Fire Fee Sent Back To Be Rewritten

Big Bear, Ca, August 18, 2011, 4:00pm – The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors will meet next Tuesday, and will discuss the proposed fire fee by the state.  According to Supervisor Neil Derry, the original fee that was submitted with the state budget, which would result in residents of the unincorporated mountain areas being subject to a $150 fee for fire services, has been sent back to the legislature to be rewritten.  Supervisor Neil Derry explained that the orginal submission was approved but with the caveot that the money would go to local fire agencies.  The legislature took 15 million dollars out of Cal Fires budget for the general fund, and they wanted to replace that money with this new fee, which would actually make it a tax.  Because of the error in the legislation, they are rewriting the proposed fee to have the money go to Cal Fire.   A resolution in opposition to the fire fee will be on the Tuesday Board of Supervisors agenda.