Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Challenging Fire Fee

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is seeking plaintiffs for a lawsuit challenging the fee, on the grounds it's really a tax and should have been approved by two-thirds of both houses of the state legislature,

The fee is to raise approximately $50 million in revenue, in turn an estimated $50 million will then not be transferred from the general fund to cover 'fire prevention.' While many at the local level are complaining about double taxation, a spokesman for the bill claims that the bill is for 'fire prevention' while local taxation is for 'fire protection.' "Thats just semantics," said one local resident.

Cal Fire is resposible for fighting wild land fires in SRAs (State Responsibility Areas), even those that have their own fire departments, such as Copperopolis. The fee does not apply to incorporated cities. Approximately 94.20% of Calaveras County is considered SRA.

Opposition to the bill centers on allegations it is really a tax and on the contention that those who must pay it already pay for fire protection

But filing a lawsuit cannot occur until after the property owners are billed for the fee and have paid it.

Previous Copper Gazette articles pertaining to ABX1 29/Fire Fee Bill:
http://coppergazette.blogspot.com/2011/07/governor-signs-abxi-29-fire-protection.html

http://coppergazette.blogspot.com/2011/07/calaveras-county-hit-hard-with-recent.html

http://coppergazette.blogspot.com/2011/07/board-of-supervisors-ready-themselves.html