July 29th, 2011

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As mountain residents we are all vulnerable to wildfire. We should all be thinking about the recently passedAssembly Bill, X1 29. This bill assess an annual $150 fee per habitable structure. Who will have too pay this fee and how the money will be used is unclear. For those of us living in the Lexington Hills area, we pay through our taxes for both Cal Fire Protection and County Fire Protection. Is this new fee the right way to go? I have many questions and concerns. Cal Fire has been tasked with collecting comments from residents. Please make your voice heard.

You can send comment letters and emails to the board of forestry and they should have .SRA fees. in the subject line. Comments may be addressed to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Attn: George Gentry, Executive Officer, P.O. Box 944246, Sacramento, CA 94244-2460. Comments may also be faxed to (916) 653-0989 or emailed to board.public.comments@fire.ca.gov

The deadline for comment submission is 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 22, 2011. After that, the forestry board will forward its recommendations to the legislature for review and vote.

While I am an Officer and Director on the Santa Clara County FireSafe council, the views expressed here are my own.

Rick Parfitt

1 More information on Assembly Bill, XI 29 can be found here.

2 Rick Parfitt is an Officer and Director of the Santa Clara County Firesafe Council.

3 Mr. Parfitts statements on this matter do not neccesarily reflect the views of the SCCFC.