Seeking More Choice in Emergency Service Taxes
City Council meeting · Tuesday, September 29 at 5:30 PM
The decision
Should Bastrop ask Texas lawmakers to let property owners leave an emergency services district when a city can offer equal or better service at a lower tax rate?
Who notices: Bastrop property owners whose land is in an emergency services district, and residents who rely on that district’s fire and emergency response, could be affected.
Plain-language summary based on official city records. Written with AI assistance.
Your potential impact
After · What could change
Bastrop would send a joint letter backing this change to Texas lawmakers. The mayor and council members would be authorized to sign it.
The trade-offs
Potential benefits
Property owners eligible for the proposed option
Owners could gain a way to choose city service based on both service quality and tax rate, rather than price alone.
Possible tradeoff, inferred from the proposal. Not a reported position of this group.
Possible concerns
Residents relying on Bastrop’s emergency services
City residents could face added demand on emergency crews if the proposed change leads the city to serve more properties.
Possible tradeoff, inferred from the proposal. Not a reported position of this group.
Over the years
Residents on properties that could leave a district
Some residents could eventually rely on city crews rather than district crews when they call for emergency help, if lawmakers adopt the proposed option and owners use it.
Possible longer-term effect, inferred from the proposal. Not a guaranteed outcome.
Email your rep
Bastrop City Council decides
- To
- Ishmael Harris · Mayoriharris@cityofbastrop.org
- CC
- Perry Lowe · Council member · Place 1 (citywide)plowe@cityofbastrop.org
- CC
- Cynthia Meyer · Council member · Place 2 (citywide)cmeyer@cityofbastrop.org
- CC
- Kevin Plunkett · Council member · Place 3 (citywide)kplunkett@cityofbastrop.org
- CC
- Kerry Fossler · Council member · Place 4 (citywide)kfossler@cityofbastrop.org
- CC
- John Kirkland · Council member · Place 5 (citywide)jkirkland@cityofbastrop.org
1 · How do you feel about it?
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Pass it to a neighbor
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Where things stand
Listed council meeting: September 29, 2026
A final vote result isn't available on this page yet. That doesn't mean a vote hasn't happened. The official record in Sources & transparency below has the City's latest status and meeting details.
Sources & transparency
Plain-language summary based on official city records, written with AI assistance and checked by a person against the official text.
R-2026-139Checked Oct 16, 2026
Read the official record
Consider and act on Resolution No. R-2026-139 of the City Council of the City of Bastrop, supporting legislation to allow a property owner to remove its property from an emergency services district where a municipality can provide an equal or better level of fire and emergency service at a lower tax rate; approving a joint letter to members of the Texas Legislature in support of such legislation; authorizing the Mayor and Council Members to sign the letter; and providing for an effective date.