Bell County Emergency Services District #1 will hold a public hearing 6 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Salado Fire Department, 3520 FM 2484 for a proposed tax rate of $0.098277 per $100 valuation.

The proposed tax rate is not greater than the voter-approval tax rate. As a result, Bell County E.S.D. No. 1 is not required to hold an election at which voters may accept or reject the proposed tax rate. 

The no-new-revenue tax rate is $0.077610 per $100 valuation. The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the 2024 tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax revenue for Bell County E.S.D. No. 1 from the same properties in both the 2023 tax year and the 2024 tax year.

Commissioners Mark McGraw, Mark Huppert, Toby Hatton and Steve Malace voted in favor of the proposed tax rate. Commissioner Kim Bird was absent.

The proposed tax rate will fund an operating budget of $1.36 million for fire department operations. Of that, $1.16 million will be for salaries and benefits. The budget will fund the hiring of six full-time firefighters to allow the department to have two firefighters at the station for 24 hour protection.

E.S.D. administration costs are $181,615.00.

Capital expenditures are $425,000, including $275,000 for a pumper, $25,000 for turnout equipment and $125,000 for other equipment.

The debt service fund will include $379,105.18 in capital lease payments.