Sacramento’s controversial “crash tax” was killed by the City Council, which voted 6-2 to repeal it Tuesday. The fire cost recovery ordinance would have charged non-resident drivers for emergency responses to accidents in which they were at fault. The ordinance was proposed by the Sacramento Fire Department last year in an effort to recover costs from people who don’t pay property taxes – a large portion of Fire Department funding. Fees would have ranged from $495 to more than $2,000, and estimates were that the city would receive about $300,000 annually. Though the “crash tax” has been the subject of spirited debate and community outcry, it went down relatively quietly Tuesday night, w

When gas creeps up to $4 per gallon and affordable, full-sized alternative-fuel cars are in the nascent stage, it’s time to get smart about city driving. East Sacramentans who drive Neighborhood Electric Vehicles show it’s possible to forget hybrids and go totally electric right now. The flat Sacramento streets are a NEV paradise, and petite, lightweight, low-speed cars can zip into Safeway parking slots and park and charge in city garages for free. Pat Lynch of East Sacramento went electric in 2008. “We didn’t replace our combustion engine,” she said. “We use our other car for long drives but still chock up about 2,500 miles a year in the GEM car.” Lynch really likes the free city pa

CARES (the Center for AIDS Research, Education & Services) is across the street from the Townhouse, which is quiet at 4:00pm on a Monday afternoon long before they open up for Open-Mic night. I walk there after my obligatory after-work nap, still a little groggy, stopping at Old Soul for a mocha to keep my hands warm and bumping into customers who find it strange to see me on the other side of the counter. Mocha in hand, I’m heading across Midtown through the alleyways and wondering if the sun-turned-overcast sky is going to turn to rain, which would put a damper on the bonfire plans I’ve set in motion for later in the day. Over at 21st, I make a right and tell a homeless man I’ll help him

Sacramento is seeking to recoup $300,000 - $500,000 per year after the passage of a new fire cost recovery ordinance – commonly referred to as a “crash tax” – Tuesday night. The City Council voted 5-4 to charge out-of-town drivers who are at fault in auto accidents within city limits to recover expenses related to Fire Department responses. Drivers could be billed from $435 for a basic “scene stabilization” to more than $2,200 for a “scene stabilization” involving more advanced issues such as hazardous materials and helicopter transportation, according to a staff report. “I have some very serious legal concerns, and moral concerns about this,” said Councilman Darrell Fong, who joined co

Q: I got pulled over and thought I had a valid insurance card at the time. It turns out my policy had actually been canceled. What can happen and what are the laws regarding driving without insurance? Betty A: In California, you must have car insurance that covers you when you're driving any car. If a police officer stops you, you must show proof of insurance. Failing to show proof of financial responsibility, meaning insurance coverage, is a violation of California Vehicle Code Section 16029. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d07/vc16029.htm. Violating this code could result in fines up to $500 plus penalties, impoundment of the vehicle and suspension of the driver's license. If the vehi

 The next car crash you get into could be more costly than you think. Especially if you’re not a Sacramento resident. The City Council Law and Legislation Committee decided today to put the measure on the Aug. 5 council agenda. The goal of the proposed fee is to collect between $600,000 and $1.3 million, allowing the city to reopen one of the browned-out fire stations by next year, according to Sacramento Fire Department Operations Deputy Chief Lloyd Ogan. Council members Robbie Waters, Lauren Hammond and Sandy Sheedy voted for sending the measure forward, while Councilman Steve Cohn voted against it on the grounds that he would like more details. As it currently stands, when drivers w

Q: I was hurt in a car accident. I keep hearing my case is worth three times my medical bills. True? A: This is one of the questions I get a lot and I have heard it since I was an insurance adjuster. Everyone seems to think there is a formula to figuring out the value of a personal injury case. And, unfortunately, the Internet is making this myth more popular. The simple answer is that there is no formula. If there were, insurance companies wouldn’t pay adjusters to handle claims. People wouldn't hire attorneys to represent them. We wouldn't have juries awarding money. A number of factors affect the value of a personal injury claim. The first factor is who is at fault and how much is th

Laurie Rood, CEO and President of Rood & Dax Advanced Insurance Services, Inc., has received the Broker of the Year Award from the Sacramento Association of Health Underwriters. The Broker of the Year Award honors an SAHU member who has provided tireless effort as a consumer activist on behalf of clients, in support of the insurance industry and the Sacramento Association of Health Underwriters. “I am extremely honored and humbled to receive this award” said Rood. “At Rood & Dax, we put the client first and plan for long term cost and quality solutions. We advocate and educate, and are proactive about true employee wellness.” By equipping employers and employees with wellness knowledge a

Q: I was involved in a car accident. My friends keep telling me to get an attorney, but I am not sure. Do I need an attorney?     A: This is actually a fairly common question. And it is really the wrong question because most people do not need an attorney. In fact, unless you are a corporation suing in court, you are not required to have an attorney. However, as the old expression goes, “A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.”   Auto crashes, which used to be called auto accidents until the CHP stopped using that term, are a type of personal injury case. Generally, a personal injury case is any case in which a person is injured as the result of the conduct of another per