Grayson County court votes to call election on 1.5% county assistance district sales tax

The Grayson County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to call a November election on an order creating “Grayson County Assistance District No. 1” and imposing a proposed 1.5% sales-and-use tax in unincorporated areas to finance district operations.

Commissioner Timothy Marr, who presented the order, said the district’s primary purpose would be to fund “the provision of services that benefit public health and welfare, including the provision of firefighting and fire prevention services,” then to fund road work and, if necessary, law enforcement and detention services. “The primary purpose of this court is to use this sales tax to fund fire and EMS in the unincorporated areas of the county,” Marr said during the discussion.

The nut graf: Commissioners said the tax would be collected only on purchases made in unincorporated Grayson County and held in a separate account for the district; they estimated the tax could generate roughly $4 million annually for the unincorporated area, which the court says faces rising costs for contracted fire and emergency medical services (EMS).

Court and public comments traced the issue to several facts and concerns. County officials told the court the county currently spends about $2.9 million annually for fire and EMS in unincorporated areas and expects that obligation…