Fire-safety bills draw ire in White Plains

[x635 4,066]

Fire-safety bills draw

ire in White Plains

By Richard Liebson • rliebson@lohud.com • September 14, 2009

White Plains businesses and landlords have been receiving an unwelcome piece of mail from the city this month - a new bill to cover the cost of annual fire inspections.

Paying for what used to be free is rankling some commercial property owners, who say they weren't aware of the change until they received the demand they pay up.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.lohud.com/article/2009909140338

[wraftery 1,275]

It's nothing new. It's called a "use tax," a tax on those who use the service or product.

You have been paying this kind of tax if you:

Smoke

Drink alcohol

Fill your car with gas

Have telephone service

etc etc

By the way, the E-911 surcharge on your phone does not go to your local 911 agency. It goes to the NY State police general budget.

Just some thoughts for you to mull over

[x635 4,066]

Just some thoughts for you to mull over

Oh, I'm not against it. I just posted a quote. If you're charging for building inspections, then why not fire inspections?

[CPAGE 2]

You have to pay to get your car inspected. I think it is a great idea for a FD to charge for this. I will help to off set cost of equipment and other cost that may not be funded from the city.

Great Idea maybe other depts should follow.

Just my 2 cents

CP

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Tried it in Port Chester in the 90's nearly cost the Volly chief his post !

[Tanker 10eng 140]

I know several White Plains building owners who are sick in tried of the taxing.... the Towns and City's are making it to the point were its a pain to own anything...

What I want to know is this... a Fire Inspection is performed on building XYZ by the White Plains FD... the building owner then pays for the tax..... Does the WPFD supply the Owner of XYZ with an inspection Document ? a written form which states on this date the builidning was inspected, we checked this, this, this and and these, and in " OUR PROFESSIONAL " opinion everything is up to code ( and I say Professional because they are charging for the inspection, not because they are a career dept. )....

Do the building owners get a written document which they can supply to their insurance company, and one day may come back to haunt the WPFD ? " well the fire dept just inspected the building, so why did it burn down ??? "

I think its a really bad idea, and can possibly open a can of worms...