded primarily by District residents’ and business owners’ property taxes.

On the map below, the purple area is the portion of Brazoria County where BCESD No. 3 would be able to capture the up to one and a half percent (1.5%) sales and use tax. Residents and visitors making purchases in the non-colored areas are already paying the state maximum of eight and a quarter percent (8.25%) sales and use tax. To clarify, no area within the District can go above the state sales and use tax cap as a result of this election proposition. The following incorporated city limits already impose the 8.25% maximum and would be excluded from the proposed District sales and use tax:

Danbury, Iowa Colony, Sandy Point, and Manvel

The May 6, 2023 ballot will allow District residents to vote for or against a local sales and use tax, for the entity Brazoria County Emergency Services District No. 3. It will read as follows:

Proposition: 

"The adoption of a local sales and use tax in Brazoria County Emergency Services District No. 3 at a rate not to exceed 1.5 percent in any location in the district."

As Election Day draws closer, voting schedules and locations for the May 6, 2023 Election can be found at this official Brazoria County website:

 https://www.brazoriacountyclerktx.gov/departments/elections/current-election-information  

Use this website address to find information on registering to vote: 

https://www.brazoriacountyclerktx.gov/departments/elections/voter-registration

If residents have further questions, questions can be fielded through the “Contact Us” form on the District’s website: https://www.bcesd3.com/contact-us.     

The Board of Commissioners for Brazoria County Emergency Services District No. 3 desires to provide excellent communication and transparency, and there are several ways to stay up to date about the District. Visit https://www.bcesd3.com/ and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BCESD3. 

Volunteer firefighters have been, and will continue to be, the backbone of Brazoria County Emergency Services District No. 3. Volunteers are critical to the District, and the departments are always recruiting new members. If you would like to serve your community through emergency service, please contact the District at https://www.bcesd3.com/volunteer-information.