Fire fees impose 'double payment for coverage'

You know a state plan is dubious when editorial writers in San Francisco pan it. From the Chronicle's Tuesday editorial on the controversial $150-per-structure fee for fire protection in rural areas:

There's additional unfairness in the fees. Many rural residents already pay for local fire districts, making the new fee essentially a double payment for coverage. To partly answer this, the state is allowing a $35 discount for those already paying a local tax for coverage. [...]

Local fire departments aren't sold on fees. That's because the charges undercut future bond measures and initiatives tailored to nearby needs. Who is going to vote for these needed improvements just after a $150 bill lands in the mailbox, fire districts ask?

Hat tip: Bruce Ross.