News editorial: CA Budget and CALFIRE

CA Budget and CALFIRE

By guest author - Jim Biscailuz

In January 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger addressed the state detailing his budget plans; the state is facing a $14 Billion dollar deficit for the 2008–09 budget year. Some in the state Senate and Assembly have said the budget problem is likely to be much worse. This comes after the Legislative Analyst’s Office reported this week the budget woes were closer to $16 Billion dollars.

The Governor has proposed a 10% across the board cut in all departments including CALFIRE which stands to reduce its budget by $52.7 million and 66.5 positions in 2008-09. The 10% reduction if not covered by another funding method will have the following impact of CALFIRE.

Reduction of $44.7 million and 361 positions from the Fire Protection Program. This reduction will be implemented by shifting funding for 20 one-engine fire stations and the contract county equivalent, 11 conservation camps, and 1 helitack base from the General Fund to the Insurance Fund, and will be supported by a surcharge on commercial and residential property insurance policies.

A reduction of $315,000 and 1.9 positions from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. This reduction will reduce funding for direct administration of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and code development and analysis.

Another $3 million and 20.9 positions from the Resources Management Program. This reduction will reduce funding for vegetation management, timber harvest plans, nurseries, and other resource management programs.

The remaining $4.8 million and 43.7 positions from Administration. This reduction will reduce funding for accounting, contracts, human resources, and information technology functions.

The Governor has also suggested that this cut can be backfilled with a new fee of 1.2% assessed to insurance policies for homeowners and businesses. This fee could possible generate enough funds to not only fill this cut but provide for an increase which CALFIRE needs to replace aging helicopters and install GPS tracking in its fire engines. The extra cash would also help fund the fourth firefighter during the fire season.

The plan to assess a fee to the insurance policies has been met with strong resistance and views that this was an actual tax and there for would require the voters to approve it as such. The state Senate Budget Committee on February 14^th, 2008 looked at this very issue and rejected the insurance fee and did so feeling it would be unconstitutional.

With this insurance fee now shot down and no other solutions currently on the table, how does CALFIRE avoid closing stations, camps and a helitack base after having a huge fire season in 2007? Most you talk to say it will never happen, they always find the money. Others worry that with a $16 Billion plus deficit some form of reductions in staffing will happen. We can only sit and watch and hope that the cuts don’t come. I would suggest though those that have had the station, camp or helitack base listed for closure, watch very closely as the budget process continues.

Ref:

California Department of Finance http://www.dof.ca.gov

http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/StateAgencyBudgets/3000/3540/department.html

California State Senate http://www.sen.ca.gov

http://www.senate.ca.gov/ftp/SEN/COMMITTEE/STANDING/BFR/-home/SS2008QSComplete.pdf (Page 15)

Legislative Analyst’s Office http://www.lao.ca.gov

http://www.lao.ca.gov/analysis_2008/resources/res_anl08007.aspx#zzee_link_1_1202666642