By Zeke MacCormack
My San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO — A surcharge on Texans’ property insurance premiums generates $30 million annually to subsidize rural firefighting state-wide, but less than a quarter of that revenue was disbursed to volunteer fire companies in each of the past two years.
One legislator, upset at what he casts as shortsighted short-changing of volunteer firefighters, wants to amend the proposed $198 billion two-year state budget to allocate the full $30 million being collected for the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
“There are more than enough funds dedicated to this purpose if we would just appropriate them,” said Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, whose proposal is among scores of budget amendments the Texas House will consider Thursday.
Full story: Legislator says volutneer firefighters shortchanged