California Statewide Portable Equipment Registration?

[ultrarunner]

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with California's Statewide Registration Program to regulate portable engines and portable engine-driven equipment units?

I've been thinking of buying a wood chipper and now have reservations.

Here is an example of some types of portable equipment subject to registration:

Portable engines include, but are not limited to, internal combustion engines used in the following:

- pumps - power generation
- welding - service or work-over rigs
- wood chippers - compressors

Initial Registration
a 3-year cycle $270.00
b 5-year cycle $450.00

 

[bill177]

*^*^*&$#%!! sure hope that TAX doesn't spread!

 

[Kendall69]

Scwarzenegger has got to pay for the health services for all our visiting tourists from south of the boarder.

 

[EddieWalker]

WOW, just what they need, more money to waste.

Is the tax added on at the time of sale? Can you imagine paying an extra $270 or $450 to register something that doesn't even cost that much when you bought it?

Sorry to hear about it,
Eddie

 

[mjarrels]

Don't tell them I was stationed in San Diego for 3 years in the Navy... they will be looking at taking 3 years tax on my retirement pay.

XXXX

 

[Ford960]

Don't tell them I was stationed in San Diego for 3 years in the Navy... they will be looking at taking 3 years tax on my retirement pay.

XXXX

Hey, don't put anything past those California Tax jerks!!!

I worked in S. Lake Tahoe the summers of 93, 94, & 95 and didn't file a tax return. I checked with the company accountant as to the taxes for 94 and since I was due a refund of $35 he told me that I didn't need to file a California return.
Fast forward to 2003 and I find a $1000 mark on my credit report listed as a delinquent tax from Placer Co. I had no idea what this was but my state issued me a statement that I wasn't delinquent. I finally tracked it down to a California county other than Eldorado County where I had worked. That $35 refund was now $1000 that I owed them. After about two weeks of trying to deal with these people I was able to file the return by fax, luckily I still had a copy of my 1994 federal return. The forms for the state tax were also still available for 1994 on the internet. I was able to do all this over the telephone and 2 weeks later that problem appeared on my credit report again. When I called I was told that I hadn't sent in the return so I had to mail it to them.

What really made me mad was that they wouldn't send me the $35...CROOKS!!!

 

[ultrarunner]

I have friends retired from law enforcement in California.

Several years ago there was a big too-do about California trying to collect income taxes on retirement pensions of folks who no longer resided in California. It caused a lot of problems...

I think it pretty much died-down after the State of Nevada officially told California that the State of Nevada is not and will cooperate. I don't know what happened for retirees that moved to states other than Nevada.

 

[HomeBrew2]

No first hand experience ... what's your source? To quote those numbers, you must have a ref. If it's law, it ain't hard to find it online I'd be happy to research it if you can give me a hint ...

 

[ultrarunner]

Homebrew... here is a link that should get you in...

Subject Top Page: Fact Sheet for Statewide Portable Equipment Registration Program

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is very comprehensive in authority. They seem to be able to regulate just about anything from Stationary Engines, Portable Engines, Wood Burning Fireplaces, Sand Blasting, Cooking Exhaust, Medical Emissions, Emergency Generators, etc.

About the only area they don't seem to get into is over the road type equipment because that already comes under the California Air Resources Bureau, if I understand correctly.

The Chipper I was looking at is a very well used "Tow Behind" unit with a 60hp motor. The price is right... but not if I have to register it to use it a couple of times a year!

My issue is that most of these regulatory agencies start out often very benign at first. Over time, they evolve and grow into a bureaucracy that is all powerful. Wood Burning is an example of this. The "Spare the Air" no burn days had been very few in number... that is until the threshold was lowered and now the agency can report what a good job it is doing because they have so many more no burn days as a result of the threshold being lowered.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Thank you. I'll check it out.
Yes, the "regional air" folks are almighty ... just haven't heard of a "state-wide" deal. Heretofore, all towed machines had NO license (splitters, chippers, etc (which, I'm sure you know). I bought an old Fitchburg chipper w/ I6 Ford less than 2 years ago. With no DMV transfer, how would anyone know that I haven't owned it since 1960 when it was born? ... ooops, I just realized that I may have spoke out of place, maybe you're talking about NEW machines ...