Dan Walters: Locals set revenue trap for non-local motorists

SacBee: Capitol Alert ^ | 3/6/9 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

The proximate cause of the American revolution, one might recall, was taxation without representation – resentment that a British government 3,000 miles away could impose taxes it wanted on its colonists without recourse.

California's local governments, in their never-ending search for revenues to replace the property taxes they lost in Proposition 13 – and, more recently, declining sales taxes – have been emulating King George.

Local governments impose hugely disproportionate taxes on hotel rooms, rental cars and other commercial transactions that will be paid mostly by those who don't live in the city, can't vote, and/or will recoup the levies via expense accounts.

The newest ploy to soak out-of-towners is being promoted by an Indiana company called Emergency Services Billing Corp., which is telling local governments with fire departments and other emergency services that they can extract a lot of money from visitors who have accidents and need those services.

As the company's Web site puts it: "Emergency Services Billing Corporation (ESBC) was incorporated in 2006 for the purpose of billing for paid and volunteer fire departments to recoup the expense caused by fire department dispatches to vehicular accidents. ESBC's mission is to provide relief to local taxpaying citizens of your district by returning money from parties involved in vehicular accidents, which are burdening your entire tax base when your tax base is not responsible for their negligence."

The Fresno County Fire Protection District has bitten. Its board has made a tentative decision to contract with ESBC on the promise that it could receive more than a half-million dollars a year by billing those from elsewhere who are unfortunate enough to require emergency services.

Residents of the district and nearby fire protection agencies with mutual aid agreements would be exempted. ESBC would slap a 22 percent "administrative fee" for itself...

[SmithL]

Well, as long as it's only a "fee" and not a "tax", I guess it's alright.

[SmithL]

The Fresno County Fire Protection District has bitten.

NOTE TO SELF: Don't have accident in Fresno.

[rednesss]

This is disgusting.

[Timeout]

Better:

Note to self, don’t BUY anything in Fresno!

[MrB]

Hey, Californicans -

when you come to the great free states of America,

you’re gonna have to take a “I’m not a dummass liberal” test.

In lieu of the test, if you have at least two firearms and at least 1000 rds of ammo, you may wave the requirement for entry.

[Carry_Okie]

In lieu of the test, if you have at least two firearms and at least 1000 rds of ammo, you may wave the requirement for entry.

LOL, Peace of cake, or would that be "brick"?

[CaptainAmiigaf]

If I am not mistaken, many areas of California are quite dependent on the economic activity generated by PEOPLE WHO LIVE ELSEWHERE. Like tourists who drive through, leaving a trail of MONEY. Why don’t you just erect large billboards that clearly state “OUT OF TOWN/STATE MONEY NOT WELCOME”.
That is being done in sections of the PDRM (People’s Democratic Republic of Massachusetts).
You’ll find that it works well.

[wny]

In my neck of the woods, small town in western NY, the primary role of local “law enforcement” has become revenue generation. Barney Fife stakes out stop signs on dark, local side streets at 5:30 in the morning to nail unsuspecting motorists on their way to work for not coming to a complet stop. They’re little more than ticket writing donut jockies.

[ridesthemiles]

NOTE TO SELF: Don’t have accident in Fresno.”

Note to self:

Don’t go near Kalifornia.

[MrB]

Wasn't there a sign outside of Mayberry that went something like this:

Welcome to Mayberry
speed limit 20

[Redcloak]

Well, as long as it's only a "fee" and not a "tax", I guess it's alright.

Actually, it is a fee for services rendered. I'm OK with this. The locals are paying this fee for services as well, they just don't know it. There's nothing wrong with making sure that visitors also pay that same fee when they use the services. In other words, if his Obammyness comes to town and paramedics are called because he choked on a piece of Wagyu beef, I don't want to foot the bill. I want him to pay for it. (It's bad enough that I'm already paying for the Wagyu beef!)

[KoRn]

Such places should be subject to a national boycott.

[wbill]

Locals set revenue trap for non-local motorists

This is news? Small town deputies have been doing this since the invention of the automobile.

[Foolsgold]

[Ditto]

There's nothing wrong with making sure that visitors also pay that same fee when they use the services.

I'll go along with that as long as the local agencies refuse to accept any state or federal dollars and that 100% or their operating budget comes from local sources. In that case, it would be OK to bill outsiders for the services. But if the outsiders are paying state and federal taxes, they are also paying a portion of the operating costs of those agencies that accept state and federal money.

[Cboldt]

-- The locals are paying this fee for services as well, they just don't know it. --

The locals are paying for "insurance" of a sort, or "protection." A more equitable approach would be to bill local and out of towner alike for the variable cost, retain the tax burden to pay for most of the fixed overhead, and charge the out of towner his share of the fixed burden if he should have the misfortune of being put into an accident by one of the locals.

[bamahead]

All three communities sit astride major highways that carry tens of thousands of out-of-area motorists and truckers each day, thereby creating a big flock of birds to be plucked. And they – or their insurers – would be compelled to pay even if accidents were someone else's fault.



Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!

[Former MSM Viewer]

Better: Dont go to Fresno

[zeugma]

Actually, it is a fee for services rendered. I'm OK with this. The locals are paying this fee for services as well, they just don't know it. There's nothing wrong with making sure that visitors also pay that same fee when they use the services.

Trouble is, what this does is put huge incentives for local revenuers (called Police in other areas) to call out fire and EMS for every little fender bender whether it is needed or not.

[Syncro]

Can we have your "free state" Governor?

Chairman Kris Kobach said, “The Governor has made it abundantly clear that she could care less about bringing jobs to Kansas.

More than 60,000 Kansans are unemployed and desperately looking for work.

Instead of doing everything possible to bring 2,400 jobs to Kansas with the Holcomb power plants expansion, she has vetoed the plants and made outrageous demands in the name of radical left-wing environmentalism. Her priorities are completely out of step with the needs of Kansas.” Executive Director Christian Morgan added, “It’s preposterous to me that while the economy is the number one issue on the minds of Kansans, the Governor has consistently refused to allow good jobs to come to Kansas simply to perpetrate her liberal agenda and national political ambitions.

The fact remains that the Governor has been traveling all over the country attending climate summits at places like Yale University while ignoring the needs of Kansans who are looking for jobs.