Since Leon County voters gave the go-ahead to paying more property taxes to get ambulance service back, officials there have been busy.

By Monday, County Judge Byron Ryder says a budget should be complete to get the new emergency service district for the northeast portion of the county through the next four months. That will round out the current fiscal year, and plans will begin for a full Fiscal Year 2010.

Currently, a temporary deal is in place with Legacy EMT to keep ambulances are available for Buffalo, Oakwood and Flo, as well as the tens of thousands of drivers on I-45 and Highway 79. Ryder says Legacy has been doing an outstanding job.

Upwards of ten companies have expressed interest in serving residents there permanentlly, according to the judge. They lost service when Palestine EMT had to end it's all-but-free service to Northeast Leon County due to budget cutbacks.

Earlier this month, voters overwhelmingly approved the creation of an emergency service district to serve residents there. A ten-cent property tax increase funded the district's creation.