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Ask The Experts

Ask The Experts - Were you aware of the new recording fee in California?

October 2018 by Scott Harn

Q: Did you know that California passed a $75 filing fee for all real estate transactions? This impacts miners in that every year when they file assessment work with the counties they must pay this extra $75 fee. Some counties are claiming that the fee applies to each claim, so if you have ten claims, it’s $750.

A: Yes, we reported on this new fee (or tax) in late 2017. The California legislature passed SB 2, the “Building Homes and Jobs Act,” in 2017 as an additional means to fund projects for homeless and low-income residents. The bill passed in the California Assembly 54-25.

I’ve talked with many miners about this issue and discovered that a few counties believe a fee waiver is appropriate. Ask your county recorder when you file your claims.

We have asked the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a public interest group that fights against new taxes and fees, to intervene. There is some debate as to whether or not the California State Legislature can impose a new tax without a two-thirds majority. You can also reach out to the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association via email at info@hjta.org.