Bills are going out from the state for last year’s fire prevention tax. Reporter Dan Stork explains what you’re obliged to do with them, as well as how to appeal them…
The Board of Forestry adopted new boundary lines in May that will exclude some property owners from fee assessment in next year’s billing cycle. Mailings of those billings are expected to start in the spring of 2014. According to CAL FIRE, those boundary changes do not affect the billings being mailed for fiscal year just-ended. If you’re within the State Responsibility Area for 2012-13, you have to pay your bill. Bill recipients who believe they should not have received a fire prevention fee bill should file an appeal, which is referred to as a petition for redetermination. A petition must be filed within 30 days of the date printed on the bill. Visit the fire prevention fee web page at www.boe.ca.gov/taxprograms/fire_prevention_fee_resource.htm ) for a copy of the petition form, or to verify whether your address is within the State Responsibility Area. Feepayers may wish to consider paying the full amount to avoid interest charges while CAL FIRE processes their appeal. If you want to call the state about something related to the fire prevention tax, be aware that there are separate numbers for different issues. The Fire Prevention Fee Service Center handles questions about the fire prevention fee program or the appeals process (888-310-6447). Call the Board of Equalization with payment-related questions (800-400-7115) and select “fire prevention fee” for assistance.
