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The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has launched a Website to provide residents across the 31 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA) with information about the Fire Prevention Fee bills. The Board of Equalization began mailing the bills alphabetically by county on Aug. 13.
The Website, FirePreventionFee.org, contains comprehensive information about the fee and helpful links to maps, the law language, and answers to frequently asked questions. Beginning Aug. 6, a customer service Fire Prevention Fee call center will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except holidays) to further aid homeowners that have questions regarding the bills. The call center number is 1-888-310-6447.
The fee, signed into law July 7, 2011, establishes and annual fee to pay for fire prevention services within the SRA. These services include brush clearance and activities to improve forest health so forests can better withstand the damaging effects of wildfire. Other fire prevention services funded by the fee include fire break construction, defensible space inspections, fire prevention engineering, emergency evacuation planning, fire prevention education, fire hazard severity mapping, implementation of the State Fire Plan (http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/fire_er/fpp_planning_cafireplan), and fire related law enforcement activities such as fire cause determination and arson investigation.
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marjorieSeptember 10, 2012 - 10:42 am
And this 'fee' is to be paid to the State Board of Equalization... Yes, the very same place we send our state taxes to... It's a TAX, folks, not a nice, neat 'fee'
Phillip VeerkampSeptember 10, 2012 - 12:06 pm
I live in Diamond Springs on a 1/4 acre lot with neighbors to the north, south, east and west and with a fire hydrant with 300 feet and with Diamond Springs Fire Department within 2 miles. SUGGESTION TO CAL FIRE: Reduce your expenses by reducing your State Responsibility Area (SRA). I do not want you to feel responsible for my neighborhood's fire protection. It is not a rural neighborhood.
Vin TovkaSeptember 12, 2012 - 1:51 pm
Well Californias tax fraud has now grown to epic proportions. Current bills have gone to over a Million Californians and more are going out. Apparently everyone who owned rural property iN CA have gotten bills (and threats of prosecution) even if they sold the property prior to Jan 2012. Multiple bills have been sent to both current and former owners demanding payment BEFORE any complaint, protest, adjustment correction etc can be considered. Friends in other states who packed up in 2012 and before have been billed and threatened. It is interesting that each protest filed with the Jarvis group may cost the state more than the tax brings in. It is also likely the tax may not survive scrutiny and will have to be paid back, with interest. The following is a note from one of them and is worth reading "To all of our friends who remain prisoners in the California Republic for whatever reason, you can run but you can’t hide from the greed and incompetence of the State government. Although we moved to Colorado before this tax became an issue, they are still trying to reach out and “touch” us. Our story on the fire tax is attached. This ain’t my first rodeo on things like this and I urge you all to go to the three web sites listed below and make use of them. Everyone should file a petition for the record and if you do pay it, put “paid under protest” on the memo line and keep a copy of the check. I don’t think this issue is over yet. Remember the auto pollution tax that they collected on cars that new residents brought into the state? Do you also remember that they had to pay that all back? They also adopted an illegal tax on water rights permits. I guess that did not impact enough people so never made headlines. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has a website, firetaxprotest.org, which provides anyone who is being charged this tax the resources to challenge it and claim a refund.” I hope that they get behind a Proposition to eliminate any difference between fees and taxes. While there may be some legitimate fees, we just can’t trust government to see it that way. If it is truly good, they should be able to get agreement and pass it with a 2/3 vote. If not, well then, just do without. George Runner is a member of the Board of Equalization and is opposed to the illegal fire tax. Actually, he is quite vocal about it. You can go to his web page on the BOE website and find a great deal of information and links to even more. He has a news letter that I have gotten for several years. I am sure glad that I did not unsubscribe yet. Go to www.boe.ca.gov/runner and surf. He has links to the petition that you have to fill out to get a redetermination. Edit/Delete Message
C EverettSeptember 17, 2012 - 7:44 pm
Well, dear Californians - here we go again. Good, old Governor Brown has done it to us just like he did the last time he was the governor of CA. We have a saying around here - BOHICA (Bend Over, Here It Comes Again)! I definitely WILL protest this "fee" in every way possible and urge everyone else to do the same. It's no wonder that the citizens of CA are leaving this state in droves! What a shame that these "crooks" continue to get away with the scams and ram it down our throats. Did anyone get a chance to vote on this?? Of course not!! What ever happened to a government "of the people, by the people and for the people"??? Let's ban together on this one, folks. Give 'em hell!!
Brent n Laura LudwigNovember 02, 2012 - 11:54 am
It's a tax that is why we left the state of California. This should be repealed and I hope it is before we have not pay it. We have our little place and we pay taxes already.
KaylaNovember 06, 2012 - 10:03 pm
I just rec'd a letter from the State Board of Equalization today saying I won't be sent a bill "because subsequent information was received" indicating my property is not subject to the fee. Too late - my deadline to pay was a month ago for Butte County so I've already paid this TAX. No mention of how I'm supposed to get my money back... what is going on?!?
danielNovember 21, 2012 - 9:46 am
It is a tax leveled rather randomly at a minority. The check has to be sent to Special Taxes Remittance Processing. This is how Californian politicians attempt to fix the fiscal mess they maneuvered the state into. We know now who we will not vote for again.
Craig BousquetDecember 03, 2012 - 2:00 pm
Blood sucking state. They didn't help during the last fire and won't help on the next one. Just another way to squeeze money.
Steven JarrisJanuary 22, 2013 - 1:22 pm
The best part is that we are doing great in fire protection in some parts of the world. In others, it isn't looking so good. Thanks for sharing this information.