Sacramento – The State Board of Equalization (BOE) announced today that business owners and tax and feepayers affected by the Blue Cut Fire in San Bernardino County may request extensions to file their returns, ask for relief from penalties and/or interest for some taxes and fees, or to request replacement copies of records lost or damaged.
Emergency tax or fee relief is available from the BOE for business owners and tax and feepayers directly affected by disasters declared as state of emergencies. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued an emergency proclamation for San Bernardino County on Tuesday, August 16, due to the effects of the Blue Cut Fire.
"We want to offer help to businesses that were seriously affected by the Blue Cut Fire," said BOE Vice Chair Diane L. Harkey. "Our offices are here to discuss their options on filing extensions and waiving of interest and penalties."
"People should not have to worry about taxes during this tragedy," said BOE Member George Runner. "We're doing everything we can to provide relief to those affected."
Requesting Relief
Tax and feepayers for the programs below can request relief online from penalties and/or interest, and an extension of time to file their tax or fee returns. They, as well as payers of the Timber Yield Tax and Prepaid Mobile Telephony Services (MTS) Surcharge, may also call the BOE Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-800-400-7115 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time), for assistance requesting relief.
This video (in English and Spanish) has more information on relief requests.
Vice Chair Diane L. Harkey was elected to the Board of Equalization in November 2014 to represent the Fourth Equalization District, which includes approximately 9.5 million Californians located in Orange County, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, and a portion of San Bernardino Counties. Previously, Ms. Harkey served in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014. As a Member of the State Assembly, she served as Vice Chair for the Assembly Committees on Revenue and Taxation and Appropriations. Ms. Harkey graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine.
George Runner represents the State Board of Equalization's First District and is a leading advocate for California taxpayers. Prior to being elected to the BOE, Runner served in the State Legislature where he authored California's Amber Alert and Blue Alert. As a member of the Senate Revenue and Taxation committee, he led the fight against tax increases and supported tax relief for all Californians. A thoughtful conservative, Runner's priorities include improving the economy, business growth, education excellence, and public safety for all Californians.
The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects $60.5 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.
Note: This news release may discuss complex tax laws and concepts. It may not address every situation, and is not considered written advice under Revenue and Taxation Code section 6596. Changes in law or regulations may have occurred since the time this news release was written. If there is a conflict between the text of this news release and the law, decisions will be based upon the law and not this news release. For specific help, please contact the BOE at 1-800-400-7115
