Optional Tax for Fire Trucks?

Today, the fire truck rushed by and I noticed the following plastered on the side; "paid for with local option sales tax." For those who don't know, the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST, how ironic) is an additional sales tax voters approved to help the municipalities.

Here's the thing; taxes should pay for essential services first and I can think of no government services more essential than fire and police protections, yet they both have numerous vehicles paid for with this tax money. Ergo, each time the LOST comes up for a renewal vote, we're told it is needed for these essential functions. Well I have one question; Where the hell is the money going that's supposed to go to these services? Our property taxes are levied to cover these functions as well as schools.

I was told by a very knowledgeable newsman that these vehicles are paid for from that tax because that tax revenue can legally only be used for those purposes. Again though, I don't understand why we don't start with a zero budget every year and justify all expenses, prioritizing the most essential first. Of course everyone thinks their department is the most important and we've got contractual obligations with government employees that must be kept and there are capital improvements needed and blah, blah, blah.

Just one more thing about government that is bass ackwards.