Posted by Tina
The California legislature has announced passage of a bill (ABX1-29) by sending an “Advance Notice” in the mail to select rural taxpayers.
It reads:
The legislature recently passed and the Governor signed legislation to require some property owners to pay a fee for state fire protection services in their area.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), you own property in one of the designated areas and must pay a new California Fire Prevention Fee. The Board of Equalization is required by law to collect the fee.
As the owner of property within this area, you will soon receive a bill requiring you to pay up to $150 per habitable structure. After you receive your bill, you will have 30 days from the date on the bill to send a payment or protest the amount of the bill in writing.
If you have any questions about this fee, call 888-310-6447 or visit www.firepreventionfee.org.
Is this a fee or a TAX?
The question is important because if they can make up fees like this one, and get away with it, what other new fees might they decide we MUST pay while they squander tax dollars on trains to nowhere, the bloated, wasteful bureaucracy, failing schools, and all of the overpaid administrators and bureaucrats?
It’s a good question because this legislation passed only because this TAX is called a fee. Were it called a TAX it would have required 2/3 of the legislature to pass it. I looked for the actual vote count and could not find it.
Californians are already paying for fire prevention and service; this bill means rural residents are being taxed twice or three times for the same service.
It’s also important to note that the “Advance Notice” informs that the “fee” will apply to every “habitable” structure. I have to ask…is a chicken coop a “habitable structure”? They didn’t designate every “residence” so I assume that a guy with a bunny hutch, a chicken coop, a horse barn and home might get hit pretty hard if they decide to interpret this bill in the extreme…and who wouldn’t expect that from this bunch!
Our eyes are wide open now and rural folk up and down the state are fightin mad over this TAX:
Time for a fire fight over thisTAX. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association:
…has begun collecting names of those who want to challenge the fee in court — a process that requires first that they pay the bill, then request a refund and, if denied, file suit, association attorney Tim Bittle said.
“We have lots and lots of people who want to be represented in refund claims,” Bittle said.
A letter drafted to represent opposition to the fee by associations representing the Sonoma and Marin fire chiefs echoed concerns about the failure of lawmakers to seek voter approval.
“What justification is there that the state levies a tax, yet the local fire department shoulders the day-to-day cost of providing the service?” the chiefs said.
I don’t live in that county but I’d say…there is no justification! This is a tax levied illegally on only a select rural portion of Californians, many of whom already are paying extra fees for fire prevention and service.
According to this Mendocino County site this was a “trailer bill” that was “adopted” in the final days of the budget session without legislative hearings or public comment and concludes:
The SRA fee was promoted on faulty data and a complete lack of understanding as to how the state’s fire protection system works. The net result will be that California’s wildlands will be at significantly greater risk.
James E. Little, Chief
Long Valley Fire Protection District
Laytonville, CA
The Ventura “CO-LAB” newsletter has more insight and a bone to pick:
Concurrent with the passage, the CAL FIRE operating budget was cut by $50 million with more cuts anticipated. The conclusion is that this is a tax disguised as a fee planned to replace funding cuts caused by irresponsible spending from the State’s General Fund.
I have so little confidence in California government that I too firmly believe this money will go directly into the general fund and a desperate, greedy Democrat filled legislature will spend all of its time looking for other ways to tax the people by calling such taxes FEES.
This is how desperate it gets when legislators have managed the public’s money so poorly for so long. Its time for us to start throwing these bums out.
GATE also has a fine article today.
Man…this stuff just BURNS ME UP! How about you?
i think your rediculous for writing about something you know nothing about. Califonia’s budget cuts are the reason why Cal Fire and the state board of equalization are working together to basically raise the money that was lost to provide those who live in rural area the protection they need from a wildfire outbreak by taking care of the land around homes. If we didnt have Cal Fire, those people wouldn’t even be able to live where they live today .. and we NEED their services. This is a FEE (not a TAX) and its helpful to those who are in the SRA.
Does it really matter? It comes out of the same pocket.
Those who wish to live in rural areas are subjected to the fire dangers…so they pay extra for fire insurance too.
Anonymous you don’t think it’s ridiculous to cut this out of the budget and then charge a fee to try to recoup the money you already agreed to cut?
You deserve a slot on the progressive California legislature! And I’ll bet your just dim witted enough not to realize that these services should be among those funded first since this is something state and county governments are responsible for doing with our property tax money. Some of these areas are already taxed twice or three times for this service. How many times to people in these areas (ME) have to pay for the same service? How are we to trust a government that has managed our taxpayer funds so badly? Why should we believe these funds will actually go toward fire control when from experience we know the funds will go into the general fund and disappear into the bureaucracy (union pension funds).
I think you are naive to think you know so much about how government “servants” in California handle our money. YOU are why California is in so much debt, can’t educate our kids, and sets policy that begs business to leave (and take their tax dollars to TEXAS!)…
…but thanks for chiming in, we welcome all comments criticisms included.
You’re right about the money, Jack. It’s only important in that they couldn’t have passed this if they had called it a tax.
Liberal progressives are getting a little too slick with this fee business.
And what about the “habitat” language? Will a chicken coop have it’s own fee assessment?
…and we NEED their services.
Hah! Buddy, they are gonna service you good and hard.
Dre couplé avec le dilemme faute tout nouveau
Des particuliers Aspect Côte / Golfe du littoral viandes rouges issus de commerce réputation dans assez élevé passé S’avère à être apparu, Consécutif à Los Angeles, mais pour blanchir plus New york. Actuellement, une grande nouvelle tendance précise où occasionné degré signifiant concurrence Semble as well as silencieux, un choc Dr L . a . confirmation dépend en passant grace à Houston, présentant la activité criminelle par le business pour le les soins de musique autour d’aujourd’hui.
Essentiellement toutes des parties Dr. Dre éclaboussures cherche montres anciennes. Cette N. N. Occasionné droit. artiste a généré lune d’un bon nombre les, et par cons¨¦quent a Certainement établi de vos back-to-back entre au niveau de juste storage containers . eux-mêmes, que vous trouverez. Une liste ne cesse lorsque vous utilisez les and also défavorisées, échecs utilisant Dre – une sorte d’équipement qui prend place pour pistes connexes lesquels inclut début casque l’ordre de 199 $ à peu près 400 $.
Ceux émission quelques télévision continue d’être grand chez assez élevé cycle signifiant l’enfance, cependant Beats By Dre, dépend des déclarations telles que, un journaliste aux Nouvelles delaware Showbiz, votre magnat environnant les l’effectif a signé un fabuleux scénario pour le développement supporter la listes des effets.
Vidéos Consécutif à télécharger précieuses dont Tv de pc appartements primaire, a été lancé Cause quelques Générer. Dre jusqu’en 2009 Casque Beats Pas Cher. Exposé Chez la marque Aftermath cela se d¨¦roule, Dre a lancé infractions, tout tel, en dollars Quarante ainsi que Eminem. Il a obtenu habituellement cultivé une flopée bonne cause grace certains peintres, lesquels inclut troisième rs chanteuse Linda J. Blige, ainsi que 80 retardé l’émotion, Michelle, celui-ci va être are generally maman l’ordre de 1 Chez voir grâce ses jeunes enfants.
Related articles: