repeal your b.s. fire tax

slowerthanu

slowerthanu



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Fire Fee — How to Appeal​

Residential property owners living in rural and unincorporated parts of California may be receiving a bill from the Board of Equalization for fire prevention and safety services. This so-called Fire Fee was a controversial part of the 2011 State Budget. Collection of the tax was suspended this spring because of numerous errors in billing addresses and other confusion. The confusion continues, but the Board of Equalization has started mailing out bills once again.

We have opposed this tax since the beginning and continue to support efforts to see it repealed. It is unfair to residents of rural California that already pay for fire protection and safety services through local taxes.

The law that created this fee also established an appeals process. If you believe you do not owe the fee, you can file an appeal. The Board of Equalization has information on its website about that process: http://www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/fire_prev_fee.htm.​

Here are some of the basics:​


Time is Critical!​

The Fire Fee bill must be paid and/or appealed within thirty days of the date on the bill (not when you received it).​

The Petition to Appeal​

The petition to appeal must be in writing. CALFIRE has provided a form that can be used. It can be downloaded [HERE]. You must include the specific grounds upon which you are contesting the bill and evidence supporting your claim.​

Where to Appeal​

Mail the petition to the California Department of Forestry’s Fire Prevention Fee Service Center; P.O. Box 2254, Suisun City, CA 94585​

How long will it take​

Once your petition has been received by the Department of Forestry, the Department will have sixty days to review and issue a written notice of its decision. The petition can be updated (and new information provided) at any time until the Department of Forestry issues its final decision.​
 
Travace

Travace

yea this is some bullshit considering the city gave everyone here notices saying we had to take care of this shit ourselves... so yea for years we have been paying (a guy we really like and deserves the work) for our brush clearing

i will return to sender with a payment not due if they send that shit to me.
 
Rack

Rack

Travace:
yea this is some bullshit considering the city gave everyone here notices saying we had to take care of this shit ourselves... so yea for years we have been paying (a guy we really like and deserves the work) for our brush clearing

i will return to sender with a payment not due if they send that shit to me.
Click to expand...

We clear our own brush on our property. I thought city neighborhoods called that mowing the lawn. :smirk:
 
cleonard

cleonard

Most people seem to operate under the illusion that they actually own land. As far as I can tell "owning" land is just the privilege of paying rent to the state or county or whoever. Stop paying your property taxes and you get evicted. Sounds like rent to me. This is just a rent increase.

On a more practical standpoint not paying will only cost more in the end. This fee has a 20% per month penalty that starts only a few weeks from when you get the bill. Pay the bill and appeal, screem at you legislators, gov Moonbean, the press, and anyone else that you can think of. I give it about a 50/50 that it will be struck down in the courts.
 
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