News
Briefs
New Assembly bill to forgive fire debt
A new bill is on its way through the state Assembly that will, if passed, forgive the Santa Clara County Fire Department and the Saratoga Fire District the debt owed to the state from a 1994 accounting error.
A similar bill failed to make it past Gov. Pete Wilson's desk last year, according to Bob Hines, spokesman for Assemblyman Jim Cunneen.
Cuneen, with other local legislators, wrote the new bill, AB236, which is now in the legislature's local government committee.
The debt affects all of the county's fire departments, including the Saratoga Fire District, which would owe the state about $310,000 if forced to pay for the error. Overall, the county fire department owes about $15 million, or about half of its annual operating budget.
The debt comes from errors in how much the departments should have been paying into the state's Education Revenue Fund, a redistribution of property taxes to help the state with school funding in 1992.
In 1997, county fire realized that it had received money it wasn't entitled to, and is now supposed to pay back to the state. That, county officials and legislators contend, could be devastating to the area's fire services.
Post office open later for taxes
The Saratoga main post office has announced it will be open longer to meet high demand for income tax deadline day on April 15.
The post office, located on Allendale Avenue, will be open from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also, mail dropped in the outside blue collection boxes will be postmarked for that day until 9:45 p.m.
Celebrate Earth Day by carpooling
RIDES for Bay Area Commuters is offering big prizes to people who carpool, vanpool, take transit or find alternative transportation at least once before Earth Day on April 22.
To be eligible, commuters must pledge to use alternative transportation before Earth Day by calling 800-755-POOL or through the RIDES' website at www.rides.org.
Winners will be announced May 14. The grand prize is $1,000, and other awards include a Napa Valley getaway and gift certificates.
|
Saratoga, California Since 1975
