Posted on 08/13/2012 7:16:27 AM PDT by OneVike
California Democrats joined Jerry Brown in passing an illegal fire fee for every habitable structure found on each land owner's property. Most Californians were under the belief that fire protection was a basic government service. Well, not if you are a Democrat.
The unusual fire charge for rural areas, was pushed through by Gov. Jerry Brown, and styled as a fee and not a tax to avoid a ballot measure requiring a two-thirds vote of approval. Called "The State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Benefit Fee," it was signed into law last year. The law requires homeowners in designated fire-prone areas to pay an annual fee of $150 for each habitable structure on a parcel. A $35 discount applies to properties that are already protected by an organized fire agency.
If you believe in the rule of law, then you must agree with Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, who calls this an illegal tax. Republican Senator George Runner who's with the "Board of Equalization" says this is being done to pay the ongoing infrastructure for "Cal Fire". He claims that the fee paid by homeowners may not even benefit the homeowners paying the fee, and therefore it is a tax. Well Coupal and Runner are being polite, because as far as I'm concerned, this is just scheme by Jerry Brown and the Democrats to get around Proposition 13, to collect money for the purpose of shoveling it to their Union buddies. One could also argue that it's being done on the backs of Californians who overwhelmingly vote Republican.
The Democrats and Jerry brown may claim this is just a "fire prevention fee" to help fires, but the truth is that the millions collected will just end up being used to fund Cal-FIRE's existing bureaucracy, rather than to expand the state's fire prevention efforts. What we have here is just another example of Democrats using the government to tax the people who never voted for them. Rural Californians vote for Republicans, and it is Republican voters who are getting hit with this illegal tax. A tax by the way that will not benefit them because the money will never be used to help local agencies, nor will it be used to prevent wildland fires at the local level.
If the Democrats are serious about preventing fires, then let the citizens of rural California start chopping trees down in areas that are fire prone. Then the areas will get cleared, and when the trees do burn they will be burned in controlled containers called fire places and wood stoves to warm the homes in the winter. I get tired of watching all that good firewood burning during on a hot summer day, when it could be put to good use.
I am heartened by the Republican's plan to fight this illegal law. There are two arguments the Republicans can use. One is to fight it on the grounds that the fee is actually a tax, which would means it requires a 2/3rds majority for passage, not a simple majority. The second way is to use the fact that it unfairly taxes residents twice, because many already pay their counties for the fire services.
Remember, while Jerry brown is in the process of closing state parks to save money, he and the Democrats have found a way to tax the voters who do not vote for them by leveling this fee on rural Californians. All this at a time when it has been revealed that the State parks dept has $54 million in hidden funds no one knew about until just recently. To make it even worse we also just learned that the state owes almost 7 billion to retired teachers for benefits normal Californians will never enjoy. I think it is time that all Californians wake up to the stench that is the Democrat party that rules the roost of California politics.
This article has been presented in full, so there is no need
to visit my site. However, a complimentary hit and maybe
a comment if you so desire would not be looked down upon.
All money rightfully belongs to government.
old communist partly tactic of choking your enemy to death.
Nothing much new in the line of bilking taxpayers by this California communists ruling body of nitwits. Can they reduce the California taxes by the same amount charged since this would be double taxation?
Maybe the rural counties should set up toll booths and charge a “fire danger fee” on every can and truck that is from an urban area.
After all, many fires get started by urban dwellers throwing cigarettes out the car window or failing to tend campfires properly. The locals are much more aware of fire danger to their properties.
Then the counties can rebate the funds to the homeowners.
I am trying to figure this out.
We have a property in the high desert of Riverside County, we pay big bucks on our tax bill for fire protection.
Our small community paid for an air strip (yes the residents can use it) and helliport so the fire agencies can land their planes, and helicopters, rest get water and food as necessary. We have a small lake they can claim water for drops.
We maintain that and do not charge them anything for the use, because we understand the need.
And now the state says we need to give them even more money?
WTF?
“Democrats Pass Illegal Tax on 825,000 Rural Californians Who Vote Mostly Republican”
Well, that’s the way it is, if you are a conservative and wish to reside in a liberal state.
That is to say, as the demographics change, conservatives in leftist states will find that their “political voice” by which they influence governance is growing weaker and weaker.
The only choices are to submit to the whims of the left — or to leave.
The latter of which many conservatives are finally doing....
and for this tax they get what... NOTHING!!!
Thanks for posting. We are on our way to CA for the 3rd time this summer to care for my 99 YO mom who broke her leg in May. Although I’m a multi-generational native, I don’t know why anyone would want to live there anymore. It truly has become a pit, with pan handlers standing in every street median and fruit rotting on the trees because there is no one willing to pick.
The fact that it is a double tax is one angle to get it tossed, but we need to count on the courts to do the right thing.
Maybe the rural counties should set up toll booths and charge a “fire danger fee” on every can and truck that is from an urban area.Great idea, and if any Democrat politicians who voted for this illegal tax comes through, we will charge them double.
Hey, if you want to avoid the tax then just move to the urban utopias! Hmm, if it isn’t high enough yet, we’ll just increase it over time until you are motivated to join the herd!
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