Mar 15, 2009 10:08 pm US/Pacific
Calif. May Be Out Of Money For Fire Emergencies
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to the media about the Tea Fire on Nov. 15, 2008, in Montecito, Calif. Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency as thousands of people evacuated the area.
Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images
California may finally be out of money to pay for firefighting emergencies, as the realities of a broke state government catch up with a governor who repeatedly has vowed to fund whatever it takes to put of wildfires, it was reported Sunday.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed placing a 2.8 percent surcharge on property insurance bills statewide to fund firefighters, trucks and helicopters. But legislators have put a hold on the fire surcharge, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The average homeowner would pay about $28 per year for the wildfire surcharge under the governor's plan, which went down to defeat even before the acrimonious battle last month over tax hikes proposed to staunch the $42 billion state budget deficit.
The proposed fire tax is languishing in Sacramento even as Cal Fire has cut staff, and layoff notices have been sent to mid-level workers at the state's Emergency management Agency, the San Diego newspaper reported.
Seasonal firefighting positions in some counties will not be staffed, and plans for rotating Cal Fire station closings are being readied.
Cal Fire officials are hopeful, however, that federal economic stimulus money will arrive as promised to save the budget situation. As much as $175 million in federal aid is expected.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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