SACRAMENTO — A representative for the Regional Council of Rural Counties (RCRC) Wednesday testified before two legislative committees objecting to imposing fees on structure owners in State Responsibility Areas (SRA), also known as a “fire fee.”
Diane Dillon, Napa County Supervisor and RCRC immediate past chair, testified on behalf of all California counties and the RCRC regarding SRA fees in the State Assembly in two separate forums.
Dillon first testified before the Assembly Appropriations Committee on AB 1506, which would repeal AB 29X, the bill that established the SRA fees. Dillon expressed her support of AB 1506, stating that the state would end up spending more and be liable for far more than an SRA would ever generate.
“The upfront costs of implementing the SRA fee are staggering – $15.3 million for a maximum possible collection of $84 million,” Dillon said. “Spending that kind of money from the state General Fund to add 86 new positions at the Board of Equalization and CAL FIRE at a time when the state faces a multi-billion dollar hole doesn”t make fiscal sense.”
The bill was forwarded to the committee”s “suspense file,” a compilation of bills that have been deemed to add costs to the state.
Dillon also testified before the Assembly Budget Subcommittee, which deals with the CAL FIRE budget. Gov. Brown”s Administration asked the Legislature to appropriate money for CAL FIRE to ramp-up SRA fees administration.
Dillon suggested the committee look at a broader, long-term view, questioned the practice of spending money the state doesn”t have and pointed out SRA fees may be struck down in court.
Assembly members Rich Gordon (D-San Mateo) and Brian Jones (R-San Diego), members of the Budget Committee, question the administration on the fee, including concerns of the potential increases in liability this fee may create for the state and regarding the effective loss of any return-to-source from the fee.
The Legislature enacted AB 29X as part of the 2011-2012 state budget, which levies fees on structure owners living in the SRA. In January, the State Board of Forestry adopted emergency regulations to impose these fees on owners of “habitable structures,” with most owners paying $115 per structure.
During the passage of AB 29X and at each opportunity before the Board of Forestry, RCRC representatives expressed opposition to the fees.
