Fire Fee Collection Postponed by Board of Equalization - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Cal Fire has requested that the California State Board of Equalization, known as the BOE, postpone collecting fire prevention fees for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

In 2012, the fire fees were imposed on rural homeowners..

There have been delays in the collection of the fees, as a result of workload issues created by a high number of appeals.

Officials said the board is working closely with Cal Fire to develop an appropriate billing schedule.

In February, some republican lawmakers asked that the fee be repealed, and that all fees be returned to taxpayers.

It comes on the heels of allegations stemming from an Los Angeles Times that Cal Fire hid $3.6M from legal settlements.