Posted by BOE Member George Runner at 2:57 pm on Oct 31, 2014 Comments Off on Government Stalling Tactics Slow Fire Tax Lawsuit
As Californians hope and pray for an end to California’s drought
and dangerous fire conditions, I am thankful for the many brave men
and women who put their lives on the line to fight fires throughout
our state.
We’re also reminded that not one dime of our state’s so-called
“Fire Prevention Fee” has helped fund this year’s firefighting
efforts.
Someday a court will strike down the unfair and, I believe,
illegal fire tax enacted by the Legislature and signed into law by
Governor Jerry Brown in 2010.
But getting there is proving quite a challenge.
As you may recall, in 2012 the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers
Association (HJTA), with my strong support, filed a class action
lawsuit seeking to invalidate the so-called fee on the basis that
it is really an illegally enacted tax.
Since then, California Department of Justice attorneys paid with
your tax dollars have repeatedly sought to do everything in their
power to slow the case down.
I’m told some of the state’s stalling tactics go far beyond what
is typical of government attorneys involved in legal proceedings.
These tactics include filing multiple demurrers aimed at
blocking… Read More