Governor proposes insurance fee to fund firefighting

California

Facing an estimated $14 billion state budget deficit, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed assessing a fee on property owners’ insurance to help cover the cost of fighting fires.

It is just one of many fees and spending cuts the governor is considering to help close the financial gap, while maintaining public services and protecting Californians from such risks as devastating wildfires.

[once again with the firehouse ploy: when facing budget cuts start with the most obviously necessary: police, fire, infrastructure schools et al - as if there's nothing else in the budge we wouldn't be better of cutting completely than diminishing any of these supposedly basic-critical services. I don't know which insults me more, the arrogance of their perpetually doing so - or its seeming to work on the populace every time the do...]

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