California begins sending bills for fire protection
El Dorado County officials are advising county residents that the California will soon issue Fire Prevention Fee bills.
Each property owner in state responsibility area where CalFire provides fire protection will be assessed an annual $150 fee per habitable structure. A $35 reduction applies if the property is also located within a local fire district.
The new state fee was approved was approved by the Legislature and governor last year. The State Board of Equalization is expected to begin issuing the first bills this month. Billing will proceed alphabetically by county name.
“Although El Dorado County is the 29th largest county in terms of population, we are the fourth largest in terms of fire fee bills due to the size of the State Responsibility Area,” Terri Daly, chief administrative officer, said in a statement. “This new state fee hits our residents hard, and has the potential to create a lot of confusion.”
Most of the populated areas of El Dorado County are already part of a local fire protection district. In most instances, local fire districts are the first responders to emergency calls. Neither the county nor local fire districts receive any additional funding through the State Fire Prevention Fee.
At a meeting in South Lake Tahoe this summer Kelly Keenan with CalFire explained the tax means $89 million for CalFire, but in reality the department’s budget from the state has been reduced by that same amount so the tax is not a net gain to the state fire agency. What people are paying for is unknown. The tax really goes to the general fund to be spent however the governor and Legislature want.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
So why aren’t these “fees” simply being tacked onto our property tax bills?
Will there be a lien against the property if we don’t pay them?
They get paid way to much money as it is…
If this tax is placed into the general fund, it would seem to be illegal, unless every property in the state pays the same tax.
…Meanwhile the State stashes and hides secret public funds, like the recent secretive $52 million State Parks fund, while attempting to bilk taxpayers for more as it falsely cries it is broke… and threatens the closing of State Parks. Bureaucrats and legislators claiming they did not know about this and other transgressions is pure and utter Baloney.
Where is the voter approval on this new fire tax? Nowhere to be found. Who knows where this money will disappear to.
Government agencies are incapable of, or just outright refuse, to adjust their budgets so they are in line with economic reality!
Will the county fight this tax on property owners behalf?
Also, why do we all pay the same? My neighbor has 10 acres, I have 1/8th acre, why do I pay the same?
They bypassed the required 2/3 public vote by calling this a fee, and then are subtracting the same amount as the fee from the service supposedly provided, and putting that money in the general fund. Classic shell game, Stinkin’ lawyers are pulling another fast one on the citizens of California and we are letting them.
If you allow Governor Brown’s tax proposal to pass in November you are only telling them you approve of them hammering you into the ground.
I hear Texas is lovely.
Take the money for fire protecton from the new fast rail system. If we can afford to build a rail system, we can afford to pay for fire protection, and much more.