Call it a Fee, or Surcharge but never say the "T" word

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Call it a Fee, or Surcharge but never say the "T" word

Editor: According to this article Cal Fire responded to 6,018 structure fires in 2006 – the latest figures available. Of those, only 1,180, or 2 percent, were in the State Responsibility Area wild land's...? This SRA Tax(Fee) seems to be unfairly putting a double tax burden on rural residents.

Governor's idea could be roadblock to Kehoe's bill

By Michael Gardner

UNION-TRIBUNE

SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Christine Kehoe's legislation to charge fire-protection fees in wild-land areas moved ahead yesterday, foreshadowing difficult negotiations with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over who should be responsible for the escalating costs of fighting fires.

The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee approved the measure by Kehoe, D-San Diego, even though specifics remain scant and Republican opposition unwavering.

The Republican governor is proposing a broader approach that would increase the state's fire agency annual budget by $125 million by imposing a $10-per-year surcharge on the average property insurance premium statewide to add firefighters, engines and aerial defenses. The additional Cal Fire resources, he argues, could be deployed in all emergencies, from fires to floods to earthquakes.

Kehoe's Senate Bill 1617 targets only those wild-land areas protected by state firefighters. The state's costs have grown along with development in these areas not served by local firefighters, she said.

Kehoe is developing a formula to determine who would pay how much. She does propose a sliding scale, eliminating or lowering the fee for those who pay into a local fire protection district. Homeowners also could earn discounts if they use fire-safe building materials and clear defensible space. Fees also would be based on whether the property is in a high-fire hazard zone.

There would be a minimum $100 a year fee.

The state in 2003 attempted to levy a $35 parcel tax on property in wild-land areas, but was challenged in court. After an early-round loss, lawmakers repealed the tax without collecting a dime.

Opponents, including a coalition of rural counties, say this latest attempt is just as flawed and would be illegal without a public vote.

“We have to have more immediate responses to fires in the backcountry and that takes money,” Kehoe said after the hearing.

The legislation now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where it probably will stay parked until budget talks begin in earnest later this spring.

Kehoe counters that the measure complies with the law by ensuring that it is a fee for direct benefit.

Terry McHale, who represents a state firefighters' union, said the measure should continue to be negotiated. His reservations include whether Cal Fire, the state's forestry and fire protection department, has the staffing to inspect properties for discounts and whether there would be sufficient funding after the exemptions are factored in.

“We're not sure the monies will be there at the end,” McHale said.

Paul Smith, representing the 31-member Regional Council of Rural Counties, argued that protecting homes in wild-land areas cannot be blamed for draining Cal Fire's budget. Cal Fire responded to 6,018 structure fires in 2006 – the latest figures available. Of those, only 1,180, or 2 percent, were in the backcountry, Smith said.

Source article at: SignonSandiego.com
Related articles:
CHRIS DABIS' OPINION: CDF SRA Fire Tax
News: Cal Fire budget cut plan - 20 stations to close
News editorial: CA Budget and CALFIRE - Guest author

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Thursday, April 10, 2008