Supervisors Against State Fire Protection Fees

Tuolumne County Supervisors are asking Governor Davis to not approve a fee that private landowners would have to pay for fire protection. Under the proposal, The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection would charge landowners $70 dollars per parcel, regardless of acreage, to make up for recent budget cuts.

The CDF had $50 million stripped away in the current state budget.

County Supervisor Mark Thornton said “I think it´s up to the state to figure out how they´ll fund an essential state agency without basically hoodwinking us into the collection agent business.”

Thornton and others were also concerned that there hasn´t been much public comment at all about this issue.

County officials say the fees would apply to most private landowners in Tuolumne County. The Board of Supes is sending a letter to Governor Davis urging him not to sign the measure.