The Possible Negative Affect of ‘Fire Tax’ on Special Fire Districts

The proposed fire assessment bill  AB29 will cost property owners in SRA (State Responsibility Areas) $150 per year. Governor Brown stated in a letter to the Members of the California State Assembly on July 7, 2011 that “The purpose of the bill is to make the necessary statutory changes to realize $50 million in General Fund savings.” The monies received from this bill are not designed to increase fire service, response, or coverage.

This assessment is expected to raise approximately $50 million in its first year with the funds collected placed in the CAL FIRE budget. In turn, approximately $50 million will be removed from the CAL FIRE budget and placed in the general fund. There is no guarantee of increased fire service or coverage from the assessment. In addition, though the SRA areas will be funding this assessment, there is no guarantee that the engines assigned to the area will remain in the area; ie, the CAL FIRE engine assigned to Copperopolis can and will be moved or removed at will.

The real danger of the fire assessment, as seen by local fire officials, on small communities is the number of measures that have been passed by voters in those communities to insure fire protection and / or Paramedic services possibly being voted down when placed on an upcoming ballot due to misunderstanding of the new ‘fire tax.’  Copperopolis approved a tax in 1997 to fund firefighter personnel and in 2002 approved a tax to fund Paramedic personnel. Many special fire districts in Calaveras County have similar voter approved taxes.  One Calaveras County fire fighter expressed concern over the possibility of public confusion especially during these tough economic times, concerned that the citizens of Calaveras County will confuse the new state assessment with funds that will come to their local fire department. “No funds from the assessment will be distributed to local fire agencies or districts within Calaveras County from AB29.”

Local representatives statements in opposition to AB29:

9-2-11 Senator Ted Gaines

“This is just as illegal as the first fire tax but this time they’ve taken off the gloves and really socked it to rural Californians.  This is clearly double taxation and it is being dumped on the backs of the people when the state has 12-percent unemployment and families are struggling just to make ends meet.

I will fight this in every way possible- as a legislator and as a private citizen- and want everyone who might get stuck paying this phony fee to get in the arena and fight it too.”

11-9-11 Assemblymember Kristin Olsen

"It is outrageous that the Fire Board voted to increase the fire tax to the maximum of $150. There is no guarantee that services will be increased for those who pay this tax and the new revenues that the fire tax will generate will not boost existing firefighting resources. Additionally, in many rural communities, homeowners already pay additional property taxes approved by local voters to pay for fire protection."


C. Maness