Unincorporated Mountain Residents May See An Additional $150 Tax

Big Bear, Ca, June 30, 2011, 12:00pm – In Sacramento legislators have approved the state budget and have sent it to Governor Jerry Brown for approval.  A new addition to the proposed budget is a $150 parcel tax for residential and commercial structures in the unincorporated mountain areas in California.  This proposed fee would be charged to residents living in the Big Bear City CSD area, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline, and Running Spring CSD areas, resulting in 34,700 residential structures, and 13,000 commercial structures acquiring a new tax.  The tax is proposed as a fire prevention fee, however as Supervisor Neil Derry, and Congressman Jerry Lewis point out, the mountain communities have many firewise, and fire prevention programs in place.  George Watson, Supervisor Derry’s Chief of Staff told KBHR that this proposed fee would be a double tax, as Big Bear City CSD residents already pay $113 a year towards fire services.  Supervisor Derry and many other legislators are against this portion of the budget, and if Governor Brown signs off on the budget, possible litigation may be pursued.  KBHR will provide more information regarding this proposed fee as we receive it.