SanBenitoCountyToday.com
SAN BENITO, Calif. — The mayor Tuesday said the city is adding language to the draft ordinance proposing to charge fees for some fire department responses that would narrowly define the negligence factor used to determine when someone is billed.
Shortly after the council April 20 approved the first reading of an ordinance that would charge residents for some fire department responses, Mayor Ignacio Velazquez admitted to the Free Lance the legislation lacked clarity.
Specifically, while city officials initially said residents would have to be negligent in order to receive a bill for services, the draft ordinance approved April 20 excluded any mention of that provision. It meant the city, in theory, could charge everyday residents thousands of dollars for responses to routine car accidents or water spills.
Full story: Mayor: City to define negligence in new fire-fee proposal