CAL Fire Approves New Fire Fee
Sacramento, CA– Rural homeowners living in fire districts serviced by CAL FIRE can expect to pay up to $90 in fire prevention fees.
The state fire board passed emergency regulation on Monday which will affect anyone who lives in a state fire responsibility area. This fee is well below the $150 charge proposed by lawmakers in their June budget.
“In the governor’s signing message, his intention was to raise at least $50 million dollars in this special fund to take CAL Fire out of the general fund for that exact amount,” said CAL Fire spokesperson Daniel Berlant. “In order to continue operating as we do, there would be a budget shortfall if this fee does not get somewhat changed and generate enough money to keep CAL Fire’s budget stable.”
Berlant says the newly approved regulation is temporary.
“The emergency regulation can only take effect for 180 days,” said Berlant. “Now that the 180 day clock is ticking, the CAL Fire board will move forward with creating permanent regulations. The governor is also working on possibly amending the law to actually change how it’s written and what the money’s used for.”
According to Berlant, it’s unknown exactly when the fire fee will be implemented.
