Early voting has been moved to the basement of the courthouse from
April 19-30.
If you vote on May 1, it will be at the Old Union Church of Christ.
BALLOT PROPOSITION
“The adoption of a local sales and use tax in Limestone County Emergency Services District#2 at the rate of two percent.”
If you have been reading our newsletter you are already aware that we need more funds to acquire the equipment needed to better ensure your safety and that there will be an opportunity for you to vote whether or not you approve of a 2% Sales and Use tax for this district to help us reach these goals. This will only be affecting storefronts in our Limestone County Emergency Service District #2, which covers the west and north side of Lake Limestone, please see the map on the right.
The strategic planning committee and the ESD#2 commissioners considered ways to fund the needs and elected to not seek an increase in property taxes in the district. Instead, we became aware of a timely opportunity and identified a viable solution. The opportunity arose because of actions at the federal and state levels.
After careful study, the ESD commissioners concluded that sales taxes are frequently being collected on many online purchases at rates that exceed 6.25% and, that in the future, many, if not most, online businesses will be moving toward the new uniform rate of 8.00% (6.25% state plus 1.75% local.) Approval of this voter initiative means that the local portion would be included on allowable purchases, at 1.75% or 2.0%.
We understand that store-front sales in the district are considerably less than online sales because residents routinely do not “shop” here. Nonfood sales at the store or food eaten at district restaurants and items purchased at our marina would include an increase with the 2.0% local portion. This represents an opportunity for visitors and vacationers to contribute to emergency services as well. We see this as a “fairness factor,” sharing the burden as the WLLVFD responds to every emergency call!
Our district has the opportunity to request that the local portion of sales tax revenue collected by the state be returned for our local use to improve and sustain emergency services. To address the question of capturing a portion of tax revenues going to the state, citizens in our district are called upon to vote in a special election on Saturday, May 1, 2021 on the following proposition.
For more information, please see the Fact Q&A Sheet in the downloads section below, the current newsletter on this website or our FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/wllvfd
To request an application to vote by mail, please see the instructions below.
Ballot by Mail instructions are available at the link below (from the Texas Secretary of State).
My phone number & address may be added for contact purposes:
Jennifer Southard, Limestone County Elections Administrator
Ph: 254-729-4997
jennifer.southard@co.limestone.tx.us
200 W. State St., Room G5
Groesbeck TX 76642
To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must:
Instructions for submitting an Application for Ballot by Mail (“ABBM”):
NOTICE: Do not mail, fax, or email completed applications for Ballot by Mail to the Secretary of State Office. All applications received by this office will be rejected.
Military and overseas voters are welcome to use the regular registration and early voting by mail process available to all voters away from their home county on Election Day. However, there are also special provisions for military and overseas voters.
For more information, please read the Early Voting in Texas pamphlet.