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EDITOR: ”Dear Property Owners,” (all that is missing is the plastic gloves),
Have you received your early Christmas present from your hard-working legislature?
Even the governor, in the spirit of taking, oops giving, signed the present into law. I suppose this is how they see themselves as Santa and the elves. Well, if you haven’t, you may very soon.
According to the advance notice, “some property owners will have to pay a fee to the state, for fire protection in the very near future.” You, if selected to be in the “Some” category, may have to pay $150 for every habitable structure on your property (s). This simple advance notice arrived in my mail yesterday. I must presume I am one of the chosen few.
Now, let us ask some common sense questions. Did any of us get, see or otherwise comment on this bill? Who are the “some property owners?” I wonder if the legislature is up to their old tricks again? Have they exempted themselves from this fee? Who decides, who the “Some Property Owners” are to pay this new fee? “Some” sounds very selective to me. Of course, we can protest this fee within 30 days of its arrival, but that would not be in the spirit of giving. However, that protest and $4.79 will buy you a gallon of gas at the current inflated price. This is typical of the laws passed by our state, local, and, oh, yes, do not forget the federal government on a daily basis.
No one knows anything till it bites you on the _____ and it is too late to stop it from becoming a law. I wonder if our Legislature is on schedule to pass another 700 new laws like they did last year.
I know that firefighting is expensive, but do we ever see a cost breakdown in black and white on paper for a fire like the recent Ponderosa and Crips fires? No, all we get is the news medias, repeat of a Cal Fire “News release” “costing millions of dollars every day” for example.
Our firefighters, police, road maintenance people and our military have my deepest respect. They do their daily jobs with conviction and courage. These people are on the front lines, not the politicians. I’m sorry to say that I can only respect a few politicians the same way. These few politicians are not hard to find. They believe, in the Constitution, the people of this country, and the United States. Listen to their words, very closely and you will find them.
I saved the best for last; you can protest this law and any other decision by voting. Vote politicians (incumbents at every level of government) out of office. They need to be retired by your vote. Political offices were never meant to be lifelong careers. Vote them all out.
BRIAN DEBERRY
Placerville
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
cookie65November 24, 2012 - 9:10 am
Take a map of California depicting the Red and Blue counties and overlay in on a map depicting the counties effected by the fire fees. Ask youself why the Blue counties of the bay area and southern California have not been issued an earthquake fee. It must because earthquakes in highly populated areas don't cause any damage, require no first responders, no fire departments, no ambulances, no police, no search and rescue and are much less costly that losing a couple of structures and outbuildings in a wildlands fire.
Cindy RuthNovember 24, 2012 - 10:43 am
(I did not find a "submisson form") STAGECOACH RIDE. Placerville was full of happy people wondering in and out of all the interesting shops on Main St. friday night. Yummy smells filled the air. Christmas decorations were all around, love the trees along the freeway. People were all about Christmas cheer as my friend and I enjoyed our shopping and eating. The clip clop of little horses shoes could be heard on the street. I casually watched the mini stagecoach go by on main st. pulled by two small horses. They walked a fast walk. The coach was jammed packed with people. One horse held his head turned to the side the whole time. Around the block they went, time after time after time. A fairly short trip, but it was my understanding they did this for four hours. When we walked to our cars at the end of the evening, the little horses were still going, stopping in front of a cafe with huge windows. By this time the horses were soaking wet with sweat, you could see their hard breath in the cold air. Their fast walk was now a choppy trot down main st. When they came back the street by the parking garage, it was much faster. Cowboys and people were yelling, there was lots of noise. The horses, would come around the corner by the old Bell Tower swiftly and be pulled to a tight halt. People would quickly pour out of the coach, more would fill it up again, giving the horses very little time for a break. Off again they'd go, huffing and puffing. Drenched in sweat, in the cold air, into the night, no extra lighting. Sound like fun? I think not. It's no wonder the cafe at the loading station was not full. I myself would have loved to go in for coffee. But to view this wild, noisey scene up close was not in the least appealing. Who wants to watch this. How does this relate to Christmas? The festival itself had been a fun time. Thank you Placerville. But, I would much rather see a couple of slow, calm drafters pulling a lesuirely moving hay ride. The stagecoach ride was a hectic, noisey scene and I felt sorry for these two small horses. It's not something I care to see again.
I_will_get _back_My_MONEYNovember 24, 2012 - 11:31 am
I will get even in my own way to the tune of $150 from the state, steal from me and I will return the favor.... 'nuff said
Ron BriggsNovember 24, 2012 - 8:40 pm
Dear Cindy Ruth, Bah. Humbug!