Posted on 05/05/2010 11:14:35 AM PDT by nickcarraway
A former Marine in San Diego County who refused to pay the bill after authorities had what they called fire-prone weeds cleared could lose his land. He says the plants were fire-resistant native flora.
For three decades, former Marine-turned-Rastafarian Joseph Diliberti has lived on his three acres of paradise deep in rural eastern San Diego County: building clay dwellings, playing his flute, reading Thoreau ("I went into the woods because I wished to live deliberately") and radiating peace and harmony.
But six years ago when the local fire district sent him a bill for $27,552 for cutting down what firefighters characterized as fire-prone weeds on his property, he declined to pay, just as Thoreau refused to pay his delinquent poll taxes.
Diliberti resented that a private company hired by the fire district came onto his property while he was not there. Also, he says that what the fire department calls combustible weeds were actually fire-resistant, native California plants.
With penalties and interest, the bill has grown to more than $62,000. Diliberti, who was injured in Vietnam, lives on a monthly disability check and says he cannot afford to pay the county.
"A Rasta-man doesn't worry about these things," he said.
Maybe not, but the taxman does. The county tax collector is threatening to auction off Dilberti's property sometime after July 1 to pay for back taxes,.
David Nissen, division chief of the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District, wishes it had never come to this. But he said Diliberti did not respond to warning notices and later did not attend a governing board hearing where his bill was discussed. Records show that more than 800 cubic yards of brush were removed.
Diliberti filed a lawsuit but lost. He blames his attorney.
"This whole thing is tragic," said Nissen, who said a
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Gouge much?
Marine AND a Rastafarian?
My head ... hurts so much.
Maybe the dude should put the flute down and pick up a weed wacker.
What do you think of his argument that the native brush is fire resistant?
Thoreau was jailed for not paying taxes. His aunt bailed him out.
Perhaps it’s special brush and he wants to burn it one spliff at a time.
LOL! Post of the year right there.
Thanks.
Irie, mon. Now, drop an’ give I twenty push up.
Have to pay for 100K firefighter pensions...
The Founders would not recognize America if they could visit.
So weird. We own property not far from there and the CDF will change us only $1,500 to mow the property. Sometimes I fell like letting them and pay the bill. I hate cutting that natural weed growth.
Back when the insurance companies funded private fire departments this might have been true. When public employees have to risk their necks to save his sorry behind, it isn't.
Such is the power of socialized risk.
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves." William Pitt in the House of Commons November 18, 1783
Here’s another article about the ex-marine that ran in the San Diego Union Tribune, earlier in April. They have pictures of his house and property so you can see for yourselves : )
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/13/investigation-sought-regarding-fees-on-dehesa/
regards
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