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Clarification Needed - $150 Fee

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©ammy

Tue Jul 12 2011, 06:07PM

Joined: Sat Aug 19 2006, 06:01PM
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I contemplated not posting this here because I'm afraid it will turn political, so please try to see through the politics of this matter and help me understand something.

Governor Brown recently signed a bill that imposes a $150 fee for firefighting costs on those who have homes within the state responsibility area - the area protected by Cal Fire. Here's a link to an article about this from KBHR: [Click Here] and ROTW News: [Click Here]

From what I read, this fee affects a number of us up here in the Big Bear area, however there are no Cal Fire stations anywhere near us. The local fire stations are Forest Service (federal), County Fire (San Bernardino County) and the Big Bear Fire agencies (City of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City). I think the closest Cal Fire station is all the way down in Lucerne Valley.

So here's my confusion - why are we supposed to pay the state (Cal Fire) for fire protection when they don't protect us?

I'm not disputing the fee itself (not getting into that here). It would make more sense (regardless of what I feel about the fee) to me if I lived in an area such as Lucerne Valley or Yucaipa that had a Cal Fire station just down the street. But since none of our local fire stations are Cal Fire stations, I'm confused.

GratefulDad

Tue Jul 12 2011, 06:19PM

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COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGAINST $150 FEE FOR CSD AREA RESIDENTS
July 12, 2011 by Angela Meyers
Filed under Current News, Fire/Safety, Government, San Bernardino National Forest
Big Bear, Ca, July 12, 2011, 1:00pm – On July 12th the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors authorized legal counsel to investigate and pursue legal remedies against the state in response to the recent passage and signing of Assembly Bill X1-29 by Governor Jerry Brown. The bill imposed a “fee” of $150 per inhabitable structure on all parcels of land in the unincorporated mountain areas of California, which includes Big Bear City, Fawnskin, Running Springs, and Crestline areas. Supervisor Neil Derry, who represents the majority of the San Bernardino mountain communities stretching from Lake Arrowhead to Big Bear, believes this bill is an illegal tax and comes in the wake of the state’s announcement that it would also no longer fund the air supertanker program used to fight wildfires through air drops. Those who are in the Big Bear City Community Services District area already pay a fee to the CSD for fire protection services. KBHR will have more information about this issue as it becomes available.

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bills grandson

Tue Jul 12 2011, 07:51PM

Registered Member #659
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I was thinking the same thing.
Didn't the Fawnskin fire station be Calfire for awhile?

The first news report on it that I saw it specificly blamed the fee on areas like Big Bear expansion into areas causing the expense. It seems to me that if areas like San Diego expanded more it would leave less areas of brush to burn.
The money I am sure will go into the general fund.

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Lumbe® Jill

Tue Jul 12 2011, 07:57PM

Joined: Sun Aug 20 2006, 02:53PM
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But the point is how is anything that is occurring in Big Bear impacting CalFire? And San Diego has historically ignored the fire issue, having the fewest fire stations per capita, relying on "mutual aide" to come to their rescue when they have a fire.

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©ammy

Tue Jul 12 2011, 08:20PM

Joined: Sat Aug 19 2006, 06:01PM
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bills grandson wrote ...

I was thinking the same thing.
Didn't the Fawnskin fire station be Calfire for awhile?

The first news report on it that I saw it specificly blamed the fee on areas like Big Bear expansion into areas causing the expense. It seems to me that if areas like San Diego expanded more it would leave less areas of brush to burn.
The money I am sure will go into the general fund.

Fawnskin has been County as long as I've been up here - the past 5 years.

So we are expanding up here, but as far as I can tell we're expanding in an area protected by San Bernardino County Fire (and Big Bear Lake & City Fire), surrounded by an area protected by the US Forest Service.

bills grandson

Tue Jul 12 2011, 08:27PM

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I agree
But it would be a little like saying only people with children should pay for schools. Only people who live in snow areas should pay for snow removal. Or that people in fire prone areas of the state should pay the entire cost.
Have they decided if a "structure" is any building on the property?
I would guess that this new "tax" will probably cover the entire cost of the states firefighting bill.
Come to think of it why would the Governor come to fires that are not being fought by the state for his photo op?

Lumbe® Jill

Tue Jul 12 2011, 08:50PM

Joined: Sun Aug 20 2006, 02:53PM
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bills grandson wrote ...

But it would be a little like saying only people with children should pay for schools. Only people who live in snow areas should pay for snow removal. Or that people in fire prone areas of the state should pay the entire cost.

Huh? By imposing a tax only on the people of the mountain community, are we not being asked to foot the bill that others are not? Particularly since they do not provide a service to us?

bills grandson

Tue Jul 12 2011, 10:18PM

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Isn't the tax on all unincorporated areas in the State?

If not then it would really suck.

We have state down here but the vast majority of their calls are for medical aid.

I seem to remember the state running Fawnskin for awhil. It would have been at least 15 years ago. I think it was under a contract. It was only for a few years as I remember.
This has little to do with fires but is revenue grabbing by the stateand as you pointed out they are cutting money (they think) on the contracts.
You can count on unless they have a very light year for fires that contract will end up costing them much more then they are saving.

Around The Lake

Tue Jul 12 2011, 11:45PM

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Fawnskin was # 49 as far back as 20 years that I remember.

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bills grandson

Wed Jul 13 2011, 04:15AM

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thanks
I'm still trying to find information on this. May need to go further back. But I understand it is now station #96?

But CDF does work our forest fires. Maybe that is part of the answer?

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